Sreenivasananu Tharam!!!!

photo courtsey: http://www.answers.com/

Two things which Mallus definitely like speaking and debating on are politics and movies. And both have provided the people of Kerala with memorable moments. Though very much a liberterain I dont consider myself to be very political at most times. However a discussion on movies is welcome to me at any time.

The Malayalam film Industry has provided some of the best movies ever to have been made and the best artistes ever to have set foot in Indian films. Of the many brilliant films and artistes in the Malayalam film industry , perhaps, there is no one else who has captured the minds of the common man in Kerala more than Sreenivasan. With his scripts containing satarical comedy relating to social issues and at the same time delivering a meaningful message at the end, his films have won appreciation from all sections of the society in Kerala.

Hailing from Thalassery, Sreenivasan was not what people conceptualised as an actor. Here was someone who was dark, short and not having a really great voice. But Sreenivasan proved himself to be someone who turned around his weaknesses and converted them to his greatest strengths. In most of his films we find him making fun of himself sometimes on the basis of these so called "weaknesses". In the film "Thalayananmanthram" he (as the character Sugunan) plays the husband of a wife (brilliantly played by Urvashi) who inflicted in her mind with jealousy and inferiority complex forces him to come out of the joint family and stay in a seperate house at a different place. In one of the scenes Urvashi tells him "Suguvettan otthiri karutthu poyi" . To that Sreeni replies "athinu njaan pande karutthitanallo irikunne" thus making fun of himself in the process. The script continues even further when Urvashi tells him "Suguvettane oru vashatthil ninnu nokkiyal Mammottiye pole thanne" to which Sreeni tells her "Pakshe Mammotykku nalla pokkamundu" all this providing moments of simple humour and once again establishing the fact that Sreeni never leaves the opportunity in making fun of himself through his movies.

At times Sreenivasan prowess in script writing has over shawdowed the actor in him. From the problems faced by a Gulf returnee in Varavelpu to the challenges faced by an ordinary contractor in "Vellanakalude Nadu" and the problems faced by Sethumadhavan in setting up a biscut factory and also managing the affairs in his house in the film "Midhunam", Sreeni has created characters who exist and can be related to the everyday life fabric of the Kerala Society.

Sometimes what stands out are the way he brings out the messages in his films. Through well delivered dialogues and comical scenes and subtle variations in acting Sreeni makes sure that the viewer doesn't miss the actual intended message in the film.

An example of the subtle variation in acting can be seen in the film "Nadodikattu" which immoratlised the characters "Dasan" and "Vijayan" in the minds of the Malayalee film viewer. There is a scene where Sreenivasan gets a radio lying on the road (actually intended to kill him when he turns it on-transistor bomb) and he sells it at a Marwadi shop. Now people will remember that till that time Sreenivasan is shown to be living with Mohanlal in poverty. Immediately after he sells the radio and gets the money the scene shows Sreenivasan calling for a taxi to go home. These subtle changes in acting also highlight Sreenivasans brilliance in depicting the story through the film.

In the film "Vadakkunokki Yanthram" the character he depicts (Dineshan) has no confidence in himself and doubts his actions all the time. The story is believed to be that of a person Sreeni met in real life. What is ironic is that the character depicted in the reel life is completely opposite to that of Sreenivasan in real life where Sreeni despite the short comings is a person who comes across as one with enormous self confidence. Probably contrary to beliefs, Sreeni was inspired to write the script based on his real life itself!!!

Many situations in Sreeni's films are based on his real life experiences and events. In the film "Vellanakalude Nadu" (Land of white elephants) Mohanlal explains to Shobhana that for making a living he had left his home and gone to another place where after many days of poverty he lay on the road and fortunately people from the Malayalee Samaj took pity on him and admitted him to a hospital and later gave him money to go back home. When i read the book "Sreenivasan - Oru Pusthakam" Sreeni explains the same situation as what happened to his brother without making a reference to this movie. Probably the character in that beautifully potrayed movie "Chintha.. Shyamala" is also similiar to Sreenivasan in an earlier part of his life where circumstances forced him to adopt different kinds of beliefs. In fact we may find that character among many people we ourselves know.

No mention of Sreenivasan is complete without the film Sandesham, the jewel in his crown. Political satire at its best. It is claimed that Sreenivasan charged no fee for the script instead claiming that he would be happy if people remembered that film for years to come.

When the Malayalm film industry seemed to be in a crisis with no major hits coming through and with the existing ones being rubbished by the audience Sreeni scripted "Udayananu Tharam" which explores the trivials and difficulties faced by a talented script writer aspiring to direct a film. It is said that at many points in the movie Sreeni has depicted in reality the antics of many real life actors like Mohanlal and Dileep (as in giving money to magazines to write about the success of their films when in reality they were bombing at the box office). It is said that Sreeni himself told Lal about this and it is another matter that Mohanlal showed the greatness and humility in accepting Sreeni's script.

Sreenivasan is indeed a gift to Malayalam cinema. All what one can say after all this is "Sreenivasan Thanneyanu Tharam".