Sunil Mihindukula

Mihindukulasuriya Sunil Kaithan Fernando (Sinhala: සුනිල් මිහිඳුකුල; 22 September 1960 – 30 May 2017), also known as Sunil Mihindukula, was a Sri Lankan journalist, film critic and author. His work encompassed topics including cinema, literature, drama and media.^[1][2]

Mihindukula's interest in films began when attending Maris Stella College in Negombo. After graduating, he worked with several media personalities, including Gunasiri Silva, Jayantha Chandrasiri and Prem Dissanayake.^[2] His career in journalism began at the Navaliya magazine, where he wrote articles on art that were edited by Jayantha Chandrasiri. In 1978, he began his career in film journalism with an article for Sakura Magazine, edited by Gunasiri Silva.^[3] Mihindukula continued to work with Silva on his publications and later contributed to Vichithra publications compiled by Prem Dissanayake in 1987.^[4] In 1979, he joined the Lankadeepa newspaper as a feature writer and joined the national political newspaper Sathdina, writing articles on literature. At the invitation of editor Wimalendra Wathuregama Mihindukula also joined the film newspaper Piyakaru to write film critiques.^[5]

He also wrote articles as a freelance journalist for magazines such as Sinesith.^[1] In 1981, he wrote his first film review for Lankadeepa, covering Sugathapala Senarath Yapa's film "Induta Mal Mitak".^[6] In the same year, he joined the editorial staff of Desathiya, published by the Government Information Department.^[1] In 1984, he wrote articles for the periodicals Kalpana and Peramaga.^[5]

In 1988, Mihindukula joined the film newspaper Kala. In 1990, he joined as an editor for the cinema page of the Ravaya newspaper and started working as a film writer for Udaya Tennakoon's Thira Tharu. In 1991, he held the post of Publication Assistant at the Social and Peace Center. In 1994, he wrote for the film newspaper Rasa, edited by Ernest Waduge. Mihindukula joined Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (Lake House or ANCL) as a full-time journalist in the mid-1990s and was appointed sub-editor of the Dinamina newspaper in 1995.^[7] He then became the deputy editor of the Sarasaviya newspaper and became the chief editor in 2009.^[8][3] During his tenure, he introduced ideas for literature, stage drama, and music.^[5]

While deputy editor of Sarasaviya, he joined Silumina in 2007 as an editor of the Rasaduna tabloid anthology, which was published with the Silumina weekend newspaper and was compiled by Dharmasiri Gamage.^[2] His column Paryalokaya in the Silumina Literary Supplement covered drama. Mihindukula compiled Rasaduna for over a decade and concurrently served as co-editor of Silumina.

As a film critic, Mihindukula served on the Film Jury at several film festivals and was a member of the Arts Sub-Committee under the Department of Culture and the Teledrama Pre-Monitoring Board. He was also the editor of the film magazine Sadisi, published by the Sri Lanka Film Corporation.^[5] Over four decades, he published more than 1,000 articles on Sinhala cinema and other fields of art in various newspapers.^[9] He worked at Lake House until his retirement from journalism in 2016.^[5] At the invitation of Sarasaviya editor Aruna Gunaratne, he started writing a series of articles entitled "Natyakaruwo Saha Owunge Nirmana" in mid-2016, which were published weekly in Sarasaviya following his retirement earlier that year.^[4][2]

Mihindukula received the Presidential Cinema Award for his contributions to cinema and journalism at the Presidential Film Festival.^[10] On 29 December 2005, he won the Cyril B. Perera Memorial Cinema Literary Award at the SIGNIS Award Ceremony, held at the Elphinstone Theatre,^[11] Colombo 10.^[1][3] He also received the Cine Media Vision Film Writing Award and a Raigam Tele'es Merit Award for his screenplay for Roopawalokanaya National Television at the Raigam Tele'es.^[5][12] On 4 May 2017, an event at the Mass Media Ministry auditorium acknowledged Mihindukula’s contributions to cinema and cinema literature.^[13][14] During this event, the book Sunil Mihindukula Cinema Sahithya Sampradana, edited by Prof. Samantha Herath and writer/poet Buddadasa Galappatti, was released.^[10][15]

Mihindukula wrote his first book in 1989: a biography titled 'Rukmani Devi Niliya Gayikawa Ha Janapriya Sanskruthiya'. In 1991, he published a film review for 'Thun Man Handiya', directed by Mahagama Sekara. In 1997, he published three books: Minerva Theater Group, Kadawunu Poronduwa, and Lester James Pieris Sinhala Cinemawe Jayakodi Lakuna. He also wrote a film review on fellow film critic Jayawilal Wilegoda.^[1] In 2010, he published the book Cinema Sanskruthiya Pragnaya about Tissa Abeysekara.^[16] He also authored the books Sinhala Cinema Sihiawatana, Cinemawata Hedinweemak, Sri Lankeya Demala Bhashitha Cinemawa, Indeeya Cinemawe Dahathunweni Bhashawa, Uththama Purusha Eka Wachana, and Sinhala Cinemawe Arbudha.^[5][17][18]

In 2012, he wrote the book Picture Pissa.^[19] His books covered a range of topics related to cinema, including film data, information on filmmakers, and film reviews.^[20] In addition to cinema, he wrote two books about drama and another book based on the columns he had written for various newspapers.^[21] Mihindukula's last book, Ranjith Dharmakeerthi Natyavalokanaya,^[4] edited by Edward Chandrasiri, was released in September 2020, after his death.^[22][23]

• Rukmani Devi Niliya Gayikawa Ha Janapriya Sanskruthiya
• Thunman Handiya Vicharaya
• Minerva Theater Group
• Kadawunu Poronduwa Vicharaya
• Lester James Pieris Sinhala Cinemawe Jayakodi Lakuna
• Jayawilal Wilegoda Cinema Wichara
• Cinema Sanskruthika Pragnaya
• Sinhala Cinema Sihiawatana
• Cinemawata Hedinweemak
• Sri Lankeya Demala Bhashitha Cinemawa
• Indeeya Cinemawe Dahathunweni Bhashawa
• Uththama Purusha Eka Wachana
• Paryaloka^[24]
• Sinhala Cinemawe Arbudha
• Ranjith Dharmakeerthi Natyavalokanaya^[25]

Sunil Mihindukula was born on 22 September 1960 in Negombo, Sri Lanka to a Catholic family.^[4] He graduated from Maris Stella College.^[2]

Mihindukula was married to Suraji Karunathilake,^[26] an officer who worked with the Information Department, and they had four sons:^[27] Sachindra, Shehan, Shanaka, and Sanjula Mihindukula.^[28]

Mihindukula died on May 30, 2017 at the age of 56^[29] and was cremated on June 1, 2017 at the Rukmalgama General Cemetery.^[30]