Kala Suri Rohana Beddage (Sinhala: රෝහණ බැද්දගේ; born 27 October 1935) is a singer and actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television.
[14] During school life, Beddage was interested in music, where he started to play violin, flute and tabla, without any guidance.
[13] In 1983, he won the first place in the All-Ceylon school singing and dancing competition held by UNESCO for his song Malsarā Bælma Heḷā, compiled by himself with the melodies from hand tambourine, shanthi karma, and kavi Nadagam.
[15] In the meantime in 1956, Beddage met Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra and asked to join as a flutist for his stage drama Maname.
In the school, he compiled the performance called Vichitra Ranga where "The net pulling" act won the first place from a competition organized by UNESCO.
[14] He later established the art school "Sandagiri Paya" with music, dancing, drama and video technology courses.
[19] After that, Beddage made several folk-mixed songs such as:[20] Kandē Landē Gangulællē, Kos Vathu Kandē, Onna Nokivvayi Kiyannepā Hāminē, Kammalē Yakaḍa Thæḷennē, Apa Sēma Ipadī Mærenā Urumē, Rā Bī Veri Vū, Nagē Numbaṭa Dæna, Tin Tin Hanḍadī, Goma Riṭi Gilī Thiruvānā, Hā Yaman Putā Hemin Hemin, Apaṭa Samāvenna Hāmu, Kukku Kū.. Kū, Mē Gammānē Kandu Væṭi Sīmāvē, Rājā ō Mangaliyā and Sassanda Sasanda.
[18][21] They made several popular hits including: Magē Sudu Bǣṇanḍiṭa,[22] Kaliyuga Kāleka Upanna, Dannā Tharam Pada Kasthiram and Doḷos Mahak Gathavī Yana Mohothē.
[19] As a music director, Beddage composed music for several stage dramas such as: Dayananda Gunawardena's Jasaya Ha Lenchina, Ananda Javanika, Madhura Javanika,[26] Gajaman Puvatha,[27] Rohana Dandeniya's Rassa Saha Parassa,[28] Jayalath Manoratne's Thala Mala Pipila, and Tilak Gunawardena's Kontha Nona.
Apart from that, he acted in the stage plays including: Makuloluwa's Heḷa Miyæsiya, Depānō (1965), Dayānanda Guṇawardhana's Gajaman Puvatha (1975), Madhura Javanikā (1978), and Rōhaṇa Dandeniya's Rāssa Saha Parāssa (2012).
[14] In 2011, he produced the stage play Ralahamy,[34] where the premier show was held on 17th June 2011 at 6.30 pm at Lumbini Theatre, Colombo.
[38][39] Beddage has written the books: Sinhala Sangeetha Sailiya, Andara Væṭiya, Loku Ayaṭa Punchi Kathandara, Alakalanchiya, Gamē Rāḷahāmi, and Gammānē Upan Geetha.
[15] He won the award for the Best Music Director for the stage plays Kontha Nēnā (1976), Rassa Saha Parāssa (1980), Ananda Javanikā (1986), and Andarēlā (1995).
[14] On 1 January 2010, the 'Gammanen Sidadiyata' concert was held at the Elphinstone Theater in Colombo at 6.00 pm to celebrate 75 years of singing and acting career.
[3] On 18 January 2024, a tribute ceremony titled "Rōhaṇa Bæddagē Perahuru Karaḷiya" was held at Sudarshee Cultural Center in Colombo.