Menaka Rajapakse


Walimuni Mudiyanselage Menake Hemaal Rajapakse, is a Sri Lankan teledrama actor and model. He was first cast in 2005 as one of the main actors, but the role changed into a lead, in the teledrama Sanda Mudunata, which was telecast on Swarnavahini in 2005.
He had acted in more than 30 teledramas and 3 films as of 2015.

Early life

Menake is the second child of his family. His father Ivan Rajapakse was an executive who worked in the hotel industry and died on 2004. His mother Zareena Allang, is a Malay and was a teacher at Wycherly International School. He is a past pupil of St. Peter's College, Colombo.

Career

He was first sighted by a teledrama producer Samy Pavel during a SAAF Games on 2005. He is a competitive swimmer and broke a national level record.
In 2005, Menaka was selected for a main role of the teledrama Sanda Mudunata directed by Samy Pavel.
He became popular during 2008, in the teledrama Muthu Kirilli and then acted in many television serials such as Ran Dam Wal, Monara Kadadasi and Adare Ahasa Tharam. His first film was Sinhawalokanaya, a sport-drama film. He also acted in the crime thriller film Train to Kandy.

Selected television serials

Menaka married Virangi Siriwardena in 2010. They divorced in 2013,. He is married to fellow actress Nehara Peiris in 2014. Nehara and Menaka acted in lead roles on many occasions. They first met in Muthu Kirilli, and followed in Amanda, Bharyawo, Ammawarune, Situ Medura and others.