Yashoda Wimaladharma was only a teenager when she first made her debut as an actress in a tele drama, named Atta Bindei in 1985, directed by Bandula Withanage. A shy and timid girl who immersed herself in studies, this allowed her to break free from her shell to discover a new flair and passion.
“Actually it was my father who really persuaded and encouraged me when I got the invitation for the tele drama,” said Yashoda Wimaladharma reflecting on her beginning. “He told me to see if I have it in me and that is where I discovered my talent.”
Her breakthrough role came during the time she was studying for her A/Ls when she was invited to act in her very first theatre production, Hiru Dahasa – an adaptation of the American play ‘Our Town’ by Thornton Wilder. For her role as Emily Webb in Hiru Dahasa, she received much recognition and won the Best Actress Award in 1990 – her very first award – at the State Drama Awards Festival, which opened many new avenues for Yashoda Wimaladharma as an actress. Defining Emily Webb as her landmark role, she was able to establish herself as one of the most sought after and talented stars in Sri Lankan cinema and it further helped to launch her career in Cinema with Wijaya Dharmasiri’s Gurugedara.
An acclaimed actress in all three fields – television, theatre and cinema – Yashoda Wimaladharma has been able to earn the love and respect of millions of Sri Lankan as well as international fans through her countless roles in both national and international spheres. Marking a career that spans over 28 years Yashoda Wimaladharma reveals, “when it comes to acting you always feel that your best is tomorrow, as acting is a subject that you never stop learning through experiences and day to day life. Therefore, it is a never ending process.”
Being the first star in Sri Lanka to launch a website, Yashoda Wimaladharma has always been in the forefront as a trendsetter and this was evident when she was chosen as a brand ambassador for Lux. As her glamour and elegance went hand in hand with the concept that Lux was promoting at the time, the relationship extended to a period of 15 years demonstrating Yashoda Wimaladharma’s commitment to a product that she strongly believes in.
Drawing inspiration from her experience as a Lux ambassador Yashoda Wimaladharma is currently gearing up to embark on a new venture. Her versatile capabilities, passion and her strong belief in extending a valued natural beauty product will irrefutably endear her even more to countless Sri Lankans. “When it comes to advertising products, I feel that it should go with my image and I should believe in it. I value the Sri Lankan culture, therefore I always made sure that it goes with our culture. So after so many years, I thought of diversifying my path to a different venture, which is a very emotional and at the same time challenging one. But it is a creation that is close to my heart.”
An all natural product, Yashoda Wimaladharma believes that it portrays her image and her way of thinking while being highly suitable for the Sri Lankan market. “I am quite excited about it. I feel it suits our country because we really value natural elements as a very prosperous country,” said Yashoda Wimaladharma.
Soon to be launched, this new venture will without a doubt win the hearts of many who appreciate the goodness and essence of nature.
