About Ben Sirimanne
The Man, the voice
Ben Sirimanne, was a prolific stage & theater actor from Sri Lanka. Born Benedict Dias Sirimanne, in Galle, Sri Lanka, Ben Sirimanne rose to fame in his portrayal of Prince Maname in Professor Ediriweera Sarachchandra's masterpiece creation, "Maname".
Ben Sirimanne impressed audiences with his magnetic stage presence and commanding voice.
"Premayen mana ranjitha we", Ben Sirimanne's duet with Mrs. Trelishia Gunawardana has stood the test of time and is considered a masterpiece in classical Sri Lankan Sinhala music.
Credits
Ben Sirimanne's acting credits include "Maname, Kundalakeshi and Kalagola.
Ben Sirimanne is the original artist of the famous Sinhala song, "Anna Balan Sande". Several version of the song created by Mr. Mahagame Sekera has been recorded since. However the original song will always be a Ben Sirimanne classic.
Personal Life
Ben Sirimanne was married to Mrs. Enid Harriet Sirimanne and had six children. His oldest son, Jayantha Sirimanne was a talented musician in his own right. He was one of the original band members of famous Sri Lankan band, Super Golden Chimes. A self taught Guitar and Piano Player. Jayantha toured Europe with several bands.
Sadly, Jayantha passed away from a brief illness in February 2012.
Prashantha Sirimanne, second son of Ben, continues the musical legacy with his own style of Sri Lankan popular music.
Other children of Mr. Ben Sirimanne,
Shantha Padmini, Lalanthi Antonette, Kumudini Daphni and Sriyantha Benedict, resides in the USA with Mrs. Sirimanne. Mrs. Sirimanne, a retired school teacher and university English instructor, resides in San Diego, California.
Golden voice of Ben Sirimanne went silent on July 17th of 1970. His legacy will live on forever.