Biography
Samitha Kumari Erandathi Mudunkotuwa was born on January 7 in 1973 at Horana as the only child to the famous music duo, Premadasa Mudunkotuwa, the first Masters holder from Bhathkanda Music College, India and Kumari Bothota, folk singer at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC).
Samitha first had her education at Shripali Vidyalaya, Horana and then entered Buddhist Ladies College. She excelled in music under her parents, and learnt dancing under Piyasara Shilpadhipathy. Her father was the `Guru’ of many celebrated singers of today. Samitha being the youngest candidate, ed the Visharada exam at the age of 16 years. Unlike others, she had to face the examination for nearly two hours conducted before the Indian maestros who came to Sri Lanka as examiners. Since she was the daughter of the `Guru’ they took a longer time to come to an impartial decision about her talents.
In 1988, the famous musician, Rohana Weerasinghe who happened to be one of the judges at an All Island folk singing competition held in Colombo, was quick to recognise the talents of the pretty school going teenager Samitha who won the first prize at the competition. Until Rohana reached her residence at Horana to meet her parents to get permission for her to act and sing the theme song of Mapitigama’s newest teledrama `Ira Paya’ for which he was the music director, he didn’t know who her family was. “No wonder I had an intuition about her, not knowing she is the only offspring of the talented Mudunkotuwa duo,” itted Rohana when talking about Samitha.
`Ganga and Nishshanka’ was her second tele drama in which she sang and acted. Lakshman Wijesekara was her music director. In 1995, after her marriage, she took part in the single episode tele `Mudiyanse Mama’ based on Martin Wickeremasinghe’s short story. Her last tele drama was `Dala Rala Pela’ directed by Chandraratne Mapitigama in 1998.
Samitha released cassettes – `Ira Paya’ (1988), `Rosa Mal Mawathe’ (1991) and `Kolompure’ (1992). `Muthu Kumari’ (1995), `Adara Sulanga’ (1998) and `Sansaranya’ (2002) were her CDs. Her talents have won her acclaim in Sri Lanka as well as abroad. Any Sri Lankan expatriate who lived here at least till the end of 1980s, cannot forget her charming pretty face and her melodious voice.Athula who broke many thousands of hearts of his female fans by tying the knot with Samitha, has also tried his talent not only in singing and music, but before the tele camera as well. Ashoka Handagama’s `Synthetic Sihinaya’ was his first tele in 1988, and Senesh Bandara’s `Arunoda Kalapaya’ (2004) was the second. Roy De Silva’s film `Salamuthu Pinna’ was his first ever experience of the Silver Screen. `Ran Palase’ (1988), `Ran Podak’ (1991) and `Sihine’ (1994) were the cassettes he has released so far. `Surya Nagare’ (1998), `Kale Ne Muthuth’ (2005) and `E-mail Kavi Kariya’ (2005) were among the CDs of his that made a hit.
Samitha first had her education at Shripali Vidyalaya, Horana and then entered Buddhist Ladies College. She excelled in music under her parents, and learnt dancing under Piyasara Shilpadhipathy. Her father was the `Guru’ of many celebrated singers of today. Samitha being the youngest candidate, ed the Visharada exam at the age of 16 years. Unlike others, she had to face the examination for nearly two hours conducted before the Indian maestros who came to Sri Lanka as examiners. Since she was the daughter of the `Guru’ they took a longer time to come to an impartial decision about her talents.
In 1988, the famous musician, Rohana Weerasinghe who happened to be one of the judges at an All Island folk singing competition held in Colombo, was quick to recognise the talents of the pretty school going teenager Samitha who won the first prize at the competition. Until Rohana reached her residence at Horana to meet her parents to get permission for her to act and sing the theme song of Mapitigama’s newest teledrama `Ira Paya’ for which he was the music director, he didn’t know who her family was. “No wonder I had an intuition about her, not knowing she is the only offspring of the talented Mudunkotuwa duo,” itted Rohana when talking about Samitha.
`Ganga and Nishshanka’ was her second tele drama in which she sang and acted. Lakshman Wijesekara was her music director. In 1995, after her marriage, she took part in the single episode tele `Mudiyanse Mama’ based on Martin Wickeremasinghe’s short story. Her last tele drama was `Dala Rala Pela’ directed by Chandraratne Mapitigama in 1998.
Samitha released cassettes – `Ira Paya’ (1988), `Rosa Mal Mawathe’ (1991) and `Kolompure’ (1992). `Muthu Kumari’ (1995), `Adara Sulanga’ (1998) and `Sansaranya’ (2002) were her CDs. Her talents have won her acclaim in Sri Lanka as well as abroad. Any Sri Lankan expatriate who lived here at least till the end of 1980s, cannot forget her charming pretty face and her melodious voice.Athula who broke many thousands of hearts of his female fans by tying the knot with Samitha, has also tried his talent not only in singing and music, but before the tele camera as well. Ashoka Handagama’s `Synthetic Sihinaya’ was his first tele in 1988, and Senesh Bandara’s `Arunoda Kalapaya’ (2004) was the second. Roy De Silva’s film `Salamuthu Pinna’ was his first ever experience of the Silver Screen. `Ran Palase’ (1988), `Ran Podak’ (1991) and `Sihine’ (1994) were the cassettes he has released so far. `Surya Nagare’ (1998), `Kale Ne Muthuth’ (2005) and `E-mail Kavi Kariya’ (2005) were among the CDs of his that made a hit.
