Bimal Jayakody

Summary

• Bimal Jayakody is a Sri Lankan actor, film producer, author, songwriter, singer, and an announcer.
• He portrayed tobacco smoking and alcohol use through many of his cinematic work.
• His public social media profiles featured his tobacco and alcohol use and alcohol products.

Background

Jayakodyge Dona Dhanuka Bimal Jayakody, born on 21 June 1977, is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema and television. In addition, he is a film producer, author, song writer, singer and a compere. He studied at the Tibet S Mahinda Vidyalaya and Terrence N De Silva Maha Vidyalaya Kolonnawa.

He comes from a family with an established background in the Sri Lankan entertainment industry. Bimal is the eldest in the family. His father, Kamal Jayakody, was a regional politician and an actor. Bimal’s brother was a musician and an actor. His aunts, Geeta Kanthi and Rathna Lalani Jayakody, and cousin sister, Paboda Sandeepani, are actresses in theatre and cinema. He is married to Sujani Menaka who is also an actress.

Bimal worked as a television technician for six years in a production house owned by his uncle, Sampath Thennakoon. He started his acting career in 2003 via “Hada Vila Sakmana” teledrama directed by Prasanna Jayakody. He has since appeared in several teledramas. Bimal started his career in cinema with “Ali Patiyo Oyai Mamai” in 2006 appearing in a minor role. Since then, he has acted in several films. In addition to his work in television and cinema, Jayakody has performed in stage dramas too. He won the Raigam Tele'es Award for Best Actor in 2012 for his role in Senakeliyay Maya teledrama, the Sarasaviya Award for Best Actor in 2019 for Dekala Purudu Kenek film, and the Derana Film Award for Popular Actor in a Negative Role in 2023.

Apart from acting, Bimal released his first original song “Oba Aye Dawasaka” in 2014.

Image 1: Bimal Jayakody Source: EAP Films & Theatres

Tobacco Related Activities

Promoting tobacco smoking through his acting

Bimal played leading roles in the films Dekala Purudu Kenek, Mandara, and Father (Read more from the TobaccoUnmasked page Sinhala Movie "Father" Accused of Violating the NATA Act). These lead characters, together with several supporting characters, were involved in multiple smoking scenes.

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  Image 2: Excerpt from the official trailer of the movie ‘Mandara’

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  Image 3: Excerpt from the official trailer of the movie ‘Father’

Portraying smoking on his personal social media profiles

On his personal Facebook account, Bimal Jayakody shared a promotional clip from the film Father that included scenes depicting him smoking.

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  Image 4: Excerpt from Facebook profile published on 10 January 2026

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  Image 5: Excerpt from Facebook profile published on 15 January 2026

Alcohol Related Activities

Promoting alcohol through his acting

Bimal portrayed alcohol use in many teledramas, stage dramas, and films as follows.

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  Image 6: Excerpt from the ‘රැල්ල වෙරළට ආදරෙයි’ teledrama Song

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  Image 7: Excerpt from the ‘Daam (දාම්)’ teledrama

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  Image 8: Excerpt from the ‘Snap (ස්නැප්)’ teledrama

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  Image 9: Excerpt from the ‘ICE CREAM’ movie trailer

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  Image 10: Excerpt from the ‘Dharma Yuddhaya 2’ official trailer

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  Image 11: Excerpt from the ‘Rala (රළ)’ teledrama

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  Image 12: Excerpt from the ‘Minimaruwa Niruwathin (මිනීමරුවා නිරුවතින්)’ stage drama

Portraying alcohol on his personal social media profiles

On his personal Facebook account, Bimal Jayakody shared photographs from his performances in the film Ice Cream, the teledrama Sewanali (සෙවණැලි), and the stage drama Minimaruwa Niruwathin (මිනීමරුවා නිරුවතින්). The specific photographs he shared depicted him using alcohol.

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  Image 13: Excerpt from Facebook profile published on 3 March 2025

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  Image 14: Excerpt from Facebook profile published on 12 February 2015

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  Image 15: Excerpt from Facebook profile published on 18 October 2016

The following photographs were posted on his public Facebook and Instagram timelines and depict real life situations rather than acting performances. They include images displaying alcohol products in the background as well as photographs of himself consuming alcohol.

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  Image 16: Excerpt from Facebook profile published on 2 December 2024

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  Image 17: Excerpt from Instagram profile published on 14 November 2025

Implications

Multiple research studies have shown that exposure to portrayal of tobacco products or their use in television and in movies is associated with initiation of smoking among viewers, especially among adolescents and youth, and sustenance of smoking among current smokers. A large body of evidence suggests that tobacco industry is known to have commissioned celebrities to promote tobacco and related products in media and through entertainment activities.

National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act is the main legal framework for tobacco and alcohol control in Sri Lanka. Section 35 of the NATA Act prohibits tobacco and alcohol advertisements and promotion in media including ‘the internet’. National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act defines tobacco advertisements as, “any writing, still or moving picture, sign, symbol or distinctive colors or other visual image or any audible message or any combination of the aforesaid that promotes or is intended to promote – smoking, the purchase or use of a tobacco product, a trade mark registered in respect of a tobacco product or articles that include tobacco products, a brand name associated with a tobacco product, the name of the manufacturer of a tobacco product.”

Thus, portrayal of tobacco products and their use has a negative effect on tobacco control measures in the country and violates the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act.

Tobacco Unmasked Resources

• National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act
• Sinhala Movie "Father" Accused of Violating the NATA Act
• Thisara Imbulana
• Jagath Manuwarna

The local language translations