Reminiscences of Raigam Tele'es 2011

Amalshan GUNERATHNE

Notable awards at this year’s ceremony

* The Best Tele-Drama Actor - Bimal Jayakodhi (Senkeliyai Maya)
* The Best Tele-Drama Actress - Damitha Abeyrathne (Swayanjatha)
* The Best Tele-Drama Script Writer and Director- Sarath Darmasiri (Ethkanda Lihiniya)
* The Best Tele-Drama of the Year- Ethkanda Lihiniya (SLRC)
* Channel of the Year- ITN
* The Best Supporting Actor- Athula Pathirana (Swayanjatha)
* The Best Supporting Actress- Prathiba Hettiarachchi (Senekeliyai Maya)
* The Best Tele-Drama Upcoming Actor – Rayan Vanroyan
* The Best Tele-Drama Upcoming Actress- Rashmi Yalagala
* The Most Popular Tele-Drama Actor – Saranga Disasekera
* The Most Popular Tele-Drama Actress – Nehera Peiris
* The Most Popular Tele-drama – Sihina Piyapath (ITN)

Recognizing the talents of local television-screen, ‘Raigam Tele'es 2011’ award ceremony was held recently. At a time where people’s aesthetic taste buds have been blunted with stale, juvenile television-programmes, organizing an event of this magnitude could be marked as a timely venture.

Dance items from the event. Pictures by Sulochana Gamage

Identifying the talents from various fields in local tele-screen, fifty three awards were given away at this year’s ceremony. Winning eighteen out of the fifty three awards, ITN won the ‘Channel of the year Award’ at this year’s ceremony. ‘Bimal Jayakodhi won the best tele-drama actor of the year award for his performance in Senkeliyai Maya tele-drama. The seasoned actress, Damitha Abeyrathne won the award for best actress for her performance in Swayanjatha tele-drama. The best tele-drama script writer and the best tele-drama direction of the year were given to Sarath Darmasiri for Ethkanda Lihiniya. The prestigious, best tele-drama of the year award was also given to Ethkanda Lihiniya tele-drama.

The judge panel for this year’s ceremony consisted with a well known league of artists and scholars which included, Professor Patrick Rathnayaka, Professor Ajantha Hapuarchchi, Professor Sampath Amarathunga, Buddhasa Galapaththy, Hansamala Ritigahapola, Ramasami Tharmakulasinham, Visharada Edward Jayakodhi.

Making a statement on the importance of organizing an event of this magnitude, the president of Raigam Products, Ravi Liyanage noted, “We live in a highly volatile society where our social constitution and ethics have been subjected to a major change. At such a time, television medium plays a strong role in harnessing people’s intellect and aesthetic-scope. Therefore, it is important to give gratitude towards television channels who work towards such a change by feeding its viewers with programmes of real aesthetic value.”