Kahawitage Dona Leena Swarnalatha (ස්වර්ණා කහවිට; 1 November 1946 – 23 May 2022), popularly as Swarna Kahawita, was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema.
[2][3] Swarna Kahawita was born on 1 November 1946 in Kotahena, Colombo, British Ceylon as the youngest of the family.
[7] After the death of her parents, she sold the house in Kotahena and moved to the super luxury apartment complex in Maligawatte.
[11] Swarna had the ability to sing songs from an early age where she sang poems at the School Literary Association and at various concerts.
In 1967, she made her acting debut in the 16 mm film Rahas Dupatha directed by Irvin Jayamanne with a child role at the age of 13.
[13] Then she got the opportunity to have a lead role because of a reply letter she had placed to the actress' selection advertisement for the film Binaramalee based on popular radio series Muwan Palessa mentioned in the Sarasaviya newspaper.
[16][17][18] At the peak of her popularity, she decided to quit acting and move to Japan in 1980 as a tourist because of a childhood passion.
[2][7] Apart from that she later had lead and supportive roles in the films such as;[19] Onna Mame Kella Panapi, Rana Giraw, Pujithayo, Ran Onchilla, Abhirahasa, Hondai Narakai, Cyril Malli, Suraya Surayamai, Harima Badu Thunak, Unnath Dahai Malath Dahai, and Lassana Dawasak.
[7] During her cinema career which spanned fourteen years, she mostly had lead roles opposite to Vijaya Kumaratunga.