Trigger warning: This article mentions the death of an individual.
Malayalam cinema’s veteran actor and celebrated writer Sreenivasan passed away on December 20, 2025. The 69-year-old filmmaker succumbed to his ill health after battling a prolonged illness for several years.
As we remember his countless contributions to Mollywood, here’s a list of Malayalam films that celebrate his legacy and prove why he was truly one of the greatest screenwriters in India.
5 Must-Watch Malayalam Films Written by Sreenivasan on OTT
1. Nadodikkattu (1987)
- Cast: Mohanlal, Sreenivasan, Shobana, Thilakan, Innocent, Janardhanan, Captain Raju, Mamukkoya
- Director: Sathyan Anthikad
- Genre: Satirical Comedy Drama
- Runtime: 2 hours and 34 minutes
- Where to watch: YouTube
One of the greatest and most memorable films in the history of Malayalam cinema is Nadodikkattu. The film, penned by Sreenivasan, is based on a story written by the filmmaker duo Siddique–Lal.
The story follows Dasan and Vijayan, two youngsters struggling to lead stable lives due to their inability to secure jobs. As they find it tough to make ends meet, the duo decides to seek employment in Dubai by ferry.
However, their lives take a wild turn when the ferryman dupes them and takes them only to Chennai, catapulting them into a poverty-stricken situation. What follows is how Dasan and Vijayan manage to overcome their hardships, inadvertently landing themselves in several humorous predicaments.
The social relevance and the effectiveness of the film’s dialogues remain fresh in the minds of anyone familiar with Malayalam cinema’s pop culture. The movie was later remade in multiple languages, including Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu.
2. Vellanakalude Nadu (1988)
- Cast: Mohanlal, Shobana, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, M. G. Soman, Karamana Janardanan Nair, Sreenivasan, Maniyanpilla Raju, Jagadish
- Director: Priyadarshan
- Genre: Political Satire
- Runtime: 2 hours and 16 minutes
- Where to watch: YouTube
Vellanakalude Nadu is yet another gem in the long list of collaborations between Mohanlal and Sreenivasan. The film explores the story of Pavithran Nair, a small-time contractor.
The narrative focuses on his battles with the municipal corporation, petty politics, and the bureaucracy embedded within the system. As he navigates a new project while attempting to reconnect with his former lover, now an IAS officer, the story charts his transformation from a corrupt pawn of society into someone who exposes the system’s flaws.
In 2010, the film was remade in Hindi by Priyadarshan himself as Khatta Meetha, starring Akshay Kumar and Trisha Krishnan.
3. Azhakiya Ravanan (1996)
- Cast: Mammootty, Sreenivasan, Bhanupriya, Kavya Madhavan, Biju Menon, Cochin Haneefa, Innocent, Rajan P. Dev
- Director: Kamal
- Genre: Romantic Comedy Drama
- Runtime: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Where to watch: ManoramaMAX
Azhakiya Ravanan, starring Mammootty in the lead role, may not align with the sharp satire that defined much of Sreenivasan’s work. However, its emotional depth, especially in the culmination of its long-standing romantic thread, speaks volumes.
The film follows Shankar Das, a wealthy and boastful businessman who returns to his native village without revealing his true identity, hoping to reunite with his former love, Anuradha.
Persuaded by his friend and writer Ambujakshan, Shankar Das decides to finance a film and appoint a young director, Sharath, to helm it. However, he soon discovers that Sharath is Anuradha’s current love interest. The rest of the film explores the consequences of this revelation and questions whether old love will rekindle or give way to new beginnings.
4. Sandesam (1991)
- Cast: Thilakan, Sreenivasan, Jayaram, Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Siddique, Kaviyoor Ponnamma
- Director: Sathyan Anthikad
- Genre: Political Satire Black Comedy
- Runtime: 2 hours and 18 minutes
- Where to watch: JioHotstar
Sandesam is a political satire infused with sharp black humor and remains one of the finest commentaries on Kerala’s socio-political landscape. The flick revolves around Raghavan, a retired railway employee who wishes to spend his remaining years in peace with his family.
However, his life is constantly disrupted as he is forced to mediate between his sons, who adhere to opposing political ideologies and frequently clash. The film effectively portrays family discord, financial struggles, and the absurdities arising from ideological extremism.
Over the years, Sandesam has come to be regarded as a cult classic and a benchmark for political satire in Indian cinema.
5. Udayananu Tharam (2005)
- Cast: Mohanlal, Sreenivasan, Meena, Mukesh, Jagathy Sreekumar, Salim Kumar, Bhavana
- Director: Rosshan Andrrews
- Genre: Comedy Drama
- Runtime: 2 hours and 42 minutes
- Where to watch: ManoramaMAX
Udayananu Tharam is a satirical comedy-drama that humorously critiques the film industry and the hypocrisy within it. The movie narrates the story of Udayabhanu, an ardent cinephile and assistant director living in Chennai, who dreams of becoming a successful writer-director.
His scheming friend and aspiring actor, Rajappan Thengummoodu, shares the same space and ambitions. When Udayabhanu pens a brilliant screenplay, Rajappan steals the script and turns it into a film starring himself, eventually becoming a superstar.
As Udayabhanu faces personal and professional setbacks, his life takes a turn when he finally gets the opportunity to direct a film and settle scores with Rajappan (now Saroj Kumar) once and for all.
The films mentioned above are just a few of the many masterpieces written by Sreenivasan during his illustrious career. As the saying goes, legends never truly die, and this iconic writer-actor of Malayalam cinema will forever be remembered through his words and stories.
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