Laleen Jayamanne studied at the University of Ceylon before going on to study for a Master's Degree in Drama from New York University and a PhD in film from the University of NSW. The subject of her thesis was 'Positions of Women in the Sri Lankan Cinema 1947-1979'. She wrote her autobiography Prodigal Daughters (1981) with poems by her friend Sheilah Steinberg, at the age of 30.

In addition to her literary work, Laleen Jayamanne has also written and directed a film, A Song of Ceylon and written and edited collections of film criticism. She teaches Film Studies at the Power Institute of Fine Arts, University of Sydney.