Veena Jayakody

Veena Jayakodi was born on 27 November 1952. Her mother, Rohini Jayakody, was a well-known Sri Lankan actress and film director."First lover was Gamini Fonseka". Hiru FM. Retrieved 25 May 2019. {{cite web}}: replacement character in |url= at position 59 (help) She received her education at Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya."No cheating in cinema". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 22 December 2020. {{cite web}}: replacement character in |url= at position 75 (help) Jayakodi has three children: one daughter and two sons. Her eldest child, Anjana Ramachandran, was previously married to Srini Ramachandran, and they have two children, Waishya and Kaushik. Her eldest son, Chandu Doolwela, is married to Melanie Dolivera, and the couple has three children: Jason, Tharaa, and Joshua. Her youngest son, Sanjay Khan, has a daughter named Lilaah.

Jayakody started her film career with Ahankara Sthree back in 1954, directed by A. B. Raj as a 5-month-old child with her mother.^[3] At the age of 12, Jayakody acted in 1968 film Hangi Hora directed by her mother Rohini Jayakody, where she acted as a dancer. At the age of 14, she acted in a Vesak drama Kohomada Wade.^[3] In the meantime, she studied dance under Pramila Kuruppu, Daya Nellampitiya and Rudrani Liyanage. Later she learned Kathakali dance from Sirimathi Rasadari. When she was a child, she acted as the daughter in the Vijaya Kuveni stage drama when her mother was 'Kuveni'. At school, she also played the role of 'Kisa' in the play 'Kundala Keshi'.^[4]

The she played the role of 'Gunapali' in the stage play Sivamma Dhanapala. After the tragic death of lead actress Rukmani Devi, Venna got the role of 'Sivamma'. After that she acted in plays such as Siripala Saha Ran Menika and Dwithwa. Later she won an award for the play Uruvisi. But in time and on long journeys, she had to retired from the stage when she got sick because of the lack of facilities.^[4]

Then she moved to television serials, started with the serial Aththa Bidei directed by Henry Jayasena. She later made a popular role 'Sudharma' in the critically acclaimed serial Doo Daruwo.^[4]