{{short description|Sri Lankan dramatist (1923–1998)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Premnath Moraes <br>ප්රේම්නාත් මොරායස් | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|1|31|df=yes}} | birth_name = Joseph Peter Moraes Fernando | birth_place = Colombo, British Ceylon | death_date = {{death date and age|1998|5|24|1923|1|31|df=yes}} | death_place = Colombo, Sri Lanka | resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | education = St. Benedict's College, Colombo <br>Maris Stella College | years_active = 1947–1998 | other_names = | spouse = | children = | father = | mother = | relatives = | website = | party = | occupation = Film actor. director, singer, lyricist, weightlifter, journalist }}
'''Joseph Peter Moraes Fernando''' (born 31 January 1923 – died 1998 May 24 as {{langx|si|ප්රේම්නාත් මොරායස්}}), popularly as '''Premnath Moraes''', was an actor, film director and scriptwriter in Sri Lankan cinema as well as appeared in versatile forms: singer, lyricist, film production executive, weightlifter, athlete, gymnast, journalist and sports administrator.<ref name="gentle">{{Cite web |title=Premnath Moraes: Versatile man, gentle dad |url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2018/01/30/features/141372/appreciations-30-01-2018 |access-date=28 May 2021 |website=Daily News}}</ref>
==Personal life== Cyril was born on 31 January 1923 in Colombo in a Tamil Catholic family.<ref name="films">{{Cite web |title=Premnath Moraes ප්රේමනාත් මොරායස් (1923–1998) |url=https://www.films.lk/sinhala-cinema-artist-premnath-moraes-1126.html |access-date=28 May 2021 |website=Digital Identity of Sinhala Cinema}}</ref> He firs attended to St. Benedict's College, Colombo, but the school was later moved to Veyangoda due to World War II. Therefore, his family moved to Negombo and attended to Maris Stella College. During his school times, he excelled sports and the arts where he represented St. Benedict's Cricket and Soccer teams.<ref name="gentle" /> Moraes is also a Public Schools Athlete and was 'Baseman' in the walking Pyramid of the gymnastic Troupe. As a student in Maris Stella, he captained football team, played cricket and appointed as the Head Prefect. He represented Ceylon against the Allies in weightlifting still as a schoolboy. Even though he was trained for the 'Mr. Ceylon' contest, he sustained injuries during an escape and helping other in a fire in the Regal Cinema complex.<ref name="father">{{Cite web |title=Gentlest human being and a loving father |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Gentlest-human-being-and-a-loving-father-144629.html |access-date=28 May 2021 |website=Daily Mirror}}</ref>
Soon after school, he joined the Police force. Later he was seconded to the CID. However, he spoke openly at the funeral of a colleague gunned down when leading an unarmed raid, Moraes was sacked from the police.<ref name="father" /> He dated songstress Rita Genevieve Fernando popularly known as Latha Walpola, but Moraes was a strict person, once strongly accused Latha of singing a song with Dharmadasa Walpola at a concert. As a result, Latha became angry and ended the love affair.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unspeakable stories from our art world – Part 3 |url=https://www.lifie.lk/2020/01/04/lesser-known-stories-from-sinhala-cinema/ |access-date=28 May 2021 |website=lifie}}</ref>
He died on 1998 May 24 at the age of 75.<ref name="films" />
==Career== After leaving the police, he became a reporter of the Times of Ceylon newspaper. During this period, he met his childhood friend Sangare Sellamuttu who later became the Mayor of Colombo. Sellamuttu introduced Moraes to renowned film producer Chittampalam Abraham Gardiner.<ref name="gentle" /> In 1940, he became a cinema manager affiliated with Ceylon Theaters and later held various positions in the company.<ref name="films" /> In 1953, he started acting and writing dialogues and script for the film ''Eda Rae'' and also sang for the first time. After that, he acted in two blockbusters ''Warada Kageda'' and ''Kapati Arakshakaya''. After that, he went India and attended to Shantiniketan the Centre of Arts north of Calcutta founded by Rabindranath Tagore.<ref name="father" />
In 1948, he joined a Sports Club known as MCC in Kotahena and played soccer. Moraes was the first General Secretary of the Old Bens Sports Club and later served under the Presidencies of Colonel Sydney Jayawardena, Dougie Livera and Granville Perera. He also became a Sports administrator in Basketball and Hockey. During his tenure, he brought Ceylon National Hockey Team to Delhi.<ref name="father" /> In 1959, he directed his maiden film ''Sri 296''.<ref name="pioneer">{{Cite web |title=Farewell to a pioneer |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/980607/plus5.html#LABEL4 |access-date=28 May 2021 |website=Sunday Times}}</ref>
During this period, he met several Indian composers such as Ravi Shankar. Later he moved to Bombay joined with Raj Kapoor–Nargis circle. Moraes became a close friend of Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar. After returning to Sri Lanka, he excelled as a singer where he contracted to the His Master's Voice label and recorded few solos as well as duets with Latha Walpola and Chitra Somapala.<ref name="gentle" /> Some of his popular songs include: 'Sri Lanka Rani Meniye' and 'Lak Deepe'. In the meantime in 1953, Moraes became the production assistant as well as second unit Director for the Hollywood film ''Elephant Walk'' directed by William De Telle. Then he had two short stints as second unit Director for United Artists film ''Captain’s Table'' and ''Purple Plains''.<ref name="father" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Local artists in overseas cinema |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/story/2020/03/05/16993/එතෙර-සිනමාවේ-මෙතෙර-ශිල්පීන් |access-date=28 May 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}}</ref>
He was Production Manager at Gemini Studios in Madras at that time. Under Moraes guidance, many Sinhala films were edited, dubbed and produced at Gemiini Studios. He also introduced Gamini Fonseka to Lester James Peiris, where Fonseka received a non-starring role in Lester's film ''Rekava'' where Moraes was the Production Manager.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cinematic links between director Lester and actor Gamini |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/opinion/Cinematic-links-between-director-Lester-and-actor-Gamini/172-209252 |access-date=28 May 2021 |website=Daily Mirror}}</ref> In 1978, Moraes directed the Tamil Film ''Vaadai Kaatru''.<ref name="father" /> In 1979 at the 6th OCIC Award Ceremony, he won the Merit award for Best Director (Tamil) category. Meanwhile, he worked as the sports editor of the Daily Mirror newspaper and also served as a copy writer in advertising industry.<ref name="pioneer" /> In 1998, he was honored with 'Namaskara Pooja' Special Award at the 25th Sarasaviya Awards.<ref name="films" />
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Roles !! Ref. |- | 1948 || ''Kapati Arakshakaya'' || || |- | 1953 || ''Eda Rae'' || Dialogue Writer, Lakdasa || |- | 1954 || ''Warada Kageda'' || Production Manager || |- | 1954 || ''Radala Piliruwa'' || John || |- | 1956 || ''Rekava'' || Production Manager || |- | 1959 || ''Sri 296'' || Director, screenwriter || |- | 1966 || ''Sigiri Kashyapa'' || Director ||<ref>{{Cite web |title=All about Sigiri Kashyapa |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/features-films-local/2019/09/05/8820/පිරුණා-හද-සන්තානේ |access-date=28 May 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}}</ref> |- | 1971 || ''Kathuru Muwath'' || Prosecutor || |- | 1975 || ''Hitha Honda Minihek'' || Film director || |- | 1975 || ''Kaludiya Dahara'' || Assistant Director || |- | 1976 || ''Kolamba Sanniya'' || Screenwriter || |- | 1977 || ''Siripala Saha Ranmenika'' || Prosecutor || |- | 1978 || ''Vaadai Kaatru'' || Director || |- | 1986 || ''Koti Waligaya'' || || |- | 1995 || ''Demodara Palama'' || Jail Superintendent || |- | 1997 || ''Apaye Thathpara Asu Haradahak'' || || |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|nm0348011}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Moraes, Premnath}} Category:1923 births Category:1998 deaths Category:Sri Lankan male film actors Category:People from British Ceylon Category:Writers from Colombo Category:Sri Lankan film directors Category:Sri Lankan film producers Category:Sri Lankan sportsmen