Veteran actor Sreenivasan passes away at 69

Sreenivasan was born in Patyam, near Thalassery in Kerala’s Kannur district. Raised in a modest household, he was the son of a schoolteacher and a homemaker and grew up with two brothers and a sister. He completed his schooling in Kuthuparamba and Kadirur before earning a degree in economics from PRNSS College, Mattanur. In 1977, he pursued formal training in cinema at the Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu in Chennai.

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Sreenivasan made his acting debut with the 1976 film Manimuzhakkam. He went on to appear in over 225 films, spanning a wide range of genres and character types. His notable acting credits include Sanghaganam, TP Balagopalan MA, Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam, Chithram, Akkare Akkare Akkare, Nadodikkattu, His Highness Abdullah, Thalayanamanthram, Sandesham, Chandralekha, Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala, Friends, Udayananu Tharam, Arabikkatha, and Oru Naal Varum. He was last seen on screen in the 2025 film Aap Kaise Ho.

In addition to acting, Sreenivasan was a prolific and influential screenwriter, having penned several films that achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success. His most significant writing credits include Odaruthammava Aalariyam, Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam, Gandhinagar 2nd Street, Nadodikkattu, Pattanapravesham, Varavelpu, Thalayana Manthram, Sandesham, Midhunam, Mazhayethum Munpe, Azhakiya Ravanan, Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, Udayananu Tharam, Katha Parayumpol, and Njan Prakashan. As a director, he helmed Vadakkunokkiyanthram and Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala.

As a screenwriter, Sreenivasan, built his reputation on sharp humour interlaced with social commentary. His early scripts leaned on slapstick and exaggerated comedy, but his breakthrough as a writer began with Priyadarshan. By the early 1980s, Sreenivasan was already a familiar face on screen, debuting in Manimuzhakkam (1976). When he approached Priyadarshan for a role, he was told the film would happen only if he wrote the script himself. The result was Odaruthammava Aalariyam (1984), a hit praised for its witty dialogues and clever one-liners. 1985 was a prolific year: Sreenivasan wrote five films, three with Priyadarshan. While some adapted existing stories or remakes, his screenplays gave them a distinctly Malayalam flavour, balancing humour with relatability. He also cemented his acting career, often playing significant roles in the films he wrote.

Audiences connected with his portrayal of middle- and lower-class men navigating everyday struggles. By 1986, his scripts increasingly focused on the challenges of ordinary families, blending observational humour with situations audiences recognized from their own lives, but often with colourful, optimistic endings. However, his career was not without controversy. Writers Siddique-Lal accused Sreenivasan and director Sathyan Anthikad of using key elements from their story without permission for the classic Nadodikkattu (1987). Although they were eventually credited, the duo felt side-lined. This was the first of several plagiarism allegations that Sreenivasan would go on to face in his career.

His long-standing collaborations with Mohanlal, Priyadarshan, and Sathyan Anthikad played a pivotal role in shaping some of the most influential phases of modern Malayalam cinema.

He is survived by his two sons, Vineeth Sreenivasan and Dhyan Sreenivasan, both of whom are active figures in the Malayalam film industry. Vineeth has established himself as a multifaceted artist, working as a singer, actor, director, and producer, while Dhyan, also an actor and filmmaker, made his acting debut in Thira, directed by his elder brother.