Sreenivasan, a legend who scripted the best satires in Malayalam cinema
As an actor, he has done outstanding work, no doubt — in films like Vadakkunokkiyanthram, Swaroopam, Thakarachenda and Ponmuttayidunna Thattan. But, other actors could have also done those roles, though may not be as well as him.
Ernakulam: Sreenivasan’s space among the best story-tellers of Malayalam cinema will always be among the first five. The reason being there has been no script writer who made self criticism and glorified it in a way Sreenivasan did. This distinct and unique style of story telling with humor at its core has been the signature style of Sreenivasan, an iconic star who etched his space in the cinema industry.
"There is no one like Sreenivasan who can portray the roles and write stories for the common man. His scripts are a testimony for that. My roles along with him during the 90s are celebrated even today and will continue for years to come”, said actor Mohanlal who shared a deep bond with Sreenivasan both on screen and off-screen.
True, he may not have written the greatest of dramas, romances or fantasies like them, he may not have dealt with that many serious issues, his world may not have been as wide and varied, or his plots may not have been ground-breaking, but we have to acknowledge one thing: he was a gifted scriptwriter and no one in Indian cinema probably understood the art of comedic writing as much as he did. And it was no slapstick humour he wrote.
As an actor, he has done outstanding work, no doubt — in films like Vadakkunokkiyanthram, Swaroopam, Thakarachenda and Ponmuttayidunna Thattan. But, other actors could have also done those roles, though may not be as well as him. The point is a Swaroopam, or a Ponmuttayidunna Thattan would have been made if there was no actor called Sreenivasan.
Self criticism with strong contemporary issues at the core of the subject
However, there would have been no Vadakkunokkiyanthram. Nobody else could have authored such a script, which dealt with the psychological issues of an insecure man married to a most beautiful woman. That may not be the most unusual of themes, but the script is.
The life story of Thalathil Dineshan is told through a series of incredibly comic scenes and dialogues that have become part of the popular culture (that is the case with several Sreenivasan films). You could see a master craftsman at work in the script of Vadakkunokkiyanthram, right from the opening scene in which the hero writes a letter to the psychiatrist in a magazine about his anxieties of marrying a beautiful woman.
Sreenivasan’s comic genius shown through in just about every film he wrote, though not all his films may have been in the class of Vadakkunokkiyanthram, Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala, Nadodikkattu, Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam, Doore Doore Oru Koodu Koottam, Paavam Paavam Rajakumaran, Azhakiya Ravanan, Mithunam, Sandesham or Udayananu Tharam.
Prolonged health issues during the last days of his life
Suffering from prolonged health issues, Sreenivasan was being taken to Amrita Hospital for dialysis when his condition deteriorated on the way. He was rushed to the Tripunithura hospital, where he breathed his last.
Sreenivasan’s death marks the end of an era in Malayalam cinema. Over a career spanning nearly 48 years, he emerged as one of the most influential creative voices in the industry, shaping popular cinema through sharp satire, humane storytelling, and socially rooted humour.
He acted in more than 200 films and wrote screenplays for several landmark works that continue to define Malayalam cinema’s golden years.
Born on April 6, 1956, in Patyam near Thalassery in Kannur district, Sreenivasan grew up in a modest household. His father was a schoolteacher, and his mother was a homemaker. After completing his schooling in Kuthuparamba and Kadirur, he graduated in economics from PRNSS College, Mattanur, before pursuing formal film education at the Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu, Chennai.