Veteran Malayalam actor and filmmaker Sreenivasan passes away at 69

Veteran Malayalam actor, screenwriter and director Sreenivasan passed away on Saturday while undergoing treatment for age-related health issues.

He breathed his last at the Ernakulam Taluk Hospital, family sources said.

Sreenivasan made his entry into cinema in 1977 with Manimuzhakkam, directed by P. A. Backer, marking the beginning of a career that would go on to reshape Malayalam popular cinema.

His true breakthrough, however, came in 1984, when he announced his arrival as a screenwriter with Odaruthu Ammava Aalariyam.

Over the decades, Sreenivasan carved out a unique space in Malayalam cinema by weaving sharp social commentary into accessible humour.

His screenplays, marked by wit, satire and an acute awareness of everyday realities, offered audiences a new language of comedy — one that entertained while holding up a mirror to society. Through this blend of humour and critique, he left an indelible imprint on generations of Malayali viewers and filmmakers alike.