Iranganie, the Brilliant Star at 96, determined to guard the planet

‘Love the environment; the environment will return and love you’

After her graduation with a BA at the University of Ceylon, she left to join the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, England, where she studied drama helped by actresses Sybil Thorndike and Flora Robson, and followed it with a one year course at Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art in London. Her career began in English school theatre, acting in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion at Girls’ High School, playing Professor Higgins. She studied dancing under Chithrasena and acted under Professor Ludowyk at Peradeniya. At Peradeniya Iranganie became a Marxist and worked with Doric de Souza, Peter Kehnemann, and Bernard Soysa, who invited her to contest parliamentary elections from the LSSP. The veteran film and tele star Iranganie Roxanna [Meedeniya] Serasinghe was born second in a family of four children on June 9, 1927, in a remote, tranquil village setting near Ruwanwella to Joseph Hercules Meedeniya, Rate Mahatmaya of Ratnapura and Violet Ellawala. Did her schooling at St. Bridget’s Convent, and Bishop’s College where she completed her SSC: at Bishop’s, she played in several end-of-term plays. However, she selected Girls’ High School, Kandy for her successful entry to Colombo University in 1947, taking up a degree in History, English and Economics. As a member of the University Drama Society, she unveiled her unique talents.

Iranganie was invited by renowned film director Lester James Peries to act in a Government film unit’s documentary production on traffic police, titled, “Be Safe or Be Sorry”, as her first experience in celluloid. Lester left the film unit and directed “Rekhawa” in 1956, in which she played a leading role to be followed by “Sandeshaya” in 1958. However, she became very popular by playing an entirely different role in Dayananda’s “Bakmaha Deege.” Iranganie, ‘the journalist’ was attached to the Features section of the Times of Ceylon Editorial for a few years before joining the English drama production unit at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. At the age of 30, Iranganie married stage drama actor Winston Serasinghe and was blessed with two sons, Ranjith and Ravi.

“Conserve our natural resources for the survival of this beautiful island; we are so neglectful, we have destroyed many things. The colonial rulers destroyed all the hills to plant tea and coffee; powerful people have a hand in felling trees and they are making money. That is the tragedy of this country.”the beautifully simple, and humble star, Kala Keerthi Iranganie Roxanna Serasinghe once lamented.

Wikipedia says, ‘Iranganie’s paternal grandfather was J. H. Meedeniya Adigar, who was elected unopposed to the Ruwanwella seat in the State Council and her uncles included D. R. Wijewardena and Sir Francis Molamure. Her mother was the sister of Nanda Ellawala’s father who was a Member of Parliament for Ratnapura. She had three siblings, Indranie Meedeniya, Kamani Vitharana who married Professor Tissa Vitharana and Mahinda Meedeniya’. She is the aunt of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Iranganie, the first actress to receive academic training, starred Gorky’s “The Lower Depths” produced by Neuman Jubal in 1953, following many English productions Serasinghe started her first Sinhala drama with Henry Jayasena’s “Apata Puthe Magak Nethe” and followed with roles in, Ves Muhunu, and Porisadaya. Meedeniya taught briefly at Musaeus College, and also in the tourist trade working as a junior executive at Walkers Tours.

Iranganie Meedeniya grew up in Moodugomuwa, near Ruwanwella. Her early touches with nature would later lead her to become an environmental activist. While attending Bishop’s College she played in several end-of-term plays. Against her father’s wishes, Meedeniya entered the University of Ceylon in 1947 with the support of her cousins. She became a proficient dancer under Chitrasena.

After graduating with an Arts degree, she travelled to London with letters of recommendation from Ludowyk. Returning to Sri Lanka, Meedeniya met up with Ludowyk and Austrian Jew director Neuman Jubal doing mainly English roles at first. She started playing in Sinhala theatre with Henry Jayasena’s Apata Puthe Magak Nethe and followed it with roles in Dhamma Jagoda’s dramas, Ves Muhunu, and Porisadaya.

This ‘mischievous child during childhood and the defiant adolescent’, in her own words, she played the roles of the concerned mother, the acknowledgeable grandma or the lovable wife, the decorous lamatheni, and the respectable walawwe hamu roles in over 35 films and 25 tele dramas.

May your special day be just as special as you are! Happy 96th Birthday!

Iranganie was invited by renowned film director Lester James Peries to act in a Government film unit’s documentary production on traffic police, titled, “Be Safe or Be Sorry”, as her first experience in celluloid

Iranganie Meedeniya grew up in Moodugomuwa, near Ruwanwella. Her early touches with nature would later lead her to become an environmental activist. While attending Bishop’s College she played in several end-ofterm plays

Iranganie, the first actress to receive academic training, starred Gorky’s “The Lower Depths” produced by Neuman Jubal in 1953, following many English productions Serasinghe started her first Sinhala drama with Henry Jayasena’s “Apata Puthe Magak Nethe”