Fernando gave up acting after her marriage to lawyer Elian Perera in 1975 and moved to Canada, where she worked as a receptionist at the Montreal General Hospital.
Nita Fernando made her screen debut in Landaka Mahima alongside Joe Abeywickrama in 1965.
Over the next eight years, she made over 40 films, e.g., Duhulu Malak, Lasanda, Hadawath Neththo, Mangala, Wasana, and Shanthi.
Discouraged, she toyed with the idea of becoming a teacher before she returned to acting after finishing school.
She kept a low profile subsequently until 1998, when she played Violet in the Prasanna Vithanage film Pavuru Walalu.