10 December 2021 09:25 am Views - 1142
Veteran film director Sunil Soma Peiris has passed away at the age of 72.
He is also known as the "King of Box Office" in Sinhala cinema.
He was a prolific director who directed the most number of films in Sri Lankan cinema with 45 commercial films in various genres to his name.
He entered Sinhala cinema with a minor uncredited role in Henry Chandrawansa's film Vanagatha Kella. Then he made group characters the films Lakseṭa Koḍiya and Vahal Dūpata. While acting in the 1973 film Thushara as a stuntman, he informed the director Yasapalitha Nanayakkara about his passion to become a filmmaker. Therefore, he was finally selected as the second assistant director of the film. After the film, Sunil Soma became the first assistant director to Yasapalitha Nanayakkara and together they made 18 movies.
In 1985, he made his debut cinema direction with Obata Diwura Kiyannam. Then within 25 years, he made forty-five films. Out of the 45 movies made by him, eight were co-directed with his son Sudesh Wasantha.