ජැක්සන් ඇන්තනී
6 songs performed · 3 lyrics written
Jackson Anthony (ජැක්සන් ඇන්තනී), born Conganige Joseph Malsi Jackson Anthony, was a Sri Lankan actor, director, singer and lyricist whose voice and writing reached well beyond the screen he is best remembered for. Across a career that ran from the late 1980s until 2022, he was honoured in Sinhala cinema as Sakalakala Sakwithi (“King of All Arts”), and the songs he wrote and sang remain a familiar part of that legacy.
Jackson Anthony was born on 8 July 1958 in the village of Podiwee Kumbura, near Ragama. He came to public life first through theatre and television before becoming one of the most recognised faces in Sri Lankan film, eventually winning the Best Actor award many times over. Alongside acting he worked as a director, producer, screenwriter, novelist, columnist and historian, and music ran through all of it.
As a singer and writer, Anthony is tied to several enduring Sinhala songs. Desa Piyagath Kala (දෑස පියාගත් කල) and Lande Ukula Uda are among his best-loved recordings, and Ra Ra Tharakawo remains a tender favourite. He also performed lullaby-style and family songs such as Poruwe Mage Daruwane and Yaluwo Maluwo Yaluwo, drawn from his television and stage work.
Anthony performed with Clarence Wijewardena, one of the most influential figures in modern Sinhala music, a collaboration that placed his voice alongside some of the country’s defining melodies.
Anthony also wrote lyrics for a younger generation of performers, most notably his son Sajitha Anthony. His pen lies behind Seetha Santhosaye and Mihirawa Awa, and he co-wrote Swarnapaliye, performed by Sajitha Anthony with Sanuka Wickramasinghe.
In July 2022 Jackson Anthony was gravely injured when the vehicle he was travelling in was attacked by an elephant, and he died on 9 October 2023 in Colombo after a long period of treatment. He left a body of work spanning film, stage and song, and his children, including actress Madhavee Wathsala Anthony and actor Sajitha Anthony, have continued in the arts. For listeners across Sri Lanka and the diaspora, the lyrics and recordings of Jackson Anthony remain a living connection to one of the country’s most versatile artists.
Every Sinhala lyric, composition, and song credit by Jackson Anthony.
Performed by: Sajitha Anthony (සජිත ඇන්තනි), Sanuka Wickramasinghe (සනුක)