Doctorate for Malini Fonseka

Queen of the Sinhala Cinema Malini Fonseka has been honoured with a doctorate by the University of Visual and Performing Arts in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the Sinhala Cinema.

She will receive the doctorate at a special felicitation ceremony to be held on June 18 at the BMICH hosted by the University of Visual and Performing Arts.

Malini started her acting career with the stage drama ‘Noratha Ratha’ and entered cinema with the film ‘Punchi Baba’ in 1968.

Malini entered the television field in 1983 acting and directing the tele drama ‘Nirupamala’. She has the honour of being the first female tele drama director in Sri Lankan tele drama history.

She has acted more than 140 films. In 2010 she was named by CNN among Asia’s 25 greatest film actors of all time.

Major awards

* Best Stage Drama Award – Akal Wessa 1965

* Most Popular Supporting Actress – Punchi Baba 1968

* Most Popular Actress – Deepashika Award 1972

* Best Actress – Nidhanaya 1972

* Best Actress Award – Hingana Kolla, 1979

* Most Popular Actress Award, 1980

* Most Popular Actress Award, 1981

* Best Actress Award – Aradhana, 1981

* Most Popular Actress, 1982

* Best Actress Actress – Yasa Isuru, 1982

* Most Popular Actress, 1983

* Ranathisara Award, 1985