Age, Biography and Wiki

Tissa Abeysekara (Tissa Ananda Abeysekara) was born on 7 May, 1939 in Maharagama, Sri Lanka, is a Sri Lankan filmmaker and writer (1939-2009). Discover Tissa Abeysekara's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 69 years old?

Popular As Tissa Ananda Abeysekara
Occupation Film director/writer
Age 69 years old
Zodiac Sign Taurus
Born 7 May 1939
Birthday 7 May
Birthplace Maharagama, Sri Lanka
Date of death 18 April, 2009
Died Place Colombo, Sri Lanka
Nationality Sri Lanka

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 7 May. He is a member of famous filmmaker with the age 69 years old group.

Tissa Abeysekara Height, Weight & Measurements

At 69 years old, Tissa Abeysekara height not available right now. We will update Tissa Abeysekara's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Tissa Abeysekara's Wife?

His wife is Asanka Monarvilla (m. 1976)

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Asanka Monarvilla (m. 1976)
Sibling Not Available
Children 4

Tissa Abeysekara Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Tissa Abeysekara worth at the age of 69 years old? Tissa Abeysekara’s income source is mostly from being a successful filmmaker. He is from Sri Lanka. We have estimated Tissa Abeysekara's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income filmmaker

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Timeline

1939

Deshabandu Tissa Ananda Abeysekara (7 May 1939 – 18 April 2009 as තිස්ස අබේසේකර) was a Sri Lankan filmmaker, actor, writer, director, screen playwright and political activist.

He is better known as a script writer for the cinema as well as a film director.

1949

Tissa's father declared bankruptcy in 1949.

Due to poor health, Tissa was not sent to school until age 11.

Tutored at home at first, he had his formal education at Dharmapala Vidyalaya in Pannipitiya where he went onto captain the schools soccer team and be its head prefect.

He was married to Asanka Monarvilla and the couple have one daughter Svetlana, and one son, Dimitra.

1960

Tissa's paternal uncle (fathers brother) was Justice E.R. de Fonseka, QC, Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court and Acting Chief Justice of Sri Lanka in 1960 and subsequently in 1962.

Tissa's father was also cousins with the late Sir Susantha de Fonseka who was also Tissa's Godfather.

A chance meeting with Dr. Lester James Peries in the early 1960s lured him to the cinema, where he remained for the next 40 years.

He received co-credit for most of Peries's films, following the screenplay he wrote for Welikatara, Tissa was launched into the world of scriptwriting and recognized as Sri Lanka's foremost screenplay, dialogue and scriptwriter.

Important screenplays were those for Nidhanaya and Welikathara.

In addition, he made over 40 documentaries for the Government Film Unit before breaking through as a feature filmmaker with Karumakkarayo, based on Gunadasa Amarasekara's controversial novel.

1978

Abeysekara received the Presidential Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1978 for the five minutes role as "Kudapola Thero" in the blockbuster film Veera Puran Appu.

1983

This was followed by Mahagedara (1983) and Viragaya (1988), based on Martin Wickramasinghe's novel, which was thought unfilmable: Viragaya is considered one of the finest Sinhala films ever made.

1996

In 1996, his book Bringing Tony Home won the prestigious Gratiaen Prize for the new creative writing in English.

He was the chief coordinator of FOSWAL in Sri Lanka and honoured awardee of SAARC Literary Award.

Tissa Ananda Abeysekera was born Tissa Ananda Abeysekara Gunaratne de Fonseka in Maharagama, a railroad town 12 mile southeast of Colombo to Sir Arthur Solomon de Fonseka and Agnus de Fonseka (Nee Rupesighe).

Tissa's grandfather was Mudaliyar Carolis de Fonseka and is the great-grandson of Gate Mudaliyar Solomon de Fonseka.

He grew up in his ancestral house, Greenlands in Havelock Town, Colombo.

In 1996, his novella Bringing Tony Home won the Gratiaen Prize for the best piece of Creative Writing in English by a resident Sri Lankan.

He continued writing mostly in English, bringing out another collection of three stories, In My Kingdom of the Sun and the Holy Peak.

1999

He was chairman of the National Film Corporation from 1999 to 2001.

He was subsequently the director of the Sri Lanka Television Training Institute.

Abeysekara served on the Boards of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and the Aesthetic Institute of Sri Lanka, affiliated to the University of Kelaniya, as a council member of the University of Visual and Performing Arts, Colombo, and as a trustee of the National Heritage Trust of Sri Lanka.

2007

In 2007, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by University of Colombo.

2009

Abeysekara died on 18 April 2009, at Colombo National Hospital after having been admitted for a heart condition (Myocardial infarction).

The BBC stated: "The void that he has left can only be understood if one looks at a washed away painting and understands and realizes that its beauty can never be glorified or recreated again.".

His funeral was held over three days in four locations and remains one of the most attended funerals in the countries history.

A memorial service was held at the Chapel of the Hope of the World, Ladies' college Colombo, to commemorate the anniversary of his death.

2013

In late 2013, the Government of Sri Lanka, under the auspices of the President, Prime Minister and Cabinet issued a Commemorative Stamp in memory and honour of the late Dr Tissa Abeysekara.

Abeysekera began his career as a short-story writer, writing in Sinhala, when he was still a schoolboy, and he got some short stories published in the Dinamina and Janatha national newspapers.

Barely out of his teens, he published a collection of Sinhala short stories, which received favourable reviews, bringing him praise from Ediriweera Sarachchandra.