20 December 2025, 09:41 AM IST
Malayalam cinema mourns Sreenivasan, actor and screenwriter, whose films with Sathyan Anthikad left an enduring legacy of humour, insight, and humanity.
Sathyan Anthikkad with Sreenivasan | Photo: Chithrabhumi
Malayalam cinema lost one of its most influential figures on the morning of 20 December. Sreenivasan, an actor and screenwriter, shaped stories that reflected everyday life with humour, insight, and humanity. His writing and performances continue to resonate across generations, leaving a mark that is both enduring and distinctive.
A central part of Sreenivasan’s legacy was his collaboration with director Sathyan Anthikad. Their partnership began with ‘TP Balagopalan MA’ and spanned over four decades, producing films such as ‘Nadodikkattu’, ‘Gandhinagar 2nd Street’, ‘Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu’, ‘Pattanapravesham’, ‘Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam’, ‘Sandesam’, ‘Varavelpu’, ‘Thalayana Manthram’, ‘Njan Prakashan’ and ‘Makal’. Anthikad has often credited Sreenivasan with helping him find his direction in cinema, noting that the lessons from their collaboration guided him even when he began writing his own scripts.
Their films together combined everyday humour with social observation. In ‘Nadodikkattu’, Sreenivasan’s Vijayan and Mohanlal’s Dasan explored friendship, pride, and ambition, while ‘Pattanapravesham’, its sequel, turned the duo’s dynamic into a comedy of errors. ‘Gandhinagar 2nd Street’ captured the anxieties of middle-class life through a neighbourhood of memorable characters. ‘Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu’ demonstrated Sreenivasan’s ability to weave multiple lives and storylines with clarity and empathy.
Sreenivasan and Sathyan Anthikkad | Photo: Mathrubhumi Archives
Even when addressing politics, Sreenivasan’s approach was measured. ‘Sandesam’ examined party loyalty within a household, blending satire with insight. Many lines from his scripts became part of everyday speech, reflecting his influence on culture and conversation.
Sreenivasan’s work with Anthikad was rooted in discussion and collaboration. Anthikad recalls, “We always enjoy the time we sit together and develop our scripts through endless discussions. The cinema happens somewhere in between.” It was in these sessions that ideas took shape, characters were developed, and stories that continue to connect with audiences were born.
Sreenivasan also cherished the bond with Anthikkad in an old interview. “We were not friends who came together for the sake of cinema. We talked about many things under the sky. Later, some of them were born as films. Characters often came to us from our surroundings.” He added that he spent more time with Sathyan Anthikad than with his own family during those years.
Sreenivasan and Sathyan Anthikkad | Photo: Mathrubhumi Archives
As Malayalam cinema mourns his passing, Sreenivasan’s legacy endures through the films he made with Sathyan Anthikad. His scripts and performances remain a record of humour, observation, and humanity, a lasting testament to one of Malayalam cinema’s most cherished storytellers.
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