~B B K~ BACK BENCH KARAYANZ: sreeni

Sreenivasan (Malayalam:ശ്രീനിവാസന്‍) (born 6 April 1956) is an award winning Malayali Indian screenwriter, actor, film director, and producer.^[1] He is noted for his satirical, screwball and black comedy screenplays. As an actor he is famous for his comic performances.
He is most popular for writing T. P. Balagopalan M.A., Vadakkunokkiyantram, Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam, Gandhinagar 2nd Street, Nadodikkattu, Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu, Varavelpu, Thalayanamanthram, Sandesam, Midhunam, English Medium (banned after 50 days of release), Azhakiya Ravanan and Kadha Parayaumbol.
As a filmmaker, he has scripted and directed Vadakkunokkiyanthram^[2] and Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala.^[3]

Early life

Sreenivasan was born in a small village of Patyam, to the east of Thalassery in Kannur, North Malabar region of Kerala State, on 6 April 1956. His father Unni was a school teacher, an active Communist, and his mother Lakshmi, a homemaker. He completed his formal education in Government High School, Kathiroor and Pazhassi Raja N.S.S. College Mattannur. He got a diploma in film acting from the Film Chamber Institute, Madras in 1977 where Rajinikanth was his senior by a year.

Career

Sreenivasan entered film industry in the 1977 P. A. Backer movie Manimuzhakam after finishing a course in acting from the Film Chamber Institute. In the film institute he was coached by the then vice principal A.Prabhakaran and later gave him a role in his movie Mela. A few movie roles later, he wrote his first film Oodarathuammava Aalariyam in 1984. His most famous movies as actor-writer include Varavelpu, Gandhinagar 2nd Street, Nadodikkattu and its two sequels, Pattanapravesham and Akkare Akkare Akkare. He also made his mark as a director with his two award-winning movies, Vadakkunokkiyanthram and Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala.
Much of Sreenivasan's movies depict problems affecting society, although these are portrayed as satire or outright comedy. Some of his successful films includes Sandesam, Vellanakalude Nadu, and Varavelpu. Mostly satirical in nature, his lines are directed against matters as diverse as Police Brutality, Pulp magazines and unproductive Labour Unions. Excellent characterization, witty (often deadpan) dialogue and self-deprecating humour are trademarks of Sreenivasan movies. His writing very often pokes fun at himself, mostly at his own unglamourous appearance, and were commonplace in scenes with co-star Mohanlal. Not himself a supporter of any particular party, he has been critical of the activities of political parties and their involving young members in petty, often harmful or dangerous activities. His films like Sandesham and Varavelpu criticized the activities of Kerala's major political parties and unions. Arabikatha depicts the fight of a true communist in the party. Some of his popular movies such as Vadakku Nooki Yanthram and Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala not only are thought-provoking but also are fine depictions of human character which elicited critical and public applause. His comedies earned popularity, some of them such as Aram + Aram = Kinnaram Mazha Peyyunnu Maddhalam Kottunnu, Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu, Nagarangalil Chennu Raa Parkkaam, Ishtam and Chithram have been commercial successes. Sreenivasan is the only Malayalam screenplay and dialogue writer who has portrayed North Keralite slang, especially that of Tellicherry, which is unique and at times 'wacky', not to mention incomprehensible to South Keralites. He appeared in a popular weekly TV show on Kairali TV called Valiya Lokavum Cheriya Sreeniyum (translation: The Big World and the Little Sreeni). His son Vineeth Sreenivasan is a playback singer, film director and actor.