Michelle Dilhara

In 2020 she was nominated as the Best Upcoming Actress and also was nominated for the Raigam Tele'es Most Popular Actress Award of the year 2019 in the Raigam Tele'es award ceremony.

On April 22, 2020 Michelle was invited by the Earth Day Network to feature in their My Future My Voice campaign for the 50th anniversary of the Earth Day along with 49 other prominent environmental activists. The theme for Earth Day 2020 this year was Climate action. Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, the event was broadcast through digital channels and online platforms globally. Earth Day Live was hosted as a livestream for three days marking the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in the United States. The event featured global leaders, celebrities, musicians and athletes including His Holiness Pope Francis,Joaquin Phoenix, Moby, Patricia Arquette, Jane Fonda, Robby Romero, Denis Hayes, Ed Begley Jr., Sylvia Earle, Global Advisory Committee Member Albert II, Prince of Monaco, Al Gore, Bill McKibben, Alexandria Villaseñor, Patricia Espinosa, Christiana Figueres, Jerome Foster II, John Kerry, Thomas Lovejoy, Zac Efron, Anil Kapoor, Van Jones, Paul Nicklen, Ricky Kej and Alex Honnold.

On May 11, 2020 Dilhara was appointed as the Earth Day Network Ambassador to Sri Lanka.

In 2020 she was nominated as the Best Up-coming Teledrama Actress of the year 2019 in the Raigam Tele'es award ceremony for her performance as Ayoma in the teledrama Sudu Andagena Kalu Awidin, aired in the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.

In January 2020, Michelle Dilhara conducted multiple awareness programs on Climate change and Social invisibility in Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, schools, television programmes, talk shows, and on several national newspapers.

In 2020 Michelle founded Senehas Arana, a community center for the retired citizens who are affected from Social invisibility and Social exclusion. She released her first theory "The Theory of Alternative Social Cogwheel" for the people who are affected from Social invisibility and Social exclusion. It is a sociological theory of how people are affected due to factors such as the elderly ,people with a disability ,educational status , barriers for senior citizens in getting new jobs, discrimination and violence. Michelle founded Senehas Arana as a practical implementation of her theory. The community center brings all the retired citizens who are affected with Social Invisibility and Social Exclusion in Divulapitiya area to one place, and regenerates the community networks of the affected retired citizens.

In 2020 Michelle was casted for the Nethra music video along with Damitha Abeyratne. The song was sung by the Sri Lankan singer Abhisheka Wimalaweera. It was a song dedicated for the Mother's Day. The plot depicts how we treat our mothers in real life. We live in a very complicated and busy life ignoring our parents. The music video shows how a daughter reacts when she receives a call from the police saying that her mother had met with an accident and had passed away. The video also shows the daughter's realization on how she should have given more attention towards her mother while she was alive.

In 2019 she received the National Youth Icon Award 2019 at the World Youth Summit held in New Delhi, India for her book Social Invisibility is not a Fiction it Exists and for her theory, Theory of Alternative Social Cogwheel.

Dilhara won the Naional Youth Icon Award 2019 at the World Youth Summit held in New Delhi, India for the book she wrote Social Invisibility is not a Fiction it Exists and for her theory, Theory of Alternative Social Cogwheel. She received the award from Dr.Jayantha Patra the Chairman of the International Youth Committee ( IYC ). The World Youth Summit focuses on Poverty eradication, Food and Nutrition Security, Conservation of Biodiversity for Sustainability, Disaster Risk Reductions and Youth Cantered Urbanization, Ecotourism Development, Preservation of Indigenous People and Our Heritage, Realizing Equal Access to Quality Education and Health, . The award ceremony and the summit was taken place at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

Dilhara was casted for Sudu andagena kalu awidin aired in Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation , directed by Sunil Costa. She portrays the character Ayoma, who is a teenage girl facing the hardships of life. Sudu andagena kalu awidin is Dilhara's first major role. The story talks about the journey of a mother, portrayed by Umayangana Wickramasinghe and daughter going in searching of the missing father by facing many life challenges. The plot depicts the emotional and cognitive characteristics of village folks due to their financial struggle.In an interview for the national newspaper Mawbima, Dilhara said that her starring role in Sudu andagena kalu awidin marked a significant turning point in her acting career.Sudu andagena kalu awidin television series won the Sumathi Most Popular Teledrama Award 2019

In 2019 Dilhara was casted for the television series Haratha Hera ( King of Hearts ), aired in Independent Television Network and directed by Chandika Wijayasena. Dilhara plays the role of a wealthy girl named Pabasara, who is the only daughter of a well known Minister. After completing her higher studies she returns from abroad and re-unites with her friends. But her sole intention is to get everyone to work with her father. The overall story talks about the damage caused due to black money and how people are deliberately fallen into the business of black money.

In 2019 Michelle was casted for the main role in the teledrama Kisa, written and directed by Nimal Rathnayaka. She plays the role of Kisa, a young girl who lives with her father, played by actor Sarath Kothalawala, in a rural village. Her mother, played by actress Pavithra Wickramasinghe, is said to be kidnapped and they never knew her whereabouts. Meanwhile, she joins a drama class in the village taught by a male teacher, played by actor Jehan Appuhami, and she eventually falls for him. He in return doesn't show affection towards her but treats her only as a student. Her cousin sister, played by actress Udayanthi Kulatunga, suffers from a mental disoder and has an affection towards the drama teacher in the village. The drama portrays the story of Kisa who struggles with her life emotionally and mentally.

Dilhara won the Asia Inspiration Award 2018 for the category of philanthropy at the second South Asian Youth Summit held in Colombo. Michelle Dilhara received the award from Minister of Youth and Sports government of Malaysia , Syed Saddiq for the philanthropic work involved with Social invisibility. The event was organized by the International Youth Committee (IYC), an organization that supports the youth around the world. IYC chooses 30 youth from Asia who would be the next leaders in Asia. Over 450 delegates from more than 80 countries, including the SAARC observer nations, took part in the event. Dilhara was into social welfare since she was teenager. In an interview published in the Daily News, she said that she is happy if she can help someone smlie, share a few kind words, or lend a helping hand to those who need.

In 2018 Michelle initiated " The invisible to visible movement " for the people who are afftected by Social invisibility and Social exclusion .Michelle promoted Social invisibility in an interview published in Ceylon Today and Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). Dilhara said that Social Invisibility is Not a Fiction, it Exists. In an interview given to Fox 34 ,Hiru FM,NBC 29 ,Tulsa CW and Ceylon Today Michelle said that she started a free English scholarship program for the financially challenged students in Sri Lanka with the support of the English lecturer Danushka Clark. At first it started with 200 students in Divulapitiya town and now it has grown up to 1000 students eventually. The scholarship programme was initiated as a sub project of The Invisible to Visible movement to minimize the Social invisibility and Social exclusion of the people due to factors such as educational status and language barrier. The main focus of this project is to develop their communication skills with the world and to create a path for them to approach the international job market through online jobs.

In 2018 Michelle was casted for the teledrama Sidu (TV series) which was telecasted weekdays on TV Derana. The teledrama depicts the story of a 9-year-old boy with wizarding powers and his friendship with a little Buddhist monk. Dilhara played a fictional character that portrayed a daylight angel who was sent by Sidu's grandmother in order save his life from danger and evil. The character revolved mainly around Sidu, played by Nethma Aakashmita, his friends and the little Buddhist monk of the village temple, Sorataha saamanera played by Kaveesh Vihanga. Only Sidu was able to visualize the Daylight Angel whenever he was in a problem. The teledrama was directed by Thilina Boralessa and written by Saman Edirimunee.

Hosting 2nd South Asian Youth Summit (2018) Michelle Dilhara was the official host for the 2nd South Asian Youth Summit held in Sri Lanka. Over 450 delegates from 80 countries participated this event. She also won the Asia Inspiration Award 2018 for her contribution to the South Asian philanthropy

In August 2017, Dilhara and Manusha D. Navarathna organized a project to plant 1000 trees as a solution to minimize the ongoing Climate crisis taken place due to Global warming and Climate change. The trees were planted in Katana, Gampaha District of Sri Lanka.

In 2017 she wanted to change the focus of the youngsters to support poor to stand on their feet rather than wasting time on video games. She had a vision that if one person supports a poor person, with a kilo of rice, there will be at least 20 million kilos of rice for the poor. She organized a campaign for her 22nd birthday and she was able to get the support of more than one thousand youngsters for this project. They collected more than one thousand kilos of rice and gave them to the needy in Pinnakalewattha village.

In 2017, Dilhara was featured in the Maliban tea advertisement with the leading role that became very popular as Maliban tea ( Maliban Biscuit Manufactories Limited ) advertisement girl among the Sri Lankan audience. In 2018 she also starred in the Maliban Tea second commercial with once again the leading role.

In 2017 Dilhara appeared in the Sri Lankan television series Emy Teledrama as the leading role Emy. The TV series was Directed by Sanjaya Nirmal and produced by Malathi Wijesinghe. The teledrama started airing in 2019. Dilhara plays the role of a fifteen-year-old girl named Emy, who was born and raised in UK. But due to some issues in her family and her bad health condition, she visits her grandmother in Sri Lanka, portrayed by Hyacinth Wijeratne, to spend her last few months. The drama includes another five characters who have extraordinary capabilities.

In 2016 Michelle organized a campaign with Manusha D. Navarathna, an active environmental activist, to reduce the Environmental Degradation with regard to Climate change. Dilhara believed that plastic is one of the main objects that affects Climate change. The campaign was taken place at the Negombo beach premises for three consecutive days to remove all the plastic objects that were circling in the beach. They were able to remove plastic bottles, trash, plastic bags and other objects that would pollute the environment.

In 2016, Dilhara made her first teledrama appearance in Salsapuna telecasted on Sirasa TV. The drama was created in a middle class environment that widely involved love triangles, plot twists, and character changes. She was auditioned for the character Podi Patharakari (Sinhala:පොඩි පත්තරකාරී) in Salsapuna by Sandya Mendis, Chairman of Susila Productions. After several auditions, Dilhara was selected for the character Preethiwa, widely known to the audience as Podi Patharakari. The character was introduced in the 252nd of 577 episodes. Preethiwa Podi Patharakari is a wealthy girl who visited her mother country, after completing her higher studies in London, with the intention of learning journalism. The character Podi Patharakari was introduced as the girlfriend of the character Nilhan. She is a journalist who left her luxury life and lived an ordinary life, fighting against injustice. Dilhara said that the other cast members including Rohana Beddage and Damitha Abeyratne supported in her character portrayal. The teledrama was directed by the veteran director Nalan Mendis, who also directed Doo Daruwo, which became one of the most popular and long running teledramas in Sri Lanka and Nadayo. During the same period, she then appeared with the leading role in the first Mobile drama Dhara, produced by Susila Productions.

Michelle Dilhara (Sinhala:මිෂෙල් දිල්හාරා; born 1 May 1996) is a Sri Lankan actress, author, philanthropist, singer and environmental activist. In 2018 she won the Asia Inspiration Award at the South Asian Youth Summit held in Colombo for her contribution towards Social invisibility. Michelle received the award from the Minister of Youth and Sports government of Malaysia , Mr.Syed Saddiq. She became popular as Podi Patharakari (Sinhala:පොඩි පත්තරකාරී) in the teledrama, Salsapuna and as Ayoma in Sudu andagena kalu awidin aired in Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation

Dilhara was born on 1 May 1996 in Ragama, Sri Lanka, to H.Premawardena, who is a businessman and E.Jean Stella Fernando. She has two sisters, Mishen Prasadika and Rochelle Fiona. Dilhara studied in Negombo South International School until her GCE Ordinary Level, which she sat as a private candidate. At the age of 11 she started practicing Martial Arts, Katate-do-Shitokai, under Sensei Rohan P. Udayakumara (Black belt dan 5). During her training, she participated for several local and international Karate championships and won medals. She won the gold medal for the 2nd International Gojuryu Karate Open Championship, conducted by the International Gojuryu Karate Association (IGKA). Meanwhile, she started volunteering as an English teacher for several children homes after an incident that took place when she was 15 years old. This made her in wanting to become a humanitarian and an actress. Dilhara completed her GCE Advanced Level in Arts Stream ( English Literature, Japanese Language and IT ) at Newstead Girls College Negombo. There she was able to participate in several dramas conducted by the school drama team, that gave her the first experience in taking part in a play. In 2013 she also completed her Japanese Language Proficiency Test ( JLPT N5 and N4 ) which was conducted by the Japanese Language Education Association of Sasakawa Centre Sri Lanka.

She was a voluntary English teacher for many child orphanages in Sri Lanka. After she became an actress, there were many pictures of Dilhara in magazines participating in many occasions in luxurious hotels in Sri Lanka. One day a small child in the orphanage had asked her about the luxurious hotels after seeing these magazines. The child said that she will never be able to go to a hotel like this ever. Dilhara invited this child with all her friends in the orphanage to the Cinnamon Grand Hotel Sri Lanka for her 21st birthday.