Danuka Dilshan

Summary

• Danuka Dilshan is a Sri Lankan actor, model, singer, and TV presenter.
• He portrayed tobacco smoking and alcohol use in several of his roles in entertainment productions violating the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act.

Background

Mudiyansalage Danuka Dilshan, born on 16 November 1990, is a Sri Lankan actor, model, singer, and a TV presenter. He studied at Maha Bodhi Vidyalaya (Town Hall), Lumbini College, and Thurstan College, Colombo.

He started his career as a child actor at Sri Lanka Rupavahini (TV) Corporation. His first teledrama was “Thurya”, directed by Tharanga Dissanayake and Raveendra Wijerathna. Danuka Dilshan acted in many films and teledramas including Moda Tharindu (2025), Gini Avi Saha Gini Keli 2 (2024), The Taste (2023), Meeya (2022), Thanamalvila Kollek (2023), Dharmayuddhaya (2017), Parisiyata Yana Para (2017), Gini Avi Saha Gini Keli (2014).

Danuka was awarded “Best Actor” at the Sarasaviya Awards in 2025 and “Best Upcoming Actor” at the Raigam Tele'es in 2020.

Image 1: Danuka Dilshan. Source: Danuka Dilshan Facebook page

Tobacco Related Activities

Promoting Tobacco Smoking in his Acting

Danuka Dilshan played the lead role in the teledrama Thanamalvila Kollek, directed by Roshan Ravindra. The teledrama was telecasted on Independence Television Network (ITN) and was reported to contain scenes with cigarette smoking and alcohol use among adolescents and young women in 18 episodes out of 46 episodes. Those scenes included Danuka depicting smoking, violating the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act. Gallery:

• Gallery
• 

  Image 2 : Excerpt from ‘Thanamalwila Kollek’ teledrama- Episode 1

• 

  Image 3 : Excerpt from ‘Thanamalwila Kollek’ teledrama- Episode 46

He played a role in the “Hathey Hatha” music video series produced by Thisara Imbulana Films, which contained multiple scenes depicting cigarette smoking and alcohol use. It contained several scenes of Danuka portraying smoking. Gallery:

• Gallery
• 

  Image 4 : Excerpt from “Hathey Hatha” music video series – episode 3

• 

  Image 5 : Excerpt from “Hathey Hatha” music video series – episode 2

• 

  Image 6 : Excerpt from “Hathey Hatha” music video series – episode 7

Promoting tobacco smoking on social media platforms

Many photographs depicting smoking in an attractive way can be found posted on Danuka Dilshan’s personal social media platforms (Instagram, Tik Tok and YouTube).

• Gallery
• 

  Image 7 : Excerpt from Instagram account posted on 22nd June 2022

• 

  Image 8 : Excerpt from YouTube account shorts on 24th November 2023

• 

  Image 9 : Excerpt from TikTok account

Alcohol Related Activities

Promoting Alcohol use in his Acting

Danuka has depicted alcohol use in his roles in multiple teledramas and music videos.

• Gallery
• 

  Image 10 : Excerpt from ‘Thanamalwila Kollek’ teledrama- Episode 1

• 

  Image 11 : Excerpt from “Hathey Hatha” music video series – episode 6

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 No 27 of 2006 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’. NATA Act defines tobacco advertisements as, “any writing, still or moving picture, sign, symbol or distinctive colours 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 NATA Act.

Tobacco Unmasked Resources

• Thanamalvila Kollek
• Roshan Ravindra
• Thisara Imbulana
• National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act
• The teledrama ‘Meeya’

The local language translations