Sreenivasan
Sreenivasan in 2010
Born	(1950-05-02)2 May 1950[1] Pattiom, Kannur district, Kerala
Died	20 December 2025(2025-12-20) (aged 75) Thrippunithura, Kochi, Kerala
Alma mater	Madras Film Institute
Occupations	Actor screenwriter film director film producer
Years active	1977–2025
Works	Full list
Spouse	Vimala Sreenivasan
Children	Vineeth Sreenivasan Dhyan Sreenivasan
Awards	National Film Awards Kerala State Film Awards

Sreenivasan (2 May 1950 – 20 December 2025)^[2] was an Indian actor, screenwriter, film director and producer who predominantly worked inMalayalam cinema.^[3] He starred in over 225 films.Sreenivasan wrote the screenplays of films such asOdaruthammava Aalariyam (1984),Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam (1986),Gandhinagar 2nd Street (1986),Nadodikkattu (1987),Pattanapravesham (1988),Varavelpu (1989),Thalayana Manthram (1990),Sandesam (1991),Midhunam (1993),Mazhayethum Munpe (1995),Azhakiya Ravanan (1996),Oru Maravathoor Kanavu (1998),Udayananu Tharam (2005),Katha Parayumpol (2007), andNjan Prakashan (2018), the latter being one of thehighest-grossing Malayalam films of all time. He won twoKerala State Film Awards for Best Screenplay forSandesam andMazhayethum Munpe, along with several other honours including aNational Film Award, twoFilmfare Awards South and sixKerala State Film Awards.

As a writer and actor, he frequently collaborated with directors such asPriyadarshan,Sathyan Anthikad andKamal. As a filmmaker, he scripted and directedVadakkunokkiyanthram (1989) andChinthavishtayaya Shyamala (1998).Vadakkunokkiyanthram won theKerala State Film Award for Best Film, whileChinthavishtayaya Shyamala won theNational Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues and theKerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value at the 29th Kerala State Film Awards.^[4] He co-producedKatha Parayumpol (2007) andThattathin Marayathu (2012) under the banner Lumiere Film Company, along with actorMukesh.^[5]

Sreenivasan was born inPattiom,^[6] a village nearThalassery inKannur, North Malabar region ofKerala. He has a sister and two brothers.^[7] His mother was a homemaker and his father a school teacher.^[8] Sreenivasan completed his formal education atKuthuparamba Middle School andGovernment High School, Kadirur. He received a bachelor's degree in economics fromPazhassi Raja N. S. S. College, Mattanur. In 1977, he joined theFilm and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu inChennai to complete his formal training in films.^[9]

Sreenivasan debuted in the 1976P. A. Backer movieManimuzhakkam. His first lead role wasSanghaganam (1979).^[10] At film school, he was enrolled by Aniyeri Prabhakaran, who later cast him inMela (1980). In 1984, Sreenivasan wrote his first film,Odaruthammava Aalariyam.^[11] He both wrote and acted inVaravelpu,Gandhinagar 2nd Street,Nadodikkattu and its two sequels,Pattanapravesham, andAkkare Akkare Akkare. As a director he filmedVadakkunokkiyanthram andChinthavishtayaya Shyamala.^[12] His comedies includeAram + Aram = Kinnaram,Kinnaripuzhayoram,Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu,Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu,Artham,Azhakiya Ravanan, andChithram.

Sreenivasan’s scripts in the 1980s and 1990s were profoundly successful in creating a new dimension for Malayalam cinema by way of humor to show vibrant and engaging stories of ordinary people in the simplest manner, usually with fast-paced scripts.

Many of the characters he created, most of them taken from his real-life experience, drew the viewers into compelling narratives that kept them immersed in their journey through the movie.

Through satires, he was, on the other hand, pretty successful in providing incredible insights into the challenges faced by the people caused by unemployment and socioeconomic inequality.

With his natural-sounding conversations devoid of stereotypes, Sreenivasan was able to portray an authentic representation of diverse characters within his movies. And many of his characters have left an indelible mark on viewers' hearts and minds, while some of these characters and their conversations have inspired countless catchphrases among Malayalees of all generations around the world. 

^[13]

Sreenivasan was married in 1984^[14] to Vimala,^[15] a school teacher, now retired. The couple has two sons. The elder son,Vineeth Sreenivasan, is a singer, actor, producer, and director. The younger son,Dhyan Sreenivasan, is also an actor, director, and producer who made his debut in the movieThira.^[16][17] Divya Narayanan and Arpita Sebastian are his daughters-in-law.^[18][19]

Sreenivasan died at Taluk Hospital inTripunithura,Kochi, on December 20, 2025, after being ill with Triple Vessel Disease for a long time, at the age of 75.^[20][21][22]

National Film Awards

• 1998 –Best Film on Other Social Issues –Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala (director)^[23]

Kerala State Film Awards

• 1989 –Best Film –Vadakkunokkiyantram (director)^[24]
• 1991 –Best Story –Sandhesam^[25]
• 1995 –Best Screenplay –Mazhayethum Munpe^[25]
• 1998 –Best Popular Film –Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala (director)^[25]
• 2006 –Special Mention (Acting) –Thakarachenda^[26]
• 2007 – Best Popular Film –Katha Parayumpol (producer)^[26]

Kerala Film Critics Association Awards

• 1989 –Best Story –Vadakkunokkiyantram^[27]
• 1995 –Best Screenplay – Mazhayethum Munpe^[27]
• 1998 –Best Popular Film –Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala (director)^[27]
• 2002 – Best Screenplay –Yathrakarude Sradhakku^[27]
• 2007 – Best Screenplay –Katha Parayumpol^[27]
• 2007 – Special Jury Award^[27]
• 2023 –Chalachitra Ratnam Award^[28]

Filmfare Awards South

• 1998 –Best Director – Malayalam –Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala^[29]
• 2007 –Best Film – Malayalam –Katha Parayumpol (producer)^[30]

Asianet Film Awards

• 1998 –Best Director –Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala
• 2005 –Best Script Writer –Udayananu Tharam
• 2007 –Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2007 –Best Film –Katha Parayumpol (producer)
• 2009 –Best Supporting Actor –Makante Achan,Passenger^[31]
• 2010 –Special Jury Award –Aathmakatha
• 2018 – Best Script Writer –Njan Prakashan^[32]

Ramu Kariat Memorial Awards

• 1998 – Best Film –Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala^[33]
• 2010 – Best Actor –Aathmakatha

Other Awards

• 2008 – Best Script Writer –Katha Parayumpol^[34]
• 2009 –Sathyan Memorial Film Award for his outstanding contributions to Malayalam cinema.^[35]
• 2011 – Golden Friends of Kannur Expatriates Award^[36]
• 2011 –T. K. Ramakrishnan Memorial Award for exemplary contribution to public life.^[37]
• 2012 –BharatBalan K. Nair Film Award for his outstanding contributions to Malayalam cinema.^[38]
• 2024 – Tapasya Madampu Smriti Award for contributions to Malayalam film literature.^[39]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toSreenivasan (actor).

• Sreenivasan atIMDb 

• 1950 births
• 2025 deaths
• Malayalam comedians
• Indian male film actors
• Kerala State Film Award winners
• Artists from Kerala
• Malayalam film directors
• Malayalam screenwriters
• Male actors from Kerala
• Male actors from Kannur
• People from Thalassery
• Male actors in Malayalam cinema
• Filmfare Awards South winners
• Malayalam film producers
• Indian male comedians
• M.G.R. Government Film and Television Training Institute alumni
• Film producers from Kerala
• Film directors from Kannur district
• Screenwriters from Kerala
• 20th-century Indian male actors
• Kerala Film Critics Awards winners

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