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Malayalam Legend Sreenivasan Dies at 69
Malayalam cinema has lost one of its most important voices with the death of actor writer director Sreenivasan at the age of 69. He died on Saturday at a taluk hospital near Kochi after his health suddenly worsened while he was being taken for dialysis.
Sreenivasan had been under treatment for a long term illness at his home in Udayamperoor near Kochi. Doctors shifted him to the hospital in Thrippunithura when he felt discomfort but they could not save him.
The news has left the Malayalam film industry and audiences across Kerala in deep shock and grief. Many actors directors and writers have described his death as the end of an era in Malayalam cinema.
Fans took to X to pay tribute to actor Sreenivasan.
Sreenivasan Career
Sreenivasan was born on 6 April 1956 in Patyam near Thalassery in Kannur district of Kerala. After studying at the Film and Television Institute in Chennai he entered the Malayalam film industry in the mid 1970s.
He made his acting debut in the film Manimuzhakkam in 1976 and slowly built a place for himself by playing ordinary believable characters. Over almost five decades he acted in more than 225 films and became one of the most familiar faces in Malayalam cinema.
Beyond acting he became a key writer and filmmaker who changed the way Malayalam films looked at society. His screenplays often mixed sharp political comment with gentle humour and focused on the lives of middle class and working class people.
Sreenivasan wrote or co wrote many highly regarded films including Odaruthammava Aalariyam Nadodikkattu Pattanapravesham Varavelpu Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam Sandesam and Njan Prakashan. These films used comedy to talk about unemployment migration political rivalry corruption and the dreams of ordinary Malayalees.
As a director he made Vadakkunokkiyantram and Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala which are now seen as modern classics. Vadakkunokkiyantram told the story of a man eaten up by insecurity and jealousy while Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala followed a selfish husband who abandons his family in the name of spirituality.
His acting range was wide and he played comic roles serious roles and character parts with the same ease. Films like Mithunam Katha Parayumpol Udayananu Tharam Njan Prakashan and later works such as Guppy and Makal showed his ability to stay relevant with new generations of viewers.
He worked closely with leading directors such as Sathyan Anthikad Priyadarshan and Kamal during what is often described as the golden phase of Malayalam cinema in the 1980s and 1990s. Many of their collaborations are still watched on television and streaming platforms and quoted in everyday conversation in Kerala.
Family
Sreenivasan came from a family in Kannur and later settled near Kochi during his career. Despite his fame he kept his personal life mostly private and rarely spoke about it in detail in the media.
He is survived by his wife Vimala and their two sons Vineeth and Dhyan who are both active in Malayalam cinema. Vineeth Sreenivasan is a director singer writer and actor while Dhyan Sreenivasan is an actor who has appeared in several popular films.
Reports say his family members were with him when his health worsened and he was taken to the hospital. After the news of his death came out film personalities and fans started sharing memories and condolence messages addressed to his wife and sons.
The body is expected to be kept for public homage in Kochi so that fans and colleagues can pay their last respects before the funeral. The Kerala government is also considering official honours in recognition of his contribution to cinema.
Awards
Over his long career Sreenivasan received many awards at the state and national level for his work as actor writer and director. These honours reflected the respect he earned for combining humour with honest social commentary.
He won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues for directing Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala in 1998. The same film also received recognition at the Kerala State Film Awards.
At the Kerala State Film Awards he received Best Film for Vadakkunokkiyantram Best Story for Sandesam and Best Screenplay for films including Mazhayethum Munpe and Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala. He was also honoured for his performance in the film Aathmakatha and later received awards for his work as script writer for Katha Parayumpol.
Apart from state honours he received Filmfare Awards South Asianet Film Awards and several other institutional and cultural awards over the years. In 2024 he was given the Tapasya Madampu Smriti Award for his contributions to Malayalam film literature.
Even with these honours Sreenivasan was often described by colleagues as a modest figure who preferred to let his work speak for him. His death leaves behind a rich body of films that will keep his ideas and humour alive for future generations of viewers.
Disclaimer
This report is based on information from hospital sources, family statements, and media reports available at the time of writing. Details related to funeral arrangements or official honours may be updated as authorities and family members release further information.
