Saumya Liyanage


Saumya Prabath Danwatta Liyanage, popularly as Saumya Liyanage is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. He is a senior lecturer and currently the Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies in University of the Visual and Performing Arts by profession. Highly versatile actor mainly involved in dramatic roles, Saumya is the son of veteran dramatist Hemasiri Liyanage and brother of musician Indrachapa Liyanage.

Personal life

Liyanage completed his bachelor's degree of arts from University of Kelaniya and then master's degree in Creative Arts from Flinders University, South Australia. He completed Phd. from La Trobe University, Melbourne in Drama Program under the guidance of Dr. Rob Conkie.

Career

He started stage work early 1990s when he is an undergraduate at the Kelaniya University. After that, he became a continues leading actor in stage drama. His maiden television acting came through the drama Sittara Gurunnanse in 1992. He acted handful of television dramas and particularly rejecting soap operas and mega teledramas. He went Australia in 2010 for academic activities and returned in 2014. By 2010, he performed in Rajitha Dissanayake's stage play Apahu Harenna Ba, where he won the Best Actor Award at the State Drama Festival that year. Then he acted in Indika Ferdinando's stage play Colombo Colombo. The play was selected for the International Women's Drama Festival in India and held two seasons for Indian audiences in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Liyanage started his film career with Padadaya back in 1999, directed by Linton Semage. His most popular cinema acting came through films Aba, Walapatala and Nimnayaka Hudekalawa. The role in Aba as Habaraa was highly praised by the critics. In 2014, he appeared in the Asoka Handagama's play Antique Kadayaka Maranayak.

Selected theater works

Clouds Nine Produced by the Department of English, University of KelaniyaN’Kruma Ni Africa Ni Kontharaththuwa Hansaintath Man Asai Daru Prashne Puthra Prashne Gabsawa Last Bus Eke Kathawa Mata Wedi Thiyan Nedda? Dawasa Thama Gewne Ne Mata Erehiwa Mama Closer - Performed at the Flinders University, South AustraliaHoru Samaga Heluwen Weeraya Merila Apasu Herenna Be Colombo Colombo
  • ''The Irresistible Rise of Mr. Signno''

Selected television serials

Sittara Gurunnanse Kalpanthayak Ramya Nagaraya Bambara Sakmana Manasthapaya Itipahan Imadiya Mankada Nikini Paluwa Mangalam Apparitions Diul Gase Kola Sulange Wisira Yathi
  • ''The Lake''

Author work

Filmography

YearFilmRoleRef.
1987PadadayaHome guard
1999Theertha Yathra
2001AswesumaThug
2001Me Mage Sandai
2001Mathu Yam DawasaDhammika
2002Mage Wam AthaKamal's boss
2002Salelu WaramaDarshan
2005Sulanga Enu PinisaPalitha
2006Udugan Yamaya
2007AganthukayaSampath
2007Nisala GiraMarko
2008WalapatalaDr. Delgoda
2008AbaHabaraa
2008Machan
2010Ira Handa YataMahasen
2010VidhuPolitician
2017Nimnayaka HudekalawaVishwa
2017Heena Hoyana SamanalluAditya Wijebandara
2025Rani-

Awards and accolades

He has won several awards at the state theater festivals and local film festivals.