I as soon as requested him why he hadn’t written scripts for his sons Vineeth and Dhyan.
‘I made some options about their scripts, they usually have not mentioned their scripts with me after that,’ he mentioned together with his trademark snicker.

IMAGE: Sreenivasan with Vijay George. {Photograph}: Form courtesy Vijay George

After making an indelible mark in Malayalam cinema as a scriptwriter, actor, director and producer, Sreenivasan handed into the ages, forsaking his motion pictures to maintain his reminiscences alive.

As I watched him mendacity nonetheless at his dwelling close to Tripunithura, the place lots of had lined up for a ultimate glimpse, I looked for that signature smile on his face.

Sreenivasan was actually one in all a form.

In reel and actual life, he largely most well-liked to see issues with a tinge of humour.

He was a real legend, who created magic on display.

He was additionally an trustworthy human being, who by no means minced his phrases whereas giving his tackle any topic, be it politics, social points, private life or motion pictures.

At occasions, with out bothering how others would take it. That landed him in bother too.

 

IMAGE: Sreenivasan in Odaruthammava Aalariyam.

Born in Kannur, Sreenivasan was concerned in native theatre from his early days. Later, he studied on the Movie and Tv Institute of Tamil Nadu in Chennai.

Tamil famous person Rajinikanth, who studied on the institute throughout the identical time, remembers Sreenivasan as ‘an incredible actor and a beautiful human being’.

After performing in just a few motion pictures, he turned scriptwriter out of compulsion, by his personal admission when filmmaker Priyadarshan made him write his first script, Odaruthammava Aalariyam (1984).

Later, Sreenivasan wrote a number of the best scripts for Malayalam cinema and in addition established his eminence as an actor.

He wrote motion pictures like Gandhinagar 2nd Avenue, Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu, T P Balagopalan M A, Nadodikkaattu, Vellanakalude Nadu, Varavelpu, Thalayanamanthram, Sandesham, Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, Udayananu Thaaram and Kadha Parayumbol to call just a few.

IMAGE: Sreenivasan and Parvathy Jayaram in Vadakkunokkiyanthram.

Sreenivasan’s comedies have earned a cult standing.

His writing model, dialogues and in-depth feelings are considered a reference for filmmakers.

He directed two fabulous motion pictures, Vadakkunokkiyanthram and Chinthavishtayaya Syamala, which earned him a number of honours, together with the Kerala State Movie Award and the Nationwide Award respectively.

Sreenivasan all the time dared to name a spade a spade.

He as soon as mentioned the five hundred odd motion pictures that he by no means wrote as a result of they weren’t good was his best contribution to cinema!

IMAGE: Sreenivasan with Vijay George. {Photograph}: Form courtesy Vijay George

He derived inspiration from individuals round him and offered characters that enthralled the viewers.

Filmmaker Kamal, with whom Sreenivasan had related in a number of initiatives mentioned, ‘Sreenivasan would observe individuals in a manner solely he might.’

In Azhakiya Ravanan, scripted by Sreenivasan and directed by Kamal, Mammootty performed an imperious movie producer that has now grow to be iconic.

Udayananu Tharam, during which Mohanlal performed the struggles of an upcoming filmmaker, mocked the hypocrisies of stardom.

Sreenivasan and Mohanlal performed the 2 iconic characters Dasan and Vijayan in Nadodikkaattu.

The film, scripted by Sreenivasan and directed by Sathyan Anthikkad, blended actual life struggles with comedy in such a improbable manner that they’ve grow to be a benchmark in Malayalam cinema.

The characters appeared once more in Pattanapravesham and Akkareyakkareyakkare later.

IMAGE: Sreenivasan in Sandesham.

Sreenivasan had been accused of being apolitical, particularly after his motion pictures like Sandesham, Vellanakalude Naadu, Varavelpu and Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka questioned the function of typical political events in trendy society.

He vehemently defended this, once I as soon as requested him throughout an interview for The Hindu.

‘I’ll clarify it in my very own manner. We stay in a extremely politicised society. Even then, there have been so many issues that I by no means understood about politics. All that I did not perceive grew to become Sandesham,’ he had mentioned.

IMAGE: Sreenivasan and Mohanlal in Mithunam.

Sreenivasan shared his ideas about his life and profession by the sequence Cheriya Sreeniyum Valiya Lokavum that was telecast on Kairali TV and continues to be extraordinarily widespread even at this time.

His sons Vineeth and Dhyan have made their mark as distinguished actors and filmmakers.

It’s my privilege to have recognized Sreenivasan for therefore a few years; interactions with him are golden reminiscences.

I as soon as requested him why he hadn’t written scripts for his sons.

‘I made some options about their scripts, they usually have not mentioned their scripts with me after that,’ he mentioned together with his trademark snicker.

That humour will stay in our hearts perpetually.

Pictures curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff