Sreenivasan was an unmatched talent who had enriched Malayalam cinema for decades.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Tributes poured in for Malayalam actor-scenarist-filmmaker Sreenivasan from all walks of life on Saturday (December 20, 2025)
Expressing grief, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the demise of the actor was an “irreparable loss” to Malayalam cinema.
“Sreenivasan had familiarised himself with all aspects of cinema and played the hero too. Not many were successful in depicting the common man’s life so successfully on the silver screen or prodding the audience to ponder over what he wanted them to through humour and ideas. He was very successful in presenting his perspectives on society through satire on screen. Even those who disagreed with him respected his abilities. His talents spread across story writing, scripting, directing, and acting and he left his mark on each of them,” said Mr. Vijayan in a statement.
Also read | Renowned Malayalam actor-filmmaker Sreenivasan, passes away | LIVE Updates
Mr. Sreenivasan’s death was also a personal loss, the Chief Minister. He recalled appearing for an interview together with Mr. Sreenivasan and how their conversation ensured a “soft spot” for the actor.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State secretary M.V. Govindan said Mr. Sreenivasan touched Malayalis’ emotions and thoughts with sensitivity and depth. “He also transformed the art of scriptwriting. Though he is not around any more, he will continue to influence the world of cinema,” he said.
The last time Mr. Govindan met Mr. Sreenivasan, he felt the actor was still trying to think afresh despite his physical frailties. Mr. Sreenivasan had the special ability to present on the big screen the life and troubles of an ordinary person. He talent shone through in all aspects of film-making, he said.
Also read | Sreenivasan, a scriptwriter like no other
Speaker A.N. Shamseer said Mr. Sreenivasan’s contributions to Malayalam cinema were memorable. “He was a rare talent who presented socially relevant issues in a manner that was simple and touched people’s hearts. He could depict an ordinary person’s hopes and difficulties in a powerful manner on the screen and blended humour and criticism to influence society,” he said.
Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty said the demise of the actor was “one of the biggest losses to Malayalam cinema.”
As an actor, scenarist, and director, Mr. Sreenivasan was an unmatched talent who had enriched Malayalam cinema for decades. It was doubtful if there was any other artist in Malayalam cinema who had presented the ordinary person’s life and struggles with such authenticity and feeling. His style was to force one to think through humour. His scripts were milestones of Malayalam cinema. Films such as Varavelpu, Nadodikkattu, and Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala would be remembered for long. His memorable characters would also stay on in the hearts of cinema viewers, he said.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said Malayalam cinema has lost a rare talent. “Mr. Sreenivasan wore many hats hats with aplomb. A high social consciousness was the hallmark of his movies. Be it Sandesham or Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala, he could recreate the life of ordinary people on screen with extraordinary finesse. His acting style was very natural. He read books and keenly followed socio-political developments and was both a cine artiste and social critic,” Mr. Chennithala said.
Published – December 20, 2025 12:33 pm IST
