Rebecca Dilrukshi

Summary

• Rebecca Dilrukshi is a Sri Lankan actress.
• She portrayed tobacco smoking and alcohol and cannabis use through many of her on screen appearances.
• Her public social media profiles featured her using tobacco and alcohol products in her cinematic productions.

Background

Mapa Mudiyanselage Rebecca Dilrukshi is a Sri Lankan actress. Born in Bandarawela on 14 May 1989, Rebecca received her school education at Bandarawela Central College and later graduated from the Sripalee Campus of the University of Colombo with a Bachelor of Performing Arts Special Degree. She is married to Lakmal Wijerathna. She began her acting career in 2012 and appeared in several films, short films, stage dramas, and teledramas. Her first film was Sayapethi Kusuma (සය පෙති කුසුම). She was awarded a Special Jury Award at the Raigam Tele'es for her role as Aseni in Take Care and was nominated for Best Actress at the 30th Sumathi Awards.

Image 1: Rebecca Dilrukshi Source: Sarasaviya

Tobacco Related Activities

Promoting tobacco smoking through her acting

Rebecca depicted smoking scenes in multiple productions including the movies ‘There Is A Body’, ‘සැගවෙන කිරිල්ලියෝ’, ‘Sihina Sameekarana’ and in the short film ‘Collapse Into Me’.

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  Image 2: Excerpt from the movie ‘There Is A Body’

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  Image 3: Excerpt from the Official Teaser of ‘Collapse Into Me’ Short Film

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  Image 4: Excerpt from the movie ‘සැගවෙන කිරිල්ලියෝ’

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  Image 5: Excerpt from the movie ‘Sihina Sameekarana (සිහින සමීකරණ)’

Portraying smoking on her personal social media profiles

Rebecca shared promotional posts from films, ‘Sihina Sameekarana (සිහින සමීකරණ)’ and ‘There Is A Body’ on both her personal Instagram and Facebook accounts. Those posts included images depicting her smoking as mentioned below.

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  Image 6: Excerpt from Instagram profile published on 25 August 2023

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  Image 7: Excerpt from Instagram profile published on 17 November 2022

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  Image 8: Excerpt from Instagram profile published on 12 November 2022

Promoting Smokeless Tobacco through her acting

In the teledrama Patti Gedara, Rebecca depicted usage of smokeless tobacco in several scenes.

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  Image 9: Excerpt from the teledrama ‘Patti Gedara (පට්ටි ගෙදර)’

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  Image 10: Excerpt from the teledrama ‘Patti Gedara (පට්ටි ගෙදර)’

Alcohol Related Activities

Promoting alcohol through her acting

Rebecca portrayed alcohol use in the movie ‘සැගවෙන කිරිල්ලියෝ’ and in the short film ‘The Guest’ as follows.

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  Image 11:Excerpt from the movie ‘සැගවෙන කිරිල්ලියෝ’

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  Image 12: Excerpt from the short film ‘The Guest’<ref>

Portraying alcohol on her personal social media profiles

On her personal Instagram account, Rebecca shared photographs which included alcohol products.

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  Image 13:Excerpt from Instagram profile published on 6th May 2023

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  Image 14: Excerpt from Facebook profile published on 28th February 2023

Cannabis and other substances related activities

Promoting cannabis use through her acting

Rebecca portrayed cannabis use in the film ‘Segawena Kirilliyo’.

Image 15:Excerpt from the movie ‘සැගවෙන කිරිල්ලියෝ’ Source:YouTube

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
• Take Care

The local language translations