Sreenivasan: The star Malayalam actor-screenwriter whose movies propelled legends like Mohanlal and Priyadarshan to greater heights

Sreenivasan’s writing style and sharp comedic sensibilities quickly became the talk of the town, earning him frequent screenwriting offers. In 1985 alone, he worked as a writer on five films, three of which were directed by Priyadarshan. While some were based on stories written by others, a few were unofficial remakes of other movies. Yet, Sreenivasan’s screenplay and dialogues infused the stories with a unique Malayalam essence, making them fresh and deeply relatable. With four of these films becoming major commercial successes, he cemented his reputation as a bankable screenwriter. Meanwhile, he also leveraged these opportunities to establish himself as an actor, taking on significant roles in most of the films he wrote.

A key aspect that resonated with audiences in Sreenivasan’s films was his portrayal of middle- and lower-class heroes — men struggling to make ends meet. While his earlier works frequently touched on unemployment and revolved around men’s fixation on wooing women, by 1986, the former theme had evolved into a more central focus. His narratives began reflecting the everyday struggles of middle- and lower-middle-class families. By seamlessly blending these stories with observational and situational humour, Sreenivasan made them deeply engaging, offering audiences the satisfaction of seeing their lives reflected on screen, though in a more colourful, optimistic manner, often with happier endings.

Sreenivasan with actor Innocent in Thalayanamanthram. (Express archive photo)

In 1986, he also joined forces for the first time with director Sathyan Anthikad, who would go on to become one of his most frequent collaborators, in the superhit Gandhinagar 2nd Street. Sreenivasan’s ability to turn any story into a laugh riot, while retaining its emotional core and staying true to the characters, made him an immensely beloved force in Malayalam cinema.

Another significant advantage for Sreenivasan — and many of his peers — was that their early years in the industry coincided with the rise of a young Mohanlal, who was still establishing himself and eagerly taking on diverse roles. Thanks to his remarkable range and acting prowess, makers could pen the unimaginable and yet he would outdo their expectations. From his State Award-winning role in TP Balagopalan MA to his performances in Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu, Hello My Dear Wrong Number, Doore Doore Oru Koodu Koottam and Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam, Mohanlal consistently elevated Sreenivasan’s scripts to new heights with his impeccable portrayals.

By the end of 1986, Sreenivasan had established himself as one of the most prolific mainstream screenwriters in Malayalam. Doore Doore Oru Koodu Koottam, for which he also wrote the story, stood out for its socio-political themes, particularly its critique of corruption in the education sector, all conveyed through a satirical lens. The film also offered early signs of Sreenivasan’s contempt toward public politics and mainstream political parties. Even his unoriginal works were well-received and since filmmakers of that era rarely credited their sources when copying from other films, figures like Sreenivasan and Priyadarshan largely escaped scrutiny then for uncredited adaptations.

However, in an incident that reinforced the saying “what’s done in the dark will come to light”, his and the industry’s habit of unchecked plagiarism was exposed when young writer duo Siddique-Lal publicly accused Sreenivasan and director Sathyan Anthikad of lifting their story without permission. Although the first film Siddique and Lal wrote, Pappan Priyappetta Pappan (1986), failed at the box office, the duo gained some industry attention. This gave them the opportunity to narrate a story idea to Sathyan and Sreenivasan, who were looking for fresh concepts. After discussing the details, they parted ways, only for Siddique and Lal to discover months later that Sathyan and Sreenivasan had developed a new project with a new script that contained key elements from their story; this eventually became the classic Malayalam comedy-drama Nadodikkattu (1987). Although Siddique and Lal were eventually credited in Nadodikkattu’s title cards as contributors to the story idea, they were shattered that the film’s screenplay had been developed by others without their consent. However, following the intervention of their mentor, director Fazil, they chose to move on, considering how a public controversy might affect their budding careers. Nonetheless, this marked the first of several plagiarism allegations Sreenivasan would face.

Sreenivasan (fifth from left) with Mammootty, director Kamal, producer Madhavan Nair, lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, music director Raveendran and others. (Express archive photo)

Despite such controversies, Sreenivasan remained the preferred screenwriter for commercial filmmakers, delivering hits like Pattanapravesham, Vellanakalude Nadu and Varavelpu. Around the same time, he made his directorial debut with Vadakkunokkiyantram (1989), a film inspired by the life of someone he knew who exhibited severe Othello syndrome. The film won three Kerala State Film Awards, including Best Film. Sreenivasan’s in-depth exploration of family dynamics and the fragility of blood relations began around this time, with Vellanakalude Nadu marking the starting point. He continued to explore these themes in later films such as Varavelpu, Thalayanamanthram, Sandesham, My Dear Muthachan, Midhunam and Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala, besides weaving in social commentary.

At the same time, his screenplays also became increasingly misogynistic, frequently portraying women as the root cause of all conflicts, particularly within families, while portraying men either as victims or with an undue sense of sympathy, thereby downplaying their flaws. One of the most blatant examples of this was Ayal Kadha Ezhuthukayanu (1998), directed by Kamal and based on a story by Siddique. One of Malayalam cinema’s most misogynistic works, the film is steeped in a sort of disgust towards women from start to finish. However, ‘thanks’ to Mohanlal’s exceptional comedic performance, it continues to enjoy a devoted fan base, with many choosing to overlook its glaring and deeply problematic flaws.

Sreenivasan with Mohanlal in Ayal Kadha Ezhuthukayanu. (Express archive photo)

Although his second directorial venture Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala revolves around a man who neglects his responsibilities as a husband and father by hiding under the comforts of theistic and spiritual lives — forcing his wife to shoulder the entire burden of running the household — Sreenivasan gives the inept male character excessive sympathy; portraying him as unaware of the consequences of his actions rather than holding him accountable more. Despite his deeply flawed and irresponsible behaviour, he is ultimately granted redemption and reinstated as the hero, while the female lead is once again relegated to a secondary position within the familial hierarchy. According to Nana Online, Sreenivasan faced plagiarism accusations for this film too, with acclaimed writer Madhu Muttam alleging that the story was originally his.

This era also saw him penning a series of screenplays celebrating apoliticism, marked by an overall disdain for politics and parties — particularly the Left. While Sreenivasan often presented his films as critiques of corruption and inefficiency in governance, works like Varavelpu and Sandesham went beyond satirising political shortcomings and instead eagerly dismissed the contributions of many who actively participated in shaping Kerala’s political landscape. His overt disregard for workers’ unions and political parties becomes even more problematic when viewed in light of his past association with the Sangh Parivar and its student wing ABVP. A closer examination of his films reveals that his sharpest criticisms were almost always directed at the Left, aligning completely with Sangh politics.

Watch Sreenivasan in a song from Sanmanassullavarkku Samaadhaanam:

Regardless, his screenplays continued to yield massively positive results. However, with the rise of mass media, allegations of plagiarism against him became more widely discussed. While Bharghavacharitham Moonnam Khandam was blatantly lifted from the Robert De Niro-Billy Crystal film Analyze This (1999), Kadha Parayumbol (2007) and Oru Naal Varum (2010) also faced plagiarism claims from poet-writer Sathyachandran Poyilkavu and teacher KV Vijayan, respectively.

Amidst the numerous allegations against him, Sreenivasan ironically wrote a film about a man who steals his friend’s script and claims it as his own to become a star. Director Rosshan Andrrews’ Udayananu Tharam (2005) follows Udayabhanu (Mohanlal), an assistant director with aspirations of becoming a filmmaker. After years of struggle, he finally writes an impressive script and secures a producer to back his project. Meanwhile, his friend Rajappan Thengummoodu (Sreenivasan), a junior artiste hoping for a breakthrough, learns about the script and steals it. He makes a copy and gives it to a director and producer, passing it off as his own work. Absolutely impressed by the script and wanting to adapt it immediately, they agree to Rajappan’s demand that he be cast in the lead role. By the time Udayabhanu realises what has happened, it is too late. The film makes Rajappan an overnight star, leading him to adopt the screen name Saroj Kumar, while Udayabhanu is left devastated.

Sreenivasan with actor Sangita Madhavan in Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala. (Express archive photo)

What makes Udayananu Tharam particularly intriguing is how closely it could mirror Sreenivasan’s own life, given the many allegations. While his skills as a screenwriter are well established, the multiple plagiarism accusations against him raise the possibility that the film’s premise may not be entirely fictional. Also given that Sreenivasan built his career as a performer through films based on his own scripts, the parallels become even more striking.

However, his career as a writer has been on a steady decline since the beginning of the last decade. Not only did Padmasree Bharat Dr Saroj Kumar, the spiritual successor to Udayananu Tharam, fail both critically and commercially, it also drew flak from fans for its satirical take on Malayalam superstars, particularly Mohanlal. Although Njan Prakashan (2018), directed by Sathyan Anthikad and starring Fahadh Faasil, was a commercial success, it lacked the typical Sreenivasan flair and felt like a rehash of his earlier works. Now, as he returns to acting after a long hiatus following health issues, the question remains: will he make a comeback as a writer as well?