Veteran Malayalam actor and director Sreenivasan passes away at 69

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Veteran Malayalam actor, screenwriter, director, and producer Sreenivasan passed away on Saturday at the age of 69, leaving behind a prolific body of work that shaped Malayalam cinema’s social and comic sensibility for over four decades. As soon as the news came out, fans have been mourning the great loss, with condolences also pouring in for the veteran star.

Born on April 6, 1956, in Patyam near Thalassery in Kerala’s Kannur district, Sreenivasan emerged as one of the most influential voices in Malayalam cinema, known for blending sharp social satire with accessible storytelling. Over a career spanning nearly five decades, he acted in more than 225 films and wrote several landmark screenplays.

His writing credits include classics such as Odaruthammava Aalariyam, Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam, Gandhinagar 2nd Street, Nadodikkattu, Pattanapravesham, Varavelpu, Thalayana Manthram, Sandesam, Midhunam, Mazhayethum Munpe, Azhakiya Ravanan, Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, Udayananu Tharam, Katha Parayumpol, and Njan Prakashan, the latter ranking among the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.

As a filmmaker, he scripted and directed Vadakkunokkiyanthram and Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala. Vadakkunokkiyanthram won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film. At the same time, Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala received the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Popular Film.

Sreenivasan also received several honours during his career, including a National Film Award, two Filmfare Awards South, and six Kerala State Film Awards. He won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Screenplay for Sandesam and Mazhayethum Munpe. A frequent collaborator of directors Priyadarshan, Sathyan Anthikad, and Kamal, he played a key role in shaping the golden era of Malayalam comedy and social drama.

He made his acting debut in P A Backer’s Manimuzhakkam in 1976, with his first lead role in Sanghaganam (1979). He was formally trained at the Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu in Chennai. Beyond cinema, Sreenivasan was also a producer and co-produced Katha Parayumpol and Thattathin Marayathu under the Lumiere Film Company with actor Mukesh.

He is survived by his wife, Vimala Sreenivasan, and sons Vineeth Sreenivasan and Dhyan Sreenivasan.

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