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{{short description|Sri Lankan film preservationist (1942–2020)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Tissa Nagodavithana<br>තිස්ස නාගොඩවිතාන
| other_names        = Ti. Na. (ති.නා.)
| image              =
| alt                =
| caption            =
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1942|1|10|df=yes}}
| birth_name         = Tissa Mahanama Nagodavithana
| birth_place        = [[Galle]], Sri Lanka
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2020|3|25|1942|1|10|df=yes}}
| death_place        = [[Colombo]], Sri Lanka
| resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| nationality        = Sri Lankan
| education          = [[St.Thomas' College, Matara]]
| alma_mater         = [[University of Ceylon]]
| father             =
| mother             =
| spouse             = Kumari Nagodavithana
|children      =
* Harith Kanishka,
* Harin Kanishka,
* Charith Abhishek
| relatives          =
| awards             =
| signature          =
| footnotes          =
| years_active       = 1970–2018
| occupation         = Film producer, film preservationist
}}
'''Tissa Mahanama Nagodavithana''' (10 January 1942 – 25 March 2020 as {{langx|si|තිස්ස නාගොඩවිතාන}}) [Sinhala]), popularly known as '''Tissa Nagodavithana''' and '''Ti. Na.''', was a renowned film preservationist, film director, film producer and a singer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Veteran film producer Tissa Nagodavithana passed away |url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2020/03/25/local/215176/veteran-film-producer-tissa-nagodavithana-passed-away |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Daily News}}</ref> Considered as the leading film preservationist in Sri Lankan cinema,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tissa Nagodawithana passes away |url=http://www.dinamina.lk/2020/03/25/පුවත්/92819/තිස්ස-නාගොඩවිතාන-අභාවප්%E2%80%8Dරාප්ත-වෙයි |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Dinamina}}</ref> Nagodavithana contributed to preserve many rare Sinhala, Hindi, Tamil and English films of early cinema.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tissa Nagodavithana passes away at the age of 78 |url=https://www.newsradio.lk/local/tissa-nagodavithana-passes-away-at-the-age-of-78/ |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=News Radio}}</ref>
==Personal life==
He was born on 10 January 1942 in Wakunugoda Village, Galle, Sri Lanka. One of his close relative known as poet 'Bope Dasa' was a famous poet of the Colombo era. He first studied at [[Richmond College, Galle]]. Tissa taught Economics at the Sri Lanka College, Maradana for a while after obtaining a special degree in Economics from the [[University of Ceylon]].<ref name="Tissa">{{Cite web |title=Ti. Na. who passed away a year ago: For the first commemoration of Tissa Nagodawithana on March 25 |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/story/2021/04/01/20155/වසරකට-පෙර-ජීවිතයෙන්-සමුගත්-තිනා |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Sarasaviya}}</ref>
He was married to Kumari Nagodavithana and was a father of three sons. Eldest son Harith Kanishka works as a doctor at a Scottish hospital with his Scottish doctor wife. The second son, Harin Kanishka, and the youngest son, Charith Abhishek, are preserving 700 Sinhala films and about 300 teledramas with their mother.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Father was considered by some to be a useless journalist: Haren and Charith Nagodawithana |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/interviews/2020/12/17/19524/තාත්තාට-සමහරු-සැලකුවේ-බෝතල්-පත්තරකාරයකුට-වගේ |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Sarasaviya}}</ref> Charith is married to actress Bhagya Ratnayake, the daughter of film director [[Bennett Rathnayake]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.divaina.com/2012/02/24/cineart08.html | title=Bhagya Ratnayake married Charith Nagodawithana | publisher=Divaina | access-date=6 August 2020}}</ref> Bhagya is also an actress who has acted in several television serials such as ''Sanda Sakmana'', ''Nimwalalla'' and films ''Sulanga'' and ''Ira Handa Yata''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20120227/288325451210093 | title=Bhagya weds Charith | publisher=Daily Mirror | access-date=6 August 2020}}</ref> Harin was married to Dilini de Silva, sister of ABC (Asia Broadcasting Corporation) Network chairman Reynor Silva and politician [[Duminda Silva]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Jabbar|first=Zacki|title=Duminda joined Govt. to protect family business, personal interests – Attanayake|url=http://www.island.lk/2007/11/14/news29.html|newspaper=The Island, Sri Lanka|date=14 November 2007}}</ref><ref name="Tissa" />
He died on 25 March 2020 at the age of 78 while receiving treatment at a private hospital.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tissa Nagodawithana bids farewell |url=http://www.lankadeepa.lk/latest_news/තිස්ස-නාගොඩවිතාන-සමුගනී/1-568743 |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Lankadeepa}}</ref> His remains were kept at a private funeral parlor in [[Borella]] and final rites took place on 26 March 2020 at 5.00 pm at the [[Kanatte Cemetery|Borella Cemetery]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tissa Nagodavithana passes away |url=https://srilankamirror.com/entertainment-mirror/17574-tissa-nagodavithana-passes-away |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=srilankamirror}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Last respect… |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/caption_story/Last-respect/110-185739 |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Daily Mirror}}</ref>
==Career==
His passion for singing came to fruition when he sang on the radio programs ''Pibidena Gayaka Parapura'' and ''Maliban Guwan Thotilla'' in the mid seventies. He has sung the songs of his most beloved singer [[H. R. Jothipala]] in these programs and in the final round of ''Pibidena Gayaka Parapura'', Nagodavithana sang Jothipala's song 'Me Desa Mage Pinvanthai' and later became the second runner-up. He released an album of his own songs titled 'Suba Upandinak Wewa' and sang the popular song "Wasana Lowak Genawa". The songs "Sudu Mudu Sumudu Pinyaraya" and "Suba Upun Dinayak" sung by Tissa on that album were also popular at that time.<ref name="Tissa" />
Meanwhile, his interest on cinema grew largely after the influence with the journalist Ernest Waduge. In 1977 he was the production superintendent of the film 'Living with Maruwa' directed by Titus Thotawatte. In the film, he also involved as the playback singer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tribute in song to Vijaya |url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2010/02/21/mag14.asp |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Sunday Observer}}</ref> In 1978, he was part of the music crew in the film ''Kundala Keshi''. In 1981, he co-directed the comedy film ''Kolankarayo'' with [[Sunil Ariyaratne]]. Then in 1984, he directed and produced the comedy film ''Kekkille Rajjuruwo''. Meanwhile, he also produced ''Guththila Moosila'' and ''Mahadanamutta''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Veteran film producer Tissa Nagodavithana passes away |url=http://www.adaderana.lk/news/61824/veteran-film-producer-tissa-nagodavithana-passes-away |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Ada Derana}}</ref>
Apart from production and direction, he is most notable as the leading film preservationist of Sri Lanka.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Film Conservation Dream and Reality |url=https://sinhala.lankainformation.lk/news/features/item/14943-2019-05-27-03-41-04 |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=lankainformation}}</ref> During 1970s, film producers had to wait for two or three years to make a film and screen it due to long the show queue. Therefore, Nagodavithana thought to buy old movies and screen them soon. First, he bought the film ''Manushyathwaya'' in 1977 from Robin Tampoe, the producer of the film after paying Rs. 100,000 for the rights. Then he took the rights to the film ''Raththaran Amma''. Then he went to see producer Douglas Kothalawala five times to ask the rights of the blocksbuster film ''Deepashika''. He always scolded and chased Nagodavithana away. When he went for the sixth time, Kothalawala gave Nagodavithana the rights of the film.<ref name="Tissa" /> Nagodavithana’s initials ''ති.නා.'' (Ti. Na.) can be found in most of the early Sinhala films.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sinhala Cinema 62 years young! |url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2009/01/26/fea20.asp |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Daily News}}</ref> He purchased, renovated and preserved old films to watch them on television and in DVD for future generations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tissa Nagodawithana passes away |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/news/2020/03/25/17539/තිස්ස-නාගොඩවිතාන-අභාවප්%E2%80%8Dරාප්ත-වෙයි |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Sarasaviya}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nagodawithana loses .. Balasuriya wins .. 'Parasathu Mal' is no stranger. |url=http://www.dinamina.lk/2017/05/30/විශේෂාංග/34844?page=92 |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Dinamina}}</ref>
In 1998, he was honored with "Namaskara Pooja" Special Award at the 25th [[Sarasaviya Awards]]. In 2001, he received Special Cinema Merit at
14th [[Presidential Film Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tissa Nagodavithana: තිස්ස නාගොඩවිතාන films |url=http://www.films.lk/sinhala-cinema-artist-tissa-nagodavithana-706.html |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Digital Identity of Sinhala Cinema}}</ref>
In 2010, he produced the film ''Kreshma Bhumi'', starring Cheruka Weerakoon, which received critics acclaim in that year. Then in 2012, Nagodavithana produced the film ''Kusa Paba'' which was directed by Sunil Ariyaratne. The film became the highest grossing film of that year and later won several awards at local film festivals.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sithma.com/gossip_sri_lanka/show.php?id=7058 | title=Pooja & Roshan:'most popular'actors at Derana film awards | publisher=Sithma.com | access-date=5 March 2017}}</ref> In 2018, he was awarded with Signis International Award at the 41st SIGNIS [[SIGNIS Awards (Sri Lanka)|Sri Lanka Salutation Awards]] Ceremony.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Highlights from the Signis International Awards |url=https://www.silumina.lk/2018/09/01/රසඳුන/සිග්නීස්-අන්ත%C2%ADර්ජා%C2%ADතික-සම්මාන-උලෙළේ-විශේෂ-අවස්ථා |access-date=2021-01-10 |website=Silumina}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Recipients of the 41st Signis Awards |url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2018/08/30/?fn=sa18083021 |access-date=2021-01-11 |website=Sarasaviya}}</ref>
==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Film !! Roles !! Ref.
|-
| 1977 || ''Maruwa Samaga Wase'' || Production superintendent, Playback Singer ||
|-
| 1978 || ''Kundala Keshi'' || Music Crew ||
|-
| 1981 || ''Kolamkarayo'' || Director, Composer, Lyricist ||
|-
| 1984 || ''Kekkille Rajjuruwo'' || Director, Playback Singer ||
|-
| 2010 || ''[[Kshema Bhoomi]]'' || Producer ||
|-
| 2012 || ''[[Kusa Pabha]]'' || Co-Producer ||
|-
| TBD || ''Guththila'' || Supervisor || <ref>{{Cite web |title=Edward-Guttila, Akila-Musila Sanath-Tissa join hands to bring Guttila to cinema |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/news/2019/02/28/3172/එඩ්වඩ්-ගුත්තිල-අකිල-මූසිල-සනත්-තිස්ස-එක්-වී-ගුත්තිල-සිනමාවට-ගෙනෙයි |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Sarasaviya}}</ref>
|}
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
==External links==
* {{IMDb name|nm9511171}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nagodavithana, Tissa}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan film producers]]