Rookantha Gunathilake

Mario Glory Rookantha Goonatillake (Sinhala: රූකාන්ත ගුණතිලක) (born 5 September 1959) is a Sri Lankan singer and songwriter. He started his career as a solo singer in late 1980s. He frequently performs duets with his wife, Chandralekha Perera. His daughters Raini Charuka and Windy are both singers.

Rookantha Goonatillake (රූකාන්ත ගුණතිලක)
Born	Mario Glory Rookantha Goonatillake (1959-09-05) 5 September 1959 Kegalle, Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Other names	Rooka
Education	St. Anthony's College, Kandy
Occupation	singer, songwriter
Spouse(s)	Chandralekha Perera
Children	Raini Charuka

Rookantha is one of the most successful musicians in Sri Lankan pop and sentimental industry. He is known as the King of Pop amongst Sri Lankans His albums have sold around 15,000 copies in Sri Lanka. He is known as the person who changed the Sri Lankan music industry in the 1980s with his songs.

Life and career

Early years

Rookantha Goonatillake was born in Kegalle to a middle-class family in Sri Lanka. He loved music from a very young age. As a result, his parents sent him to a music teacher nearby to teach him to play the piano.

Rookantha once said in a radio interview that one of his music teachers at school was not that friendly and punished him several times for not using correct fingering in piano. Also, he found out that he was getting restricted to what the teacher wanted him to learn.

He attended St. Mary's College, Kegalle for primary education. He learned music at his school, St. Anthony's College, Kandy from great musicians such as Stanley Peiris and Cyril Brown.

Music

Rookantha Goonatillake originally pursued a career as a composer in 1976. In 1985, he found himself without a singer to provide vocals on one of his compositions, "Bambara Pahasa." He provided the vocals himself, beginning his career as a singer.

His fourth album Charuka, named after his daughter, Raini Charuka, was released in 1997.

[1] The exclusive concert of Rookantha and Chandralekha is 'Ru Sanda Rae' which means "Beauty Moon Night". The first concert was staged at the Elphinston Theatre in Colombo, Sri Lanka in February 1993. To-date it has been staged in many places around the globe including Italy, France, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK, USA, and the UAE. The 'Ru Sanda Rae' concert has been staged more than 300 times and still counting.

Personal life

Rookantha is married to singer and former actress Chandralekha Perera. They have two daughters, Raini Charuka (born 10 April 1991) and Windy (born 26 December). Since December 2005, Rookantha and Chandralekha reside in New York City with their family.

Most recent tour, Ru Sanda Rae, took place in between 2005 and 2006.

The mega show of 'Rookantha-Chandralekha Live at Stadium' was held in August 2009 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.[2] Many crowds had to turn around as the tickets were sold out weeks before the concert overcrowding the Sugathadasa Stadium with over 15,000 people. Since then, the family has been traveling back and forth holding ‘Ru Sanda Rae’ concerts around the country.

Discography

Aadara Reka (1983)
Bambara Pahasa (1988)
Diganthaye (1992)
Charuka (1997)
Mayime Idan
Rookantha Non-Stop (Ru hedu gee)
H.R. Jothipala Tribute Album

Singles

Solo Tracks
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Hitha Nawathuna Thana"
2.	"Sangawanna oya nil nuwan"
3.	"Kalakata passe"
4.	"Upaharaya" (Produced for ICC Cricket World Cup 2011)
5.	"Dura Atha"
6.	"Ithin Hadamu Api Aluth Ratak (Let's Make A New Country)" (Produced with Kasun Kalhara for the victory of New Democratic Front (Sri Lanka) at the 2015 Sri Lankan presidential election)

References

"Rooka shaken after fire disaster". Daily Mirror. 2004. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2007.
Rookantha Chandralekha Live at Stadium

External links

Sinhala music
Sinhala language Music of Sri Lanka
Singers	Ajith Bandara Allen Ratnayake W. D. Amaradeva Amarasiri Peiris Annesley Malewana Anton Jones J. P. Chandrababu R. A. Chandrasena Chandrasena Hettiarachchi Chitral Somapala Clarence Wijewardena Cliff Foenander Dasun Madushan Dayan Witharana Dayarathna Ranatunga Deepal Silva Desmond de Silva Dhanapala Udawaththa Dharmaratne Brothers Dinesh Kanagaratnam Edward Jayakody C. T. Fernando M. S. Fernando Freddie Silva Gratien Ananda Gresha Schuilling Gunadasa Kapuge Henry Caldera Indrachapa Liyanage Ivor Dennis Jagath Wickramasinghe T. M. Jayaratne H. R. Jothipala Kamal Addararachchi Karunarathna Divulgane Kasun Kalhara Keerthi Pasquel Lahiru Perera Lionel Ranwala Madhumadhawa Aravinda Mignonne Fernando Milton Mallawarachchi J. A. Milton Perera Mohideen Baig Morris Wijesinghe R. Muttusamy Nadeeka Guruge Nalin Jayawardena Namal Udugama Narada Disasekara Nihal Nelson Paul Fernando Pradeep Rangana Prince Udaya Priyantha Priya Suriyasena Punsiri Soysa Rookantha Gunathilake Rukshan Perera Sadiris Master Sanath Nandasiri Sathish Perera Shelton Perera Shihan Mihiranga Bennet Sisira Senaratne Somasiri Medagedara Sunil Edirisinghe Sunil Perera Sunil Santha Tharanga Goonetilleke Victor Rathnayake Vijaya Kumaranatunga W. D. Ariyasinghe
Songstresses	Amara Ranatunga Angeline Gunathilake Chandralekha Perera Chandrika Siriwardena Charitha Priyadarshani Deepika Priyadarshani G. S. B. Rani Indrani Perera Indrani Wijebandara Latha Walpola Madhavee Wathsala Malani Bulathsinhala Mariazelle Goonetilleke Mercy Edirisinghe Nanda Malini Neela Wickramasinghe Nirosha Virajini Pradeepa Dharmadasa Priyani Jayasinghe Rukmani Devi Saheli Rochana Gamage Shashika Nisansala Sujatha Aththanayaka Uresha Ravihari Wasantha Sandanayake
Music directors	Allen Ratnayake W. D. Amaradeva Ananda Samarakoon Bibiladeniye Mahanama R. A. Chandrasena Clarence Wijewardena Dilup Gabadamudalige Dinesh Subasinghe Gunadasa Kapuge H. M. Jayawardena Kasun Kalhara Lakshman Joseph de Saram Lionel Ranwala Marcelline Jayakody Mohammed Gauss Nanda Malini Patrick Denipitiya Premasiri Khemadasa R. Muttusamy Rohana Weerasinghe Rookantha Gunathilake Sarath Dassanayake Shelton Perera Shihan Mihiranga Bennet Somapala Rathnayake Stanley Peiris Sunil Santha Thilan Wijesinghe Victor Rathnayake W.B. Makuloluwa
Lyricists	Ajantha Ranasinghe Arisen Ahubudu Bandara Wijethunga Carlo Fonseka Cliff Foenander D. T. Fernando Dharmasiri Gamage Herbert M. Seneviratne Karunaratne Abeysekera Kumaratunga Munidasa Lucien Bulathsinhala Mahagama Sekara Marcelline Jayakody Nalin Jayawardena Premakeerthi de Alwis Sydney Chandrasekara Vicumpriya Perera Wasantha Dukgannarala W.B. Makuloluwa

Sinhala cinema
Sinhala language Cinema of Sri Lanka
Actors	Alexander Fernando Alfred Edirimanne Alston Koch Amarasiri Kalansuriya Amila Abeysekara Ananda Weerakoon Ananda Wickramage Annesley Dias Anthony C. Perera Anton Jude Arjuna Kamalanath Asela Jayakody Ashan Dias Asoka Peiris Asoka Ponnamperuma Bandu Samarasinghe Bandu Munasinghe Bandula Vithanage Baptist Fernando Bertram Fernando Berty Gunathilake B. A. W. Jayamanne B. S. Perera Bimal Jayakody Buddhadasa Vithanarachchi Chandika Nanayakkara Chandrasiri Kodithuwakku Channa Perera Christy Leonard Perera Cletus Mendis Cyril Wickramage Darshan Dharmaraj Dasun Pathirana David Dharmakeerthi Daya Alwis Daya Thennakoon Dhananjaya Siriwardena Dharmapriya Dias D.B. Gangodathenna D. R. Nanayakkara Dommie Jayawardena Don Sirisena Douglas Ranasinghe Eddie Jayamanne Eddie Junior Freddie Silva Gamini Fonseka Gamini Hettiarachchi G. R. Perera Gemunu Wijesuriya Gihan Fernando Giriraj Kaushalya Granville Rodrigo H. A. Perera Hemal Ranasinghe Hemasiri Liyanage Henry Jayasena H.R. Jothipala Hugo Fernando Isuru Lokuhettiarachchi Jackson Anthony Jagath Benaragama Jagath Chamila Janak Premalal Janaka Kumbukage Jayalal Rohana Jayalath Manoratne Jayasekara Aponso Jeewan Kumaranatunga Joe Abeywickrama Kamal Addaraarachchi Kamal Deshapriya Kumara Thirimadura Lakshman Mendis Lal Kularatne Linton Semage Lionel Deraniyagala Lucien Bulathsinhala Lucky Dias Madhumadhawa Aravinda Mahendra Perera Mahinda Pathirage Mark Samaranayake Mark Samson Martin Gunadasa Menaka Rajapakse Mervyn Jayathunga Mihira Sirithilaka M. V. Balan Nalin Pradeep Udawela Nihal Silva Palitha Silva Piyadasa Wijekoon Prem Jayanth Priyankara Rathnayake Priyantha Seneviratne Pubudu Chathuranga Raja Sumanapala Rajitha Hiran Rangana Premaratne Ranjan Ramanayake Ravindra Randeniya Ravindra Rupasena Ravindra Yasas Rex Kodippili Robin Fernando Rodney Warnakula Roger Seneviratne Ronnie Leitch Roshan Pilapitiya Roshan Ranawana Roshan Ravindra Sahan Ranwala Sampath Tennakoon Sanath Gunathilake Sanath Wimalasiri Saranga Disasekara Sarath Chandrasiri Sarath Kothalawala Sathischandra Edirisinghe Saumya Liyanage Shesha Palihakkara Shyam Fernando Srinath Maddumage Sriyantha Mendis Somapala Dharmapriya Somasiri Dehipitiya Somy Rathnayake Srilal Abeykoon Suminda Sirisena Sunil Hettiarachchi Suraj Mapa Teddy Vidyalankara Tennyson Cooray Thilak Kumara Rathnayake Thumindu Dodantenna Thusitha Laknath Tissa Wijesurendra Tony Ranasinghe Udara Rathnayake Uddika Premarathna Vijaya Kumaranatunga Vijaya Nandasiri Wally Nanayakkara Wasantha Dukgannarala Wasantha Kumaravila Wickrama Bogoda Wijeratne Warakagoda Wimal Kumara de Costa Wilson Gunaratne Wilson Karunaratne W. Jayasiri
Actresses	Anarkali Akarsha Anoja Weerasinghe Anoma Janadari Anula Karunathilaka Anusha Damayanthi Chandani Seneviratne Chandra Kaluarachchi Chathurika Peiris Chitra Wakishta Chulakshi Ranathunga Damayanthi Fonseka Damitha Abeyratne Damitha Saluwadana Denawaka Hamine Deepani Silva Devika Mihirani Dilani Abeywardana Dilhani Ekanayake Dinakshie Priyasad Dulani Anuradha Duleeka Marapana Edna Sugathapala Florida Jayalath Gayathri Dias Geetha Kanthi Jayakody Geetha Kumarasinghe Gemini Kantha Himali Sayurangi Himali Siriwardena Iranganie Serasinghe Jacqueline Fernandez Jayani Senanayake Jeevarani Kurukulasuriya Kanchana Mendis Kaushalya Fernando Kusum Renu Leena de Silva Leticia Peiris Lilian Edirisinghe Malini Fonseka Manel Wanaguru Manike Attanayake Maureen Charuni Menik Kurukulasuriya Mercy Edirisinghe Michelle Dilhara Miyuri Samarasinghe Nadeeka Gunasekara Nayanathara Wickramaarachchi Nehara Peiris Nethalie Nanayakkara Nilmini Tennakoon Nilmini Buwaneka Niranjani Shanmugaraja Nita Fernando Paboda Sandeepani Pearl Vasudevi Punya Heendeniya Ramya Wanigasekara Rathna Lalani Jayakody Rathna Sumanapala Rathnawali Kekunawela Rebeka Nirmali Ruby de Mel Rukmani Devi Sabeetha Perera Sachini Ayendra Samanalee Fonseka Sandhya Kumari Sangeetha Weeraratne Sanoja Bibile Seetha Kumari Semini Iddamalgoda Shalani Tharaka Shanthi Lekha Shanudrie Priyasad Sheshadri Priyasad Shyama Ananda Sirimathi Rasadari Sonia Disa Sriyani Amarasena Sujani Menaka Sumana Amarasinghe Susantha Chandramali Susila Kottage Susila Kuragama Suvineetha Weerasinghe Swarna Mallawarachchi Thesara Jayawardane Thisuri Yuwanika Trilicia Gunawardena Udari Perera Udari Warnakulasooriya Umali Thilakarathne Umayangana Wickramasinghe Upeksha Swarnamali Vasanthi Chathurani Veena Jayakody Vijitha Mallika Vinu Udani Siriwardhana Yashoda Wimaladharma Yureni Noshika
Filmmakers	Asoka Handagama Bennett Rathnayake B. A. W. Jayamanne Boodee Keerthisena Chandran Rutnam Daya Wimalaweera Dayaratne Ratagedara D. B. Nihalsinghe Dharmasena Pathiraja Gamini Fonseka H. D. Premaratne Jackson Anthony Jayantha Chandrasiri K.A.W. Perera Lester James Peries Mahagama Sekara Malaka Dewapriya M. S. Ananda Nalaka Vithanage Parakrama Niriella Prasanna Jayakody Prasanna Vithanage Priyantha Colombage Roy de Silva Sanjeewa Pushpakumara Siri Gunasinghe Sirisena Wimalaweera Somaratne Dissanayake Sudath Rohana Sugathapala Senarath Yapa Sumana Amarasinghe Sumitra Peries Sunil Ariyaratne Tissa Abeysekara Titus Thotawatte Udayakantha Warnasuriya Vasantha Obeysekera Vimukthi Jayasundara Yasapalitha Nanayakkara
Film music composers	WD Amaradeva Ananda Samarakoon Bathiya and Santhush Clarence Wijewardane Dinesh Subasinghe Gunadasa Kapuge H. M. Jayawardena Hugo Fernando Kasun Kalhara Lakshman Joseph de Saram Lionel Ranwala Marcelline Jayakody Mohammed Gauss Nanda Malini Patrick Denipitiya Premasiri Khemadasa R. Muttusamy Rohana Weerasinghe Rookantha Gunathilake Sarath Dassanayake Shelton Perera Shihan Mihiranga Bennet Somapala Rathnayake Stanley Peiris Sunil Santha Victor Rathnayake W.B. Makuloluwa

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