{{short description|Sri Lankan dramatist and filmmaker}} {{Infobox person | name = Parakrama Niriella <br> පරාක්රම නිරිඇල්ල | other_names = | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = 18 April,1949 | birth_name = Krishanadasa Narayana Bandaranayaka Brahmachari Mudiyanselage Parakrama Bandara Niriella | birth_place = Ratnapura, Sri Lanka | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | education = | years_active = 1974–present | party = | spouse = Rukmanie Gomes Abesinghe Jayawardena Niriella | children = Jeewantha Bandara Niriella, Savindi Niriella | awards = Doctor of Philosophy, Honorary Doctorate from the University of Visual and Performing Arts, Colombo (2024). Series of Local and International Awards Awards including Transtel Prize from Prix Futura, Berlin (1986) | signature = | footnotes = | occupation = Film, Theatre and Television director, producer, screen writer, lyricist }}
'''Krishanadasa Narayana Bandaranayaka Brahmachari Mudiyanselage Parakrama Bandara Niriella''' (පරාක්රම නිරිඇල්ල; born 18 April, 1949), popularly as '''Parakrama Niriella''', is a Sri Lankan director in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nfc.gov.lk/artist/parakrama-niriella-650/ | title=Parakrama Niriella bio | publisher=National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka | access-date=22 February 2020}}</ref> One of the pioneer dramatists in Sri Lankan drama, Niriella is the founder of the "Janakaraliya" Drama troupe.<ref name= founder>{{cite web | url=http://www.janakaraliya.org/founder.html | title=Brief of Founder- Janakaraliya: Theater Of the People | publisher=janakaraliya | access-date=22 February 2020}}</ref> He is also a stage playwright, a film script writer.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://roar.media/sinhala/main/features/jana-karaliya/ | title=A conversation with veteran dramatist Parakrama Niriella | publisher=Roar Media | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2011/09/07/fea03.asp | title=Manjula and Dilan are more than characters | work=Daily News | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref>
==Personal life== In 1971, Niriella got the first job in the Sri Lankan Navy in Trincomalee in civil section.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.aithiya.lk/n_view.php?id=2539 | title=We need to change the democracy to bring about harmony | publisher=Aithiya | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref>
==Career== Niriella studied at Hunumulla Central College and Drama & Theater from the Art Center Theater Academy of the Lionel Wendt Memorial Center in Colombo under the veteran drama director Dhamma Jagoda. He started drama career with Gamini Haththotuwegama in 1970s in Sri Lanka's first street drama troupe.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.e-thaksalawa.moe.gov.lk/moodle/mod/resource/view.php?id=10197 | title=Playwrights - Parakrama Niriella | publisher=e-thaksalawa | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref> He worked as the street drama organizer in Haththotuwegama's street drama troop. On December 31, 1976. he produced his first stage play ''Sekkuwa'' which was played at Lumbini Theater. The play won several awards at the State Drama Festival in 1976. Niriella won the award for the Best script. In 1998, the play was staged as a new production. In 2017, a series of celebrations were held to celebrate the achievements of ''Sekkuwa'' in the drama industry in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2017/03/01/features/108980/multiple-celebrations-niriella| title=Multiple celebrations for Niriella | work=Daily News | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref> It was held on the 13 February 2017 at the University of Colombo University of Visual and Performing Arts at 4.00 pm. In January 2017, ''Sekkuwa'' was presented at the annual polymorphic International Drama Festival held by the Institute of Theater Performing Arts in Mysore, Karnataka, India. He was the chief guest on the opening day of the International Drama Festival.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dinamina.lk/2017/02/07/විශේෂාංග/29374 | title=Forty for Sekkuwa | publisher=Dinamina | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref>
He continued to produce many stage plays such as ''Vinischaya'' in 1979 and ''Galileo'' in 1983. Then he produced ''Uththamavi'' in 1989. Afterwards, together with H. A. Perera, Niriella produced ''Warenthu'' in 1998.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://literature50.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/අපට-හොඳ-අතීතයක්-තිබුණා-පර/ | title=We had a good past. — Parakrama Niriella | publisher=Randiva | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref>
Niriella directed two feature films - ''Siri Medura'' in 1989 and ''Ayoma'' in 1995.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://literature50.wordpress.com/2016/08/20/ඊට-හේතුව-සුදුසු-උගත්කම-සහ/ | title=The reason is lack of proper education and freedom of inquiry — Parakrama Niriella | publisher=Randiva | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref> Both films were critically acclaimed and won several awards at local film festivals. In 2009, Henry Jayasena granted the rights to play ''Hunuwataye Kathawa'' through a contract.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/sri-lanka-37909189 | title=Hunuwataya: A new road to reconciliation | publisher=BBC Sinhala | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://thecatamaran.org/si/?p=2756 | title=There will be no reconciliation from political projects | publisher=thecatamaran | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref> His play ''Charandas'' often played outdoors in different setups without using theater lighting effects and stage designs. The play won the highest award at the 1983 Edinburgh Drama Festival in England. In 1985, his tele-film of 90 minutes duration''Kadaima'' won special jury prize from the Golden Crest International TV Festival of Poldiv, Bulgaria and then Transtel prize for the prix Futra International TV Festival of Berlin.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.films.lk/sinhala-cinema-artist-parakrama-niriella-668.html | title=Parakrama Niriella filmography | publisher=Sinhala Cinema Database | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref>
In 1999, Niriella handed over an alternative theater program to the National Youth Services Council. But at that time, it was not implemented due to the scarcity of the youth service council. Without any government funds, Niriella along with Udul Bandara Awusadahami took the responsibility for a plan for the mobile theater. On 29 July 2004, he created "Janakaraliya" Mobile Drama troupe Theatre of the people) with the help of HIVOS institute, Netherlands with 20 members. It is the first time that Sri Lanka drama use New Arena concept.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.janakaraliya.org/archives/articles/JanaKaraliya_Sena_Nanayakkara.pdf| title=Janakaraliya | publisher=Official Janakaraliya website | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref> The first play created by "Janakaraliya" is ''Andara Mal''. He produced the play ''Mati Karaththaya'' which won many awards at State Drama Festival. For the first time in Sri Lanka drama history, a Tamil actor won the Best Supporting Actor award and Sinhalese actor wins best supporting actor in Tamil drama for the play ''Mati Karaththaya''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.divaina.com/2011/07/14/sarasavi%204.html| title=I got experience in a culture - Parakrama Niriella | publisher=Divaina | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref>
In 2014, he won the awards for the best direction and Best Play at State Drama Festival for the play ''Hunuwataya'', his own translation of Bertolt Brecht's "Caucasian Chalk Circle".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.culturaldept.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=173&Itemid=173&lang=si | title=State Drama Festival - 2014 - Results List | publisher=Department of Cultural Affairs - Sri Lanka | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref> In 2016, Niriella produced the Tamil version of Bertolt Brecht's "Caucasian Chalk Circle" translated by Dr.Kulanthai Shanmugalingam of Jaffna, with the title "Venkatti Vattam".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.wijeya.lk/4840/හුනුවටය-නාට්යය-දෙමළෙන්| title=Hunuwataya is shown in Tamil as 'Venkatti Vattam' in Jaffna | publisher=Wijeya | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lankadeepa.lk/latest_news/-හුනුවටය--නාට්යය-උතුරේ-දෙමළෙන්-පෙන්වයි/1-480134 | title='Hunuwataya' drama in Tamil version | publisher=Lankadeepa | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref> On 13 January 2017, he inaugurated Bahuroopi international theatre festival.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://article.wn.com/view/2017/01/10/Sri_Lankan_actor_Parakrama_Niriella_will_open_Bahuroopi_on_J/ | title=Sri Lankan actor Parakrama Niriella will open Bahuroopi on January 13 | publisher=Articles.wn | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref>
In 2019, Niriella produced two stage plays titled ''Wangagiriya'' and ''Gira Panthiya''. The play ''Wangagiriya'' is based on the short story by the same name written by Dharmasena Pathiraja in 1960s. The play ''Gira Panthiya'' is based on the short Illustration ''Parrot's Tale'' written by Rabindranath Tagore.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/stage-dramas/2019/08/29/8686/අද-හොඳ-නිර්මාණයක් | title=Two plays by Niriella | publisher=Sarasaviya | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://rangahala.lk/?s=Parakrama+Niriella | title=Parakrama Niriella stage plays | publisher=rangahala | access-date=20 February 2020}}</ref>
==Direction== ===Theater=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Stage Play |- | 1976 || ''Sekkuwa'' |- | 1979 || ''Vinischaya'' |- | 1984 || ''Galileo'' |- | 1989 || ''Uththamavi'' |- | 1995 || ''Warenthu'' |- | 2004 || ''Andara Mal'' |- | 2004 || ''Seethambara Pata'' |- | 2005 || ''Makara Raksha'' |- | 2005 || ''Charandas (Sinhala)'' |- | 2006 || ''Charandas (Tamil)'' |- | 2010 || ''Mati Karaththaya'' |- | 2012 || ''Kalpanthaya'' |- | 2013 || ''Hunuwataya'' |- | 2014 || ''Mrichkatiham (Tamil)'' |- | 2015 || ''Wenkatti Wattam (Tamil)'' |- | 2017 || ''Hirunegenathuru'' |- | 2018 || ''Girapanthiya''' |- | 2023 || ''Kora Saha Andhaya'' |- | 2023 || ''Walahediya'' |- | 2024 || ''Heda Wena Balu Nada'' |}
===Cinema=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film |- | 1980 || ''The First and The Last(Short Film)'' |- | 1989 || ''Siri Medura'' |- | 1995 || ''Ayoma'' |- | 2025 || ''Sihinayaki Depa Nethi (Feetless Dream)'' |}
===Tele-Drama=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Tele-Drama |- | 1984 || ''La Hiru Dahasak'' |- | 1984 || ''Sasara Sayuren'' |- | 1985 || ''Yashoravaya'' |- | 1985 || ''Kada Ima'' |- | 1994 || ''Sandagiri Pvva'' |- | 1999 || ''Sudo Sudu'' |- | 2000 || ''Mihimadala Giniwadie'' |}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [https://www.colomboxnews.com/2016/07/02/පරාක්රම-නිරිඇල්ල-රාජ්/ පරාක්රම නිරිඇල්ල, රාජ්ය නාට්ය උළෙලේ විරෝධතාවට දිරිදෙයි..!] * [https://www.vikalpa.org/?p=16358 ”නෙළුම් පොකුණ ගැන ඔබේ ස්ථාවරය වෙනස් වෙලාද?”] * [https://lankatruth.com/si/කඩේ-යන-එකෙත්-සීමාවක්-තිබි/ කඩේ යන එකෙත් සීමාවක් තිබිය යුතුයි – පරාක්රම නිරිඇල්ල] * [http://old.radiogagana.com/?p=40963 හොරුන්, මැරයන් පත් කරගැනීමට මග පාදන ව්යවස්ථාවක්: පරාක්රම නිරිඇල්ල]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Niriella, Parakrama}} Category:1959 births Category:Sri Lankan film directors Category:Living people Category:Sinhalese writers Category:Sinhalese people Category:Sri Lankan educators Category:Sri Lankan theatre directors Category:Sri Lankan dramatists and playwrights Category:20th-century dramatists and playwrights