Hiran Abeysekera wins Best Actor at Oliver Awards 2022 in UK

Sri Lanka’s Hiran Abeysekera won the Best Actor for the stage adaptation of ‘Life of Pi’ at Olivier Awards 2022 in London. 

It was a jubilant Sunday (10) night for theatre at the Royal Albert Hall, as the stage industry celebrated a year in which performances resumed after lockdown.

Life of Pi, based on the Booker prize-winning novel, was named the best new play and scooped several technical prizes.

The play’s lead, Hiran Abeysekera, also won the best actor, whilst the seven performers who play the tiger shared the best supporting actor prize. 

In a touching speech, the show’s star Abeysekera said he was “overwhelmed” to win the best actor. 

“I’m a result of a lot of love and generosity of many. I hope you’re proud of me,” he added.

He also paid tribute to his home country Sri Lanka in few words.

“My Sri Lanka is going through a bit of tough time now, I think of you, and wish I was there with you,” he said. 

Not forgetting the thousands that had been protesting continuously calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down amidst adverse weather conditions, in Sinhala he said which translates to: “Mates, I love you and hooray!”.

Life of Pi, a philosophical novel by Yann Martel, was also adapted into a film in 2012 which starred Suraj Sharma and won four Oscars.