Warning: Cinema 'parts' are not possible in real life - Case of assaulting the critic - Hemal Ranasinghe pays 5 lakhs in compensation

Popular actor Hemal Ranasinghe has pleaded guilty to all charges in the case filed regarding the assault and criminal intimidation of film critic Lakmina Ranasinghe. Mr. Hemal has agreed to pay a compensation of five hundred thousand rupees for the damage caused and to apologize to Mr. Lakmina.

The complainant, Mr. Lakmina, has taken steps to donate the relevant compensation amount to the Maharagama Cancer Hospital and to submit the corresponding receipt to the court. Considering the settlement conditions reached between the two parties, the Mount Lavinia Magistrate's Court decided to conclude the case.

When the case was recalled, Senior Counsel Ajith Pathirana, appearing for the complainant, stated before the court that although not defaming the aggrieved party was a main condition of the settlement, the defendant's friends and people in the industry were posting derogatory remarks against Mr. Lakmina and justifying the assault on digital media. The lawyer, emphasizing the importance of maintaining discipline and the dignity of the profession, also submitted copies of the relevant social media posts to the Magistrate. Here, the defense counsel rejected the allegations, stating that since the defendant is a popular figure, he is not responsible for posts made by other parties.

However, considering the facts, the Honorable Magistrate severely admonished Mr. Hemal Ranasinghe, stating that it is wrong for such statements to be issued when the case is not concluded, and that he should not attempt to portray characters from teledramas or cinema in real life. The court further emphasized that the defendant must ensure that such incidents are prevented, whether done by himself or through friends.

The original incident related to this event was reported on January 8, 2026, during the premiere of the film 'Father' at the Havelock City Cinema Complex. There, based on the fact that he was not mentioned and his photos were not published in a review of the film 'Maria', Mr. Hemal assaulted Mr. Lakmina on his head, neck, and back in front of people from the arts industry. After this assault, which took place in front of veteran actress Chandani Seneviratne and others, Mr. Lakmina complained to the Wellawatte Police and received inpatient treatment at Kalubowila Hospital.

Mr. Hemal, who had evaded the police for several weeks after the incident, was arrested and produced before the court on February 3, 2026, after surrendering to the police through a lawyer. Although the defense initially claimed that there was no assault, but only a pulling by hand, with the police presenting CCTV footage and medical reports related to the incident to the court, the case was referred to a mediation board, where Mr. Hemal proceeded to admit all his wrongdoings.

It was also revealed in court that previously, in March 2025, Mr. Hemal had threatened Mr. Lakmina via WhatsApp due to a review of his performance in the film 'Ice Cream', and in September 2025, he had assaulted and threatened him at the City of Dreams hotel in Colombo.

Mr. Hemal Ranasinghe, who faced this incident, is a popular award-winning actor who entered the field through modeling and has been recognized at the Sarasavi and Derana Film Awards. The aggrieved party, Mr. Lakmina Ranasinghe, is a young critic who presents logical reviews on cinema and teledramas, and is involved in advertising design and program hosting.