The death of Sreenivasan on 20 December 2025 feels deeply personal to millions of Malayalees. He was not just an actor, writer, or director — he was someone who spoke our language, understood our struggles, and turned everyday life into meaningful cinema. With his passing at the age of 69 after a long illness, Malayalam cinema lost one of its most honest and fearless voices.
Sreenivasan was born on 6 April 1956 in a small village called Patyam near Thalassery in Kerala’s Kannur district, Sreenivasan grew up in a simple middle-class household. His father was a school teacher and his mother a homemaker. That background stayed with him forever. It reflected clearly in his films — the homes he showed, the problems his characters faced, and the quiet dignity of ordinary people trying to survive in a complicated world.
He completed his schooling at Kuthuparamba Middle School and Government High School, Kadirur, before earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from PRNSS College, Mattanur. Unlike many who accidentally enter cinema, Sreenivasan made a conscious choice. In 1977, he went to Chennai to study filmmaking at the Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu. That decision would later change the direction of Malayalam cinema itself.
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Sreenivasan entered films as an actor with Manimuzhakkam (1976) and later played his first lead role in Sanghaganam (1979). But acting alone was never enough for him. He had stories to tell — stories rooted in society. In 1984, he wrote his first screenplay, Odaruthammava Aalariyam, and from that moment, Malayalam cinema discovered a writer who could combine humor with truth like no one else.
The 1980s and 1990s became Sreenivasan’s era. Films such as Gandhinagar 2nd Street, Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam, Nadodikkattu, Pattanapravesham, Varavelpu, Thalayana Manthram, and Sandesam were not just box-office hits — they were social commentaries disguised as comedies. People laughed, but they also saw themselves on screen. His characters were jobless youth, confused husbands, greedy relatives, fake revolutionaries, and morally flexible politicians — all painfully real.
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What made Sreenivasan special was his honesty. His dialogues sounded like real conversations. His humor never felt forced. He didn’t insult the audience’s intelligence. Instead, he trusted them to understand satire. Through laughter, he spoke about unemployment, the toxic influence of pulp literature, hollow political ideologies, and the chaos caused by blind unionism. He criticized society without sounding superior.
As a director, Sreenivasan proved his depth even further. Vadakkunokkiyanthram (1989), which he wrote and directed, explored male insecurity and ego with sensitivity and humor, winning the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film. Nearly a decade later, Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala (1998) showed his emotional maturity as a filmmaker. The film went on to win the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues, proving that meaningful cinema could still touch hearts across India.
Throughout his career, Sreenivasan collaborated closely with some of Malayalam cinema’s finest directors, including Priyadarshan and Sathyan Anthikad. These collaborations gave birth to timeless classics that are still watched repeatedly on television and streaming platforms. Many of his dialogues have become part of everyday conversation, a rare honor for any writer.
Even as he aged, Sreenivasan never lost relevance. Films like Udayananu Tharam, Katha Parayumpol, and Njan Prakashan (2018) showed that he could still connect with newer generations. Njan Prakashan became one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time, once again proving that stories about ordinary people still matter when told honestly.
Awards followed him throughout his life — National Film Awards, Kerala State Film Awards, Filmfare Awards South, Asianet Film Awards, critics’ awards, and lifetime achievement honors. But Sreenivasan never behaved like a star. He remained grounded, outspoken, and sometimes controversial. He was never afraid to speak his mind, whether about cinema, politics, or society.
In his personal life, Sreenivasan was married to Vimala, a retired school teacher. He was also a proud father. His elder son, Vineeth Sreenivasan, became a respected filmmaker, actor, singer, and producer, while his younger son, Dhyan Sreenivasan, carved his own space in the industry. Through them, Sreenivasan’s artistic legacy continues.
Sreenivasan passed away in Thrippunithara, Kochi, but his presence will never fade. His films are still alive — in living rooms, in college hostels, in late-night television reruns, and in everyday conversations. He taught us that comedy can be intelligent, cinema can be responsible, and storytelling can be deeply human.
Sreenivasan did not just make movies. He made people feel seen. And that is why, even in his absence, he remains unforgettable.
