Karu, who coloured cinema with many stunts no more

Wilson Karunaratne or popularly known as Wilson Karu who played the role of villain for several decades passed away on May 3.

Karu, 79, also played the role of stunt director in many films. Started with ‘ Hadawath Naththo’ in 1974 Karu has contributed to nearly 240 films.

Born in 1942 October 28, Wilson’s film career expands over 45 years. Educated at Lumbini College Colombo, Karu was a sportsman excelled football, cricket and gymnastics. Karu who was also good at sports like wresting, judo and karate entered cinema as a stuntman and fighter. In his very first role in ‘ Hadwatth Ethth’, Karu had a fighting scene opposite Robin Fernando. Later Karu got roles in popular films such as ‘Yakadaya’, ‘Hitha Mithura’, ‘Sankapali ‘ and Saradielge Putha directed by Neil Rupasinghe and Sarath Rupasinghe.

Having played the villain for more than a decade in 1987, Karu was selected to play a lead role in Pathiraja L. S. Dayananda’s ‘Kiwule Gedara Mohottala’ in which he himself did a deadly stunt jumping from a height of 80 feet. Karu was seriously injured after his spin hit a rock and he had to take treatments for months. He enacted number of similar stunts, acrobatic moments and jumps from trains and other vehicles. Karu won a merit award for his role as “Nicholas” in Malani Fonseka’s popular film ‘Sasara Chethana’.