Jubilant 'dark horse' - SREENIVASAN

Jubilant 'dark horse'



'Arabikatha' will have Sreenivasan playing an expatriate Malayalee in Dubai, wooing a Chinese leading lady, writes KK Moidu


Malayalam cinema's "wonderman," actor-director-writer Sreenivasan's career is poised to touch new heights with the underproduction Lal Jose-directed film, Arabikatha. The film is arousing a lot of curiosity because of Sreenivasan's far-from-ordinary leading lady Chang Shu Min, a Chinese national. Never before in the history of Malayalam cinema has a Chinese been cast as the leading lady.
But if one were to go by Sreenivasan's track record the unusual is the usual. This ace of Malayalam cinema was born on April 4, 1951 in Patyam, a village near Thalassery, Kannur district in northern Kerala. His father Unni was a teacher and a communist. After completing his school education at Kathiroor Government School, he went to Pazhassi Raja NSS College and later did a diploma in film acting from Adayar Film Institute in Madras.
Right from his college days he developed an interest in acting and proved his ability as a actor-storywriter. His stardom in filmdom was preceded by a long and arduous struggle. He and his wife Vimala have two sons Vineeth Sreenivasan and Dhyan Sreenivasan. Of them Vineeth has already made his mark as a film playback singer and within a short period has shown his father's ability to entertain people, though only with his songs.
Sreenivasan, known throughout Kerala for his Chaplinesque roles, made his film debut in the PA Backer movie Manimuzhakkam in 1977. After acting in a few films, he wrote his first film Odaruthammava Aalariyam in 1984. The turning point in his career came after he started writing scripts for successful directors like Priyadarshan, Sathyan Anthikad, Kamal and Sibi Malayil. Sreenivasan's more than two-and-a-half-decade career as an actor-writer has produced box office hits like Gandhinagar IInd Street, Nadodikkattu and its sequels Pattanapravesam, Akkare Akkare Akkare, Vadakkunokki Yanthram, Chinthavishta-yaya Shyamala, Thalayanamanthram, Thenmavin Kombathu, Yathrakkarude Sradhakku, Oru Maravathur Kanavu, Chithram, Udayananu Tharam and the latest Yes Your Honour .
He has acted in around 120 films and written the script for around 50 films but directed only two films Vadakkunokkiyanthram (1989) and Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala (1998). In both movies, he played the male lead and the movies were smashing hits at the box office. In Vadakkunokkiyanthram he played the character Thalathil Dineshan, a suspicious husband, who keeps doubting the fidelity of his beautiful wife (played by Parvathi) only to find himself in the mental asylum. He won the Kerala State Film Award for best film for Vadakkunokkiyanthram and Kerala State Film Award for best film with popular appeal and aesthetic value for Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala.
In Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala, he plays Vijayan, a school teacher, who always dreams about making money by doing business. Because of his ineptitude, he suffers monetary losses and then tries to escape from life's realities using spiritual life as a guise. The movie also deals with the difficulties faced by Vijayan's wife (played by Tamil actress Sangeeta) and their two children after the family's breadwinner runs away from home. Sreenivasan's films have an avid viewership among Keralites.
They are mainly about problems witnessed in Kerala's society. His style of presentation is comical and very early the audience recognised the underlying humourist in his scripts. Nadodikkattu, Sandesham, Vellanakalude Naadu, Varavelppu etc were a few of them. His films have been not only known for their humour but very often their creator is seen laughing at himself. His satires have highlighted problems challenging society like unemployment, poverty, police brutality, politicians, newspapers, labour unions. The USP of his films are clear characterisation and humorous dialogues.
His success as a script-writer came from the variety in his stories. Unlike other lead actors, Sreenivasan is not glamorous-looking or tall. He, however, converted these minuses into pluses in his movies.
Sreenivasan-written films like Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam, TP Balagopalan M.A and Thalayanamanthram etc focused on the heroes' financial plight, something very relevant in the lives of Kerala's youth. Others too had made this the central theme of their films, but the audience response to those movies was far from positive, judging from their box office performance. But Sreenivasan's films, because of their very different narrative style and a dose of black humour, were well-received.
Sreenivasan's films with Mohanlal give Malayalees a nostalgic feeling. These make a mockery of even educational qualifications. In Nadodikkattu and Pattanapravesam, whenever CID Dasan (Mohanlal) reminds his partner CID Vijayan, that unlike him he is BCom pass, the latter's complex comes to the fore and he retorts Pre-degree Athra Mosam Degreeyonnumalla (Pre-degree too isn't such a bad degree) an unforgettable dialogue as far as the audience is concerned. The audience just lapped up the duo's antics and it seemed as though the the void left behind by the Prem Nazir- Adoor Bhasi pair, in the yesteryears, had been filled.
Seeing Sreenivasan together with Mohanlal itself was enough to evoke laughter. This magical humour was witnessed in films like Udhayananu Tharam, Kilichundan Maampazham, Ayal Kadha Ezhuthukayanu, Chandralekha, Thenmavin Kombathu, Midhunam, Pavithram, Varavelppu, Chithram, Pattanapravesam, Nadodikkattu, Akkare Akkare Akkare, Vellanakalude Naadu, Gandhinagar IInd Street, Sanmanasullavarkku Samadhanam, TP Balagopalan MA etc. But unfortuately after Udhayananu Tharam they have not done any films together.
He also did movies like Bhargavacharitham Moonnam Khandam, Prajapathi, Balram Vs Tharadas, Azhakiya Ravanan, Mazhayethum Munpe, Artham, Megham, Oru Maravathur Kanavu, Golanthara Vartha, Kalikkalam etc. with the other Malayalam superstar, Mammootty, but unlike his pairing with Mohanlal, not all his films with the latter were that big successes. Their screen appearance together, Bhargavacharitham Moonnam Ghandam, bit the dust at the box office.
But Sreenivasan, known for his fighting spirit, still hasn't given up working with Mammootty. After tasting success as an actor-scriptwriter-director this versatile artiste wants to try his luck as a producer along with Mukesh in Kathaparayumbol. Mammootty will play the title role as an actor Ashokraj and Sreenivasan will write the story, screenplay and dialogues in addition to playing a barber in the film. Kathaparayumbol will be directed by debutante Mohan. Mukesh will play a teacher. Jagathy and Innocent also play important roles.
Unlike other actors, Sreenivasan has never been particularly bothered about his image or market standing, when it came to selection of roles. In spite of being a talented actor, script writer and director he has willingly played second fiddle to superstars.
As an actor he has played characters ranging from the bumbling simpleton to the deceitful villain. Though comedy is his forte, he does serious and villainous roles with equal ease. Being the son of a communist, Sreenivasan played a communist in many movies like Aaryan and Sandesham. His humour and sarcasm-tinged dialogue in the film Sandesham, Polandinepatti Oraksharam Mindaruthu (Don't you dare utter a word about Poland) was the high point of humour in the film.
Though he has won several awards like the Kerala State Film Award for Best story (Sandesham - 1991), Kerala State Film Award for Best Screenplay (Mazhayethum Munpe - 1995) etc. as an actor he never won an award, that is until recently, till he finally got the Kerala State Film Award Jury's Special mention for his performance in Thakarachenda in 2006.
He also tried his luck on the miniscreen with a weekly TV Show Valiya Lokavum Cheriya Sreeniyum aired on Kairali TV. Though he managed to repeat his big-screen success on television as well, the show was discontinued after a short term.
Now coming to his much-talked role in Arabikatha, Sreenivasan is not just the film's hero, but also its script-writer. Substantial parts of the film are being filmed in Dubai as the subject is about expatriate Keralites living in the Gulf.
Lal Jose, who assisted Sreenivasan during the making of Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala, has directed the film. Incidentally, Lal Jose made his directorial debut in Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, which was also penned by Sreenivasan. So when the duo come together, the audience has a lot to hope for.