List of Sri Lankan films of the 1950s explained

Films produced in Sri Lanka in the 1950s.

1950

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1950
Gambada SundariGeorge S. WijegunaratneSheela Peiris, Kingsley Jayasekera, E. C. Bulathsinhala, Vincent de Paul Peiris, Herbert Perera, Tilaka SiriwardenaDramaReleased on 27 January. First Sinhala colour movie produced in Ceylon. Only one was copy printed. A colour documentary on Kandy Esala Perahera was shown.
Hadisi VinishchayaB. A. W. JayamanneRukmani Devi, B. A. W. Jayamanne, Bertram Fernando, Mabel Blythe, Stanley Mallawarachchi, Eddie Jayamanne, Herbie SeneviratneDramaReleased on 26 May.

1951

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1951
SeedeviSirisena WimalaweeraD. R. Nanayakkara, N. R. Dias, Eddie Junior, B. N. Amaralatha, J. C. K. Rupawathie, K. W. Karuna Kumari, K. Hector SoysaDramaReleased on 9 March.
Sengawunu PilithuraB. A. W. JayamanneRukmani Devi, Eddie Jayamanne, Stanley Mallawarachchi, Mabel Blythe, S. D. Elizabeth, B. A. W. Jayamanne, Leticia Peiris, Bertram FernandoDramaReleased on 20 May 20. Tamil-dubbed version was released in December 1951 as Kusumalatha at Gamini (Maradana), Wembley (Kandy). The first Sinhala film to be dubbed in Tamil.

1952

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1952
Banda Nagarayata PemineemaRaja Wahab Kashmeer
A. B. Raj
Bernard Perera, Nanda Leelanayaka, Joseph Seneviratne, Malini Ranasinghe, Hugo Fernando, Berty Gunathilake, Chandanie SeneviratneDramaReleased on 4 May. First movie produced entirely in Sri Lanka.
Umathu VishvasayaB. A. W. JayamanneRukmani Devi, Eddie Jayamanne, Herbert M. Seneviratne, Sumith Bibile, Mabel Blythe, Leticia Peiris, Ruby de MelDramaReleased on 9 May.
Siri SangaboVernon JayawardenaTheresa Weerasinghe, Lakshmi Bhai, Edward Perera, Piyadasa Perera, Piyadasa GunasekeraReligiousReleased on 18 July. First movie to depict a Buddhist theme.

1953

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1953
Eda RaeShanthi KumarThilakasiri Fernando, Seetha Jayawardena, Shanthi Kumar, Herbie Seneviratne, Austin Abeysekera, Michael Sannasliyanage, Premnath MoraesDramaReleased on 14 February. Debut playback singing for Latha Walpola.
Prema TharangayaS. M. NayagamAruna Shanthi, Ayesha Weerakoon, Laddie Ranasinghe, Mark Samaranayake, Hugo Fernando, Richard Albert, Dharma Sri RanatungaRomanceReleased on 27 March. Debut playback singing for Dharmadasa Walpola.
Pitisara KellaSirisena WimalaweeraTheresa Weerasinghe, A. Shanthapriya, Malini Ranasinghe, L. M. Fernando, E. Marshall Perera, S. D. Elizabeth, S. H. Jothipala, Ayesha Weerakoon, Hugo FernandoDramaReleased on 24 April.
Kele HandaRukmani Devi, Stanley Perera, Rita Ratnayake, B. A. W. Jayamanne, Eddie Jayamanne, Mabel Blythe, Millie Kahandawala, Wimala Kumari, Udula DabareMusicalReleased on 27 May. First movie based on a Sinhala novel.
SujathaT. R. SundaramFlorida Jayalath, Prem Jayanth, David Dharmakeerthi, Dommie Jayawardena, Shanthi Lekha, Gemini Kantha, Bertram FernandoDramaReleased on 26 June. Based on Bollywood film Bari Behen.
Puduma LeliA.S. NagarajanPrem Jayanth, Clarice de Silva, Hugo Fernando, Nanda Leelanayake, Dharma Sri Ranatunga, Mark Samaranayake, Girley Gunawardana, Richard AlbertDramaReleased on 4 December.

1954

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1954
Warada Kageda?T. R. Sundaram
D. V. Chari
Prem Jayanth, Rita Ratnayake, Laddie Ranasinghe, Shanthi Lekha, Dommie Jayawardena, Udula Dabare, Christy Leonard PereraDramaReleased on 9 April. Karunaratne Abeysekera made his film debut as a lyricist.
IranganieB. A. W. JayamanneRukmani Devi, B. A. W. Jayamanne, Stanley Perera, Herbert M. Seneviratne, Herbie Seneviratne, Mabel Blythe, Eddie Jayamanne, Lilian EdirisingheDramaReleased on 10 April.
SaradielSirisena WimalaweeraMathias Fernando, Theresa Weerasinghe, N. R. Dias, Girley Gunawardana, Devika Rani, S. H. Jothipala, Sebastian Jayasinghe, B. P. Wickremasinghe BiographicalReleased on 5 August.
Ahankara SthreeA. Bhaskar RajClarice De Silva, Ravindra Rupasena, Ratna Kumari, Hugo Fernando, Rohini Jayakody, Mark Samaranayake, Eddie Yapa, Leena de SilvaThrillerReleased on 17 September.
Radala PiliruwaT. R. SundaramLaddie Ranasinghe, Rita Ratnayake, Dommie Jayawardena, Herbie Seneviratne, Millie Kahandawela, Shanthi Lekha, Udula DabareDramaReleased on 24 December. Based on W. A. Silva's novel with same name.

1955

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1955
SuranganiCyril P. AbeyratneEddie Junior, D. R. Nanayakkara, Pearl Vasudevi, Kanthi Gunatunga, Lilian Edirisinghe, Disna Ranjani, G. S. B. RaniDramaReleased on 19 February.
AsokaSirisena WimalaweeraSumith Bibile, Pushpa Janet, Ananda Weerakoon, Eddie Yapa, Punya Heendeniya, Benjamin Fernando, Vimala Kumari, S. H. JothipalaRomanceReleased on 4 March.
MathabhedayaB. A. W. JayamanneRukmani Devi, B. A. W. Jayamanne, Eddie Jayamanne, Mark Samaranayake, Senadheera Kuruppu, Peter Peiris, Mabel Blythe, Ruby de MelThrillerReleased on 14 April.
Seda SulangT. SomasekaranPrem Jayanth, Florida Jayalath, David Dharmakeerthi, Piyadasa Gunasekera, Dharmasri Ranatunga, Lilian Edirisinghe, Dommie JayawardenaDramaReleased on 24 June.
MathalanA. S. NagarajanClarice de Silva, Shesha Palihakkara, Hugo Fernando, Mark Samaranayake, Peter Perera, Eddie Yapa, Bernard Perera, Pitipana SilvaDramaReleased on 27 August.
Perakadoru BenaA. Bhaskar RajRukmani Devi, Eddie Jayamanne, Mark Samaranayake, Ruby de Mel, Mabel Blythe, Kingsley Rajapakse, Baptist FernandoComedyReleased on 14 October.
Podi PuthaSirisena WimalaweeraSirisena Wimalaweera, Ananda Weerakoon, Pushpa Janet, N. R. Dias, Malani Ranasinghe, S. H. Jothipala, Eddie JuniorDramaReleased on 25 November.

1956

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1956
DostharaK. ShankarRukmani Devi, Eddie Jayamanne, Herbert M. Seneviratne, Hugo Fernando, Mark Samaranayake, Shanthi Lekha, Sirimathi RasadariDramaReleased on 2 February.
Dingiri MenikaA. S. A. SamiCyrus W. Surendra, Theja Seneviratne, Vimala Venetia, Bandula Sri Sarachchandra, Seetha Nanayakkara, Luman Rajapakse, Joseph SeneviratneDramaReleased on 11 May.
Daiva VipakayaB. A. W. JayamanneB. A. W. Jayamanne, Senadheera Kuruppu, Dharma Sri Ranatunga, Mabel Blythe, Ruby de Mel, Shirley Blythe, Grace Jayamanne, Dudley WanaguruDramaReleased on 23 May.
Duppathage DukaT. R. Sundaram
K. Mithradas
Laddie Ranasinghe, Hugo Fernando, Mark Samaranayake, Stanley Perera, Girley Gunawardana, Dommie Jayawardena, Kanthi GunatungaDramaReleased on 10 August.
SurathaliCyril P. AbeyratneRavindra Rupasena, Leena de Silva, Ananda Jayaratne, Rohini Jayakody, L. M. Perera, Premila Kuruppu, Lilian Edirisinghe, Sirimathi RasadariRomanceReleased on 12 September. First Sinhala film to be released through Ceylon Entertainments circuit. H. R. Jothipala made his film debut as a playback singer.
RamyalathaA. Bhaskar RajAruna Shanthi, Clarice de Silva, Rita Ratnayake, Pujitha Mendis, Mark Samaranayake, Pitipana Silva, Boniface Fernando, Eddie YapaDramaReleased on 25 November.
Rekava Lester James PeriesAnanda Weerakoon, Mallika Pilapitiya, D. R. Nanayakkara, Iranganie Serasinghe, Somapala Dharmapriya, Myrtle Fernando, Nona ZubeidaMusicalReleased on 28 December. First Sinhala film photographed entirely "on location".
SirakaruwaSirisena WimalaweeraSirisena Wimalaweera, Mathias Fernando, Marshal Perera, S. H. Jothipala, Upasena Wimalaweera, Shanthi Abeysekera, N. R. Dias, Piyadasa WijekoonThrillerReleased on 25 January.

1957

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1957
Jeevitha SatanaShanthi KumarShanthi Kumar, Seetha Jayawardena, Herbie Seneviratne, Ayesha Weerakoon, Ananda Weerakoon, Shane Gunaratne, Millie Kahandawala, Shanthi LekhaDramaReleased on 23 February. Based on Tamil film En Veedu (1953) & Hindi film Gumastha (1953).
Suraya T. R. SundaramLaddie Ranasinghe, Herbie Seneviratne, Alfred Edirimanne, Rohini Jayakody, Kanthi Gunatinga, Hugo Fernando, S. D. ElizabethActionReleased on 29 March. Story based on Tamil film Thiruttu Raman (1956).
SiriyalathaS. S. RajanRukmani Devi, Herbert M. Seneviratne, Eddie Jayamanne, Mark Samaranayake, Ruby de Mel, Hugo Fernando, Leticia PeirisDramaReleased on 27 June.
Le KanduluK. Wellington SilvaRatna Kumari, Nanda Kumar, Arthur Titus, Shantha Wijesuriya, Noman Hettiarachchi, Oril Wanakulasuriya, Malani Fernando, Real DewiDramaReleased on 2 September.
SukumaliM. K. Samy
M. Masthan
Laddie Ranasinghe, Ayesha Weerakoon, Rita Ratnayake, Ananda Weerakoon, Christy Leonard Perera, Sudas MaskoralaDramaReleased on 14 October.
SaradamT. SomasekaranFlorida Jayalath, Stanley Perera, Joe Abeywickrama, Kingsley Rajapakse, Richard Albert, Sunil PremadasaDramaReleased on 29 November. Film debut for Joe Abeywickrama.
SurasenaS. M. S. NaiduHerbie Seneviratne, Kanthi Gunatunga, Rohini Jayakody, Eddie Jayamanne, Mark Samaranayake, Ruby de Mel, Dommie JayawardenaActionReleased on 13 December.

1958

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1958
Ekamath Eka RatakaSirisena WimalaweeraTurin Fernando, Rita Doreen, Nanda Hettiarachchi, S. H. Jothipala, N. R. Dias, Malini Ranasinghe, Lilian Edirisinghe, Daya KarunaratneDramaReleased on 14 February.
VanaliyaB. A. W. JayamanneB. A. W. Jayamanne, Shirley Blythe, Dharmasri Ranatunga, Patricia Walker, Sumithra Walker, Mabel Blythe, Grace Jayamanne, Austin AbeysekeraDramaReleased on 21 February. Based on Tamil film Minnalkodi.
SohoyuroA. Bhaskar Raj
L. S. Ramachandran
Clarice de Silva, Aruna Shanthi, Ravindra Rupasena, Leena de Silva, Ananda Jayaratne, Pitipana Silva, Eddie Yapa, Joseph SeneviratneDramaReleased on 15 March. Angeline Gunathilake made his first film as a playback singer.
Deiyanne RateL. S. RamachandranSenadheera Kuruppu, Punya Heendeniya, Dommie Jayawardena, Piyadasa Gunasekera, Rohini Jayakody, Jennie Winifrida, Alfred EdirimanneDramaReleased on 1 May. Based on the novel by W. A. Silva.
Salli Malli SalliM. R. S. ManiPrem Jayanth, David Dharmakeerthi, Shanthi Lekha, Rosalind Fernando, Manel Samaranayake, Daya AbeysekeraThrillerReleased on 18 July.
DaskamaJyotish SinhaRavindra Rupasena, Disna Ranjani, Dudley Wanaguru, Bertram Fernando, Millie Kahandawala, Shanthi AbeysekeraActionReleased on 25 July.
SuneethaP. NeelakantanRavindra Rupasena, Rita Ratnayake, Kingsley Rajapakse, Leena de Silva, Christy Leonard Perera, Punya Heendeniya, L. M. PereraRomanceReleased on 21 August.
SepaliW. M. S. TampoeStanley Perera, Florida Jayalath, Mark Samaranayake, Rita Ratnayake, Anthony C. Perera, Christy Leonard Perera, Vincent VaasDramaReleased on 10 October. Story based on Hindi film Dulari (1949).
Vana MohiniA. Bhaskar Raj
T. R. Sundaram
Herbie Seneviratne, Kanthi Gunatunga, Rohini Jayakody, Piyadasa Gunasekera, Hugo Fernando, David Dharmakeerthi, Richard Albert, Vincent VaasDramaReleased on 12 December. Story based on Tamil film Vana Mohini (1941).

1959

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1959
AvishvasayaT. SomasekaranPrem Jayanth, Florida Jayalath, Joe Abeywickrema, Baptist Fernando, M. V. Balan, Kingsley Rajapakse, Sudam WanigatungaThrillerReleased on 4 February.
Ma Alaya Kala TharuniyaSirisena WimalaweeraAruna Shanthi, Ananda Weerakoon, Kumari Manel, Bandu Munasinghe, N. R. Dias, S. H. Jothipala, E. Marshall Perera, Piyadasa WijekoonDramaReleased on 20 February.
DaivayogayaS. K. OjhaRukmani Devi, Senadheera Kuruppu, Eddie Jayamanne, Gamini Fonseka, Mark Samaranayake, Sirimathi RasadariDramaReleased on 18 April. Story based on novel by W. A. Silva.
Purusha RathnayaA.S. NagarajanPrem Jayanth, Clarice de Silva, Millie Kahandawala, Baptist Fernando, Eddie Yapa, Pitipana Silva, Piyadasa WijekoonDramaReleased on 9 May. Swarna Abeynayake became the first woman to produce a Sinhala film.
Sri 296Premnath MoraesPunya Heendeniya, Joe Abeywickrema, Henry Jayasena, Sudam Wanigatunga, Kingsley Rajapakse, Sirimathi Rasadari, M. V. BalanThrillerReleased on 20 May. Story based on Hindi film C I.D. (1956).
SihinayaT. Janaki RamDommie Jayawardena, Rohini Jayakody, Senadheera Kuruppu, Asoka Ponnamperuma, Lilian Edirisinghe, Ayesha Weerakoon, D. R. NanayakkaraCrimeReleased on 3 July. Story based on English film Vendetta (1950?).
Gehenu GetaJyotish Sinha
Kingsley Rajapakse
T. Somasekaran
Henry Jayasena, Kumari Bibile, Dudley Wanaguru, Udula Dabare, Florida Jayalath, Vincent Weerasekera, Joe AbeywickremaMusical comedyReleased on 24 July. Story based on English film The Fabulous Senorita (1952), Hindi film Albela (1951) and Tamil film Manamagan Thevai (1957).
SirimaleeRobin TampoeBoniface Fernando, Sujatha Wijesekera, Asoka Ponnamperuma, Joe Abeywickrema, David Dharmakeerthi, Rita Carmaline, Christy Leonard PereraRomanceReleased on 11 September.
Hadisi VivahayaB. A. W. JayamanneB. A. W. Jayamanne, Shirley Blythe, Dharmasri Ranatunga, Ruby de Mel, Dudley Wanaguru, Mabel Blythe, Austin Abeysekera, Patricia WalkerDramaReleased on 14 November.

See also