Yasapalitha Nanayakkara was born on 19 June 1940 in Udalamatta village closer to Galle as the second of a family with nine siblings.
He has four brothers - Vasudeva, Padmakumara, Hemakumara, Asanga and four younger sisters - Swarna Sakunthala, Ranjani, Lanka and Nilmini.
[7] His younger son Harshana also acted in few films and a lawyer by profession and currently serving as the Minister of Justice and National Integration.
At Richmond College, he acted in the school drama Hima Kumari Saha Agurumittan Hathdena.
[10][11] On 19 July 2007, there was a mega event to pay homage to the late popular filmmaker Yasapalitha Nanayakkara.
The event was titled Rasa Sagarayak was held at the BMICH at 7.00 pm with the participation of Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake as Chief Guest jointly coordinated by the Kala Lanka Padanama.