Veteran Malayalam Actor and Filmmaker Sreenivasan Passes Away at 69

Mangalore Today News Network

Kochi, Dec 20, 2025: Veteran Malayalam actor, screenwriter and filmmaker Sreenivasan passed away on Saturday following a prolonged illness. He was 69. The acclaimed artiste breathed his last at a private hospital in Kochi, where he had been undergoing treatment.

Sreenivasan was one of the most influential figures in Malayalam cinema, with a prolific career spanning several decades as an actor, writer and director. Renowned for his sharp social satire and deeply humane storytelling, he played a pivotal role in shaping multiple phases of modern Malayalam cinema.

His vast body of work includes landmark films such as Sanghaganam, TP Balagopalan MA, Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam, Chithram, Akkare Akkare Akkare, Nadodikkattu, His Highness Abdullah, Thalayanamanthram, Sandesham, Chandralekha, Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala, Friends, Udayananu Tharam, Arabikkatha, Oru Naal Varum, Odaruthammava Aalariyam, Gandhinagar 2nd Street, Pattanapravesham, Varavelpu, Midhunam, Mazhayethum Munpe, Azhakiya Ravanan, Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, Katha Parayumpol and Njan Prakashan. Many of these films are regarded as classics, celebrated for their relatable characters and incisive commentary on society.

News of Sreenivasan’s demise triggered an outpouring of grief from across the Malayalam film industry, with actors, filmmakers, musicians and technicians paying rich tributes on social media.

Actor-filmmaker Mohanlal, a frequent collaborator, shared an emotional note on Facebook, describing their bond as one that went far beyond cinema. He said Sreenivasan’s writing allowed Malayalis to see their own lives, struggles, dreams and disappointments reflected on screen, and credited his brilliance for the timeless appeal of characters like Dasan and Vijayan.

Music composer Jakes Bejoy also paid tribute, calling Sreenivasan “one of the most influential voices of Malayalam cinema—fearless, uncompromising, and deeply human,” and thanked him for his guidance during his early years in the industry.

Veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan described Sreenivasan’s passing as “a huge loss for Malayalam cinema,” adding that his films and memories would live on forever.

Actor Nivin Pauly wrote on Instagram that Malayalam cinema had lost “an irreplaceable human being,” remembering Sreenivasan as a guiding light who left behind laughter as well as thought-provoking cinema.

Sreenivasan’s legacy, marked by honesty, humour and social relevance, continues to resonate with generations of audiences, securing his place as one of Malayalam cinema’s most beloved and enduring icons.