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Sat, Jan 17, 2026 | Rajab 28, 1447 | Fajr 05:45 | DXB 
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Malayalam cinema legend Sreenivasan dies; fans mourn film all-rounder
The actor, director, and filmmaker was known for his astute social commentaries
Sreenivasan, a legend of Malayalam cinema, has passed away aged 69, according to Indian media reports. He died after a period of suffering from a long-term illness. Following a sudden deterioration in his health, he was admitted to a hospital in Thrippunithura, where his death was confirmed on Saturday morning, Indian media reported.
The actor, director, and filmmaker was known for his astute social commentaries. He acted in over 200 films, and wrote screenplays loved by generations of Indians.
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Having written for over 50 films, his use of humour to highlight the common man's problems set Sreenivasan's cinema apart, and made him relatable to the masses of Kerala.
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Sreenivasan has left behind a void in Indian cinema, with fans already mourning him on Twitter, and thanking him for making them laugh.
An all-rounder in the truest sense, Sreenivasan excelled at each of his roles, with impeccable comic timing and wit, that shined through not just in his movies, but also in his interviews and real-life interactions.
His pairings with Indian legend Mohanlal produced some of the finest moments in cinema, dialogues that the masses inevitably recall, and jokes that create riots of laughter that will continue for decades to come.
Films written by Sreenivasan include Nadodikkattu, Sandesam, Pattanapravesham, Vadakkunokkiyantram, and Njan Prakashan, often collaborating with directors like Priyadarshan and Sathyan Anthikkad. He also wrote and co-produced Katha Parayumpol, where he acts as Balan, a small-town barber whose life changes when his superstar childhood friend (Mammootty) visits his village. The movie was also remade in Hindi as Billu.
He received numerous accolades, including National Film Awards, Kerala State Film Awards, Filmfare Awards South, and multiple lifetime achievement awards. Sreenivasan is survived by his wife Vimala and sons Vineeth Sreenivasan and Dhyan Sreenivasan, both of whom are well known in Malayalam cinema.
Poojaraj Maniyeri
Poojaraj Maniyeri is a Digital Journalist who loves turning everyday conversations into news stories. She is also a typical bookworm, and brings a novel with her everywhere she goes.
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