Jackson Anthony

Conganige Joseph Malsi Jackson Anthony was born on 8 July 1958 in Podiwee Kumbura village, Ragama, Sri Lanka. While he's recognized as "Jackson" by many people, his parents used to call him "Malsi". He received his primary education at Hapugoda St. Mary's Junior School and St. Mary's College in Bandarawela and later entered Galahitiyawa Central College in Ganemulla. For higher education he attended the University of Colombo where he first obtained an honors degree in Sinhala language and Literature and did his master's degree in Mass media at University of Sri Jayewardenepura. He is of a lineage of South Indian migrant origins.^[3]

Anthony often remembered his father, Konganige Benedict Anthony and his mother Podivee Kumbure Rolin Perera as the mammoth pillar of his success. Jackson's parents lived in his hometown Podiweekumbura, Ragama. His grandfather was Peduru Anthony, who worked as an overseer at Ceylon Electricity Board.^[4] He hails from a family of 5 brothers. his elder brother, Senaka Titus Anthony was a journalist for several medias. and his other brothers are Sudath Anthony, Saman Anthony, and Mohan Anthony. On 23 October 2017 in Singapore, his elder brother Senaka Titus died due to kidney and liver failure.^[5][6]

Anthony acted extensively in several stage dramas in university stage. Then he performed in the Neville Dias Subasinghe's Vaaruwen Yana Minissu and Manavayo as well as E. M. D. Upali's Methanin Maruwenu. Then he performed in many popular stage plays such as Marasad, Madhura Jawanika, Loma Hansa, Dhawala Beeshana, Ath, Mora and Tharavo Igilethi which brought him island wide recognition in the field of cinema. He was also the Best Actor at the National Drama Festival.^[3]

In 1993 he came to film industry. Having acted in Guru Gedara, Chitti, Ayoma and Loku Duwa, in his initial days, Jackson went on to prove his status in films like Bawa Duka, Bawa Karma, Gini Awi Saha Gini Keli, Aswesuma, Agni Dahaya, Sooriya Arana, Mille Soya and Randiya Dahara. In the meantime, he came to terms with television as well. These fields helped him establish his own identity as an actor.^[7] Some of his most popular television roles came through the serials: Palingu Manike, Ella Langa Walawwa, Suseema, Weda Hamine, Kadulla, Pitagamgarayo and Akala Sandya. Of these, he won the award for the Best Actor at the Sumathi Awards for his performance in the serial Pitagamkarayo. In the movie Tharanaya, he played the role of a train man named "Thangappan" and practiced dark magic. He learned low country dance from Sedaraman Gurunnance of Handapangoda for his performance in the film Bawa Duka. He learned the difference between a hunter and a shooter while acting for the film Sooriya Arana.^[3]

In 1992, he directed his maiden teledrama Esala Kaluwara. In 1990, a drama festival called 'Bhumika 7' featured seven of Anthony's best plays which allowed scholarly fans to experience Jackson's wide range of theatrics. Then in 2014, he made second teledrama direction Daskon which later won several awards at several local award festivals.^[8] During his acting career he has garnered more than 20 Best Actor Awards at local award ceremonies such as Sarasavi Awards, Presidential Awards and OCIC Awards.^[3]

Anthony also directed several blockbuster Sri Lankan films. His directorial debut, Julietge Bhumikawa won him the award for the Most Promising Director at the Critics' Awards Ceremony. Paradeesaya was another film directed by him which was critically acclaimed. His direction Aba, allegedly an expensive movie has been made in Sri Lanka and been awarded in many film festivals. He won award for the Best Actor in Derana Film Awards 2015 for the film Address Na, which was directed by him. In 2017, he joined a Kerala cinema production Lucknow directed by Anil Kumar along with another Sri Lankan Piumi Hansamali.^[9]

Anthony was the Winner of the People's award for the best artist at the Awards Ceremony of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) 2007. Jackson Anthony served as the Creative Director of Swarnavahini in early 2000s and produced popular musical program Hapan Padura. He is acclaimed for his concept and presentation of Maha Sinhalaye Vansa Kathawa (translated as The Chronicle of the Great Sinhalese) and Maha Sinhalaye Yatath Vijitha Vansa Kathawa, telecast through Swarnavahini for several years.^[11] Other popular programs created by him include exploratory programs like Awaare Siripa, Ganga Dige, (an exploration of the water bodies in the island around Mahaweli River),^[12] Roma Puranaya, a travel program revealing the history and civilization of Italy and Salang Hanthe, (a travel program revealing the history and civilization of Lesotho).

In addition cinema, he worked with Clarence Wijewardena; one of the most respected Sri Lankan musicians in Sinhalese music, as a supporting singer for a Sinhala teledrama called Suseema. He sang two popular songs with Clarence, Sithe Susum and Desa Piya Gathkala.

Anthony was one of three judges of Sri Lanka's Got Talent reality program, which is telecast on Sirasa TV. In January 2020, he launched his book Kanda Uda Gindara.^[13] On 22 July 2020, he started the second travelling documentary along the Kalu Ganga titled Kalu Ganga Dige.^[14]

Anthony was married to his long time partner Kumari Munasinghe, who is also an actress and a singer. They had two sons and a daughter and the family was settled in Kadawatha, a Colombo suburb. The daughter, the eldest of three siblings, Madhavee Wathsala, is a television presenter, actress and a singer. The elder son, Akila Dhanuddara, also is a television presenter, model and an actor. His youngest son, Sajitha Anuththara is also a television presenter, singer and award-winning actor who has played the role of the hunter's son in Sooriya Arana. Sajitha is a graduate at University of Kelaniya. He also played the title role in his father's big-budget film Aba. All three children celebrated their wedding ceremony on 18 January 2019.^[15]

Anthony was a Catholic but an enthusiast of Buddhist studies. He conducted a show on Sri Lankan Buddhist history and a discussion program on the Buddhist channel.