He was travelling for dialysis at Amrita hospital in Kochi on Saturday morning when he complained of trouble in breathing and was shifted to the Government Taluk Hospital, Tripunithura, where he breathed his last.
Veteran Malayalam actor, screenwriter and filmmaker Sreenivasan, who passed away at 69 on Saturday. (Left image shared by Rajeev Chandrasekhar on X; right image: IANS file)
Renowned Malayalam actor, scriptwriter and filmmaker Sreenivasan passed away on Saturday morning at the Tripunithura Taluk Hospital in Kochi. He was 72 .
Sreenivasan, who redefined Malayalam cinema through his unique acting and compelling stories, had been ailing for some time owing to cardiac and other ailments. He was travelling for dialysis at Amrita hospital in Kochi on Saturday morning when he complained of trouble in breathing and was shifted to the Government Taluk Hospital, Tripunithura, where he breathed his last.
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Known as Malayalam cinema’s “sakalakalavallabhan” (man of many talents), Sreenivasan, as an actor, screenwriter, producer and director, left an indelible mark on Malayalam cinema. Over a career spanning nearly 50 years, he emerged as one of the most influential creative voices in the film industry, shaping popular cinema through sharp satire, humane storytelling, and socially rooted humour.
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Born in Patyam near Thalassery in Kerala’s Kannur district, Sreenivasan grew up in a modest household. His father was a schoolteacher, and his mother was a homemaker. He graduated in economics from PRNSS College, Mattanur.
He made his acting debut in Manimuzhakkam (1976), directed by P A Backer, and went on to play his first lead role in Sanghaganam (1979). However, it was as a writer that he truly left his mark. His first screenplay, Odaruthammava Aalariyam (1984), announced a new voice in Malayalam cinema.
He was often referred to as a comedian but he had played a wide range of roles in his films, from the hero’s side-kick to characters that could move the audience to tears. Often, he could make you laugh and cry in the same film, as in Vadakku Nokki Yanthram in which he played the role of a man with a severe inferiority complex about his looks.
His writing blended humour with political and social critique, most powerfully seen in Sandesam (1991), a biting satire on political opportunism that earned him a Kerala State Film Award.
Noted for his sharp social satire and deeply humane storytelling, Sreenivasan’s contributions as both a performer and writer shaped several phases of modern Malayalam cinema.
As a screenwriter, Sreenivasan was known for several notable Malayalam films, including Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam, TP Balagopalan MA, Gandhinagar Second Street, Nadodikkattu, Thalayana Manthram, Golanthara Vartha, Champakulam Thachan, Varavelpu, Udayananu Tharam, Mazhayethum Munpe, Azhakiya Ravanan, Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, Ayal Kadha Ezhuthukayanu, Kadha Parayumbol and Njan Prakashan.
Sreenivasan is survived by his wife, Vimala, sons Vineeth Sreenivasan and Dhyan Sreenivasan, both established figures in the Malayalam film industry.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Opposition Leader V D Satheesan were among those who expressed deep sorrow over the death of Sreenivasan .
In a condolence message, Pinarayi Vijayan said Sreenivasan was a rare, multifaceted talent who left an indelible mark on every sphere of filmmaking, including story, screenplay, direction and acting.
Satheesan, in his condolence message, described Sreenivasan as an extraordinary artist who, in a unique style, captured the lives of small people in a vast world and great people in a small world.
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