Samaraweera Asoka Ponnamperuma (born 3 May 1936 – died 2 April 1993 as අශෝක පොන්නම්පෙරුම) [Sinhala]) was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema as well as a singer, scriptwriter and filmmaker.
[4] Asoka and Manel co-acted in few films such as Layata Laya, Dehadaka Duka, Ruhunu Kumari and London Hamu.
[5] Although all funeral work is to be completed within 24 hours after his death, his request was unable to comply due to curfew in the country and the delay in the post mortem.
[6] Then he acted in many popular films such as Sihinaya, Sundara Birinda, Suwineetha Lalani, Ganthera and Samiya Birindage Deviyaya.
[4] Asoka wrote the book Mal Manda Bisaw which is based on a true story about a prostitute that he met at Maradana Police Station.