Born on 30th April ...

30th April 1947 was a special day for Mr & Mrs Fonseka (Gilbert and Seelawathie) as Seelwathie gave birth to a beautiful baby girl following the elder boys. The fair chubby baby girl was named "Wanniarachchilage Malani Senehelatha Fonseka". When Mr & Mrs Fonseka took the horoscope of the new born baby to an Astrologer, he predicted that the horoscope belonged to a person who's going to be a queen in the country one day. After Malini was born, her family moved to Nugegoda - Jambugasmulla from Peliyagoda where Malini was born. In 1952 Malini started her education at St. Johns College Nugegoda. She was at St. Johns till the fifth grade.

Later the Fonseka family moved to Kelaniya Wedamulla and Malini was enrolled at Gurukula Maha Vidyalaya where she completed her education. Most of Malini's siblings are connected to the cinema world. Malani's brother Ananda Fonseka is a movie director and a producer. Malani's sister Damayanthi is another talented actress in the country. Ananda played a role in "Eya Den Loku Lamayek" the internationally acclaimed movie by her brother. 

Another movie which most of the family got together was "Umayangana". The movie was directed by Ananda Fonseka and main roles were played by Malani and Damayanthi.

Nature has provided Malani with good looks in ample measure and a dream of a figure but those alone are not enough for a film actress to become the most popular actress and the best on the Sinhala silver screen. All most all the films in which she played the female lead role have been box office hits.

Presently she is honoured as a living legend and Malani Senehelatha Fonseka is the "Queen of the Sri Lankan Cinema" loved and honoured by  the Sri Lankans.