After 2373 episodes, Sri Lanka's longest teledrama 'Deweni Inima' concluded yesterday.

Breaking the dominance of foreign drama series in Sri Lankan tele-drama art, 'Deweni Inima', broadcast through TV Derana channel, succeeded in leaving an indelible mark among local audiences. This tele-drama, which began airing on February 06, 2017, brought its final episode to viewers on June 04, 2026, after an uninterrupted and successful run of nearly nine years.

Comprising a total of 2373 episodes, it holds the record as the longest-running tele-drama with a unified storyline in Sri Lankan television history. Its first season consisted of 1681 episodes, and the second season, which began on October 09, 2023, comprised approximately 692 episodes.

Directed by Mr. Saranga Mendis and screenplayed by Mr. Saman Edirimuni, the production was handled by Mrs. Chamika Mendis. Enriched by Nimesh Kulasinghe's musical composition, its opening theme song, "Lan Wela Wassane" sung by Yashodha Priyadarshani, also became extremely popular among audiences. It is also mentioned that this creation, filmed against the backdrop of Diyagala Boys Town, drew some inspiration from the American series "One Tree Hill". Nevertheless, the series, which aired on weekdays at 8:30 PM, received numerous top accolades representing the Raigam, Sumathi, and Slim-Nielsen award ceremonies, which is a perfect example of its success.

The 'Deweni Inima' series, which began with a cricket backdrop, later expanded to cover a wide range of themes including family relationships, love, hatred, and business conflicts. The main axis of the story was the conflicts between the protagonist 'Anuhas Fernando', brought to life by Raveen Kanishka, and his brother 'Awantha' (Keshan Shashindra). The juice bar run by Anuhas and his mother Udeni (Himali Sayurangi), along with the complexities of his family including his businessman father Ravi Fernando (Bimal Jayakody), were well integrated. In addition, young actors like Nayanathara Wickramarachchi (Devmi), Shanudrie Priyasad (Samalka), Thathsaranie Piyumika (Samadhi), Ishara Madushan (Radeesh), as well as many veterans such as Sanath Gunathilake, Kamal Deshapriya, Richard Weerakkody, and Ramani Siriwardana, contributed their acting talents. The first season, which touched upon various aspects of life such as love, marriage, death, and betrayal, concluded with the marriage of Devmi and Awantha, while the second season focused on Anuhas's life and new challenges in the cricket team.

While 'Deweni Inima' could not surpass series like the UK's 'Coronation Street' or India's 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai', which have aired for decades in the long-running tele-drama history of the world and Asia, it holds a unique record in the local television chronicle. Although the drama 'Kopi Kade', which has been airing for over thirty years, is ahead in terms of duration, 'Deweni Inima' has achieved the first place in Sri Lanka in terms of episode count due to its daily broadcast. Although some viewers commented on the dragging of middle parts of the story and the departure of certain characters, a decrease in ratings was by no means the reason for ending the drama.

This massive creation concluded naturally and planned after a successful nine-year journey. The final episode, which aired as a special one-hour episode on June 4, 2026, garnered significant audience attention via YouTube, marking a conclusion filled with family unity and happiness where all problems were resolved. The performances of actors like Raveen Kanishka and Nethmi Roshel received special appreciation, and both the cast and the audience have noted this as an unforgettable, life-changing journey beyond just a tele-drama.