Trigger warning: This article mentions the death of a person.
Malayalam cinema’s veteran actor and famous writer Srinivasan passed away on December 20, 2025. The 69-year-old filmmaker succumbed to ill health after suffering from a prolonged illness for several years.
As we remember his countless contributions to Mollywood, here is a list of Malayalam films that celebrate his legacy and prove why he was truly one of India’s greatest screenwriters.
5 must-watch Malayalam movies written by Srinivasan on OTT
1. Nadodikkattu (1987)
- Mould: Mohanlal, Srinivasan, Shobhana, Thilakan, Innocent, Janardhan, Captain Raju, Mamukkoya
- Director: Satyan Anthikad
- Style: satirical comedy drama
- Runtime: 2 hours 34 minutes
- Where to watch: youtube
Nadodikkattu is one of the greatest and most memorable films in the history of Malayalam cinema. Written by Srinivasan, the film is based on a story written by filmmaker duo Siddiqui-Lal.
The story revolves around Dasan and Vijayan, two young men who are struggling to lead a stable life due to their inability to get jobs. Since they were finding it difficult to make ends meet, the two decided to find employment by boat in Dubai.
However, their lives take a strange turn when the hawker betrays them and takes them only to Chennai, leaving them poverty stricken. It is further narrated how Dasan and Vijayan manage to overcome their difficulties by inadvertently getting themselves into several comical situations.
The social relevance and effectiveness of the film’s dialogues remain fresh in the mind of anyone familiar with the pop culture of Malayalam cinema. The film was later remade in several languages including Tamil, Kannada and Telugu.
2. Vellanakalude Nadu (1988)
- Mould: Mohanlal, Shobhana, Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair, MG Soman, Karamana Janardhan Nair, Srinivasan, Maniyanpila Raju, Jagadish
- Director: Priyadarshan
- Style: political satire
- Runtime: 2 hours 16 minutes
- Where to watch: youtube
Vellanakaalude Naadu is another gem in the long list of collaborations between Mohanlal and Sreenivasan. The film is based on the story of a small contractor Pavithran Nair.
The story focuses on his battle with the municipal corporation, petty politics and the bureaucracy embedded within the system. As he works on a new project while attempting to reconnect with his former lover, now an IAS officer, the story traces his transformation from a corrupt pawn of society to someone who exposes the flaws in the system.
In 2010, the film was remade in Hindi by Priyadarshan himself as Khatta Meetha, starring Akshay Kumar and Trisha Krishnan.
3. Azhakiya Ravanan (1996)
- Mould: Mammootty, Srinivasan, Bhanupriya, Kavya Madhavan, Biju Menon, Cochin Hanifa, Innocent, Rajan P. Dev
- Director: Lotus
- Style: romantic comedy drama
- Runtime: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Where to watch: Manoramamax
Azhakiya Raavanan, starring Mammootty in the lead role, cannot match the sharp satire that has defined much of Sreenivasan’s work. However, its emotional depth, especially the culmination of its long-running romantic thread, speaks volumes.
The film tells the story of Shankar Das, a rich and arrogant businessman who returns to his native village without revealing his true identity in the hope of reuniting with his former love Anuradha.
At the behest of his friend and writer Ambujakshan, Shankar Das decided to finance a film and hire a young director, Sharath, to direct it. However, she soon learns that Sharath is Anuradha’s current boyfriend. The remainder of the film explores the consequences of this revelation and questions whether old loves will be rekindled or give way to new beginnings.
4. Sandesam (1991)
- Mould: Thilakan, Srinivasan, Jayaram, Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Siddique, Kaviyoor Ponnamma
- Director: Satyan Anthikad
- Style: political satire black comedy
- Runtime: 2 hours 18 minutes
- Where to watch: jiohotstar
Sandesam is a political satire full of sharp humor and one of the finest commentaries on the socio-political scenario of Kerala. The film revolves around Raghavan, a retired railway employee, who wants to spend his remaining years peacefully with his family.
However, his life is constantly disrupted as he is forced to mediate between his sons, who follow opposing political ideologies and frequently quarrel. The film effectively portrays the absurdities arising from family feuds, economic struggles and ideological extremism.
Over the years, Sandesam has come to be considered a cult classic and a benchmark for political satire in Indian cinema.
5. Udayanu Tharam (2005)
- Mould: Mohanlal, Srinivasan, Meena, Mukesh, Jagathy Sreekumar, Salim Kumar, Bhavana
- Director: Roshan Andrews
- Style: comedy drama
- Runtime: 2 hours 42 minutes
- Where to watch: Manoramamax
Udayanu Thaaram is a satirical comedy-drama that humorously criticizes the film industry and the hypocrisy within it. The film tells the story of Udaybhanu, an avid 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 location and ambitions. When Udayabhanu writes a brilliant script, Rajappan steals the script and turns it into a film starring himself, and eventually becomes a superstar.
As Udayabhanu faces personal and professional setbacks, his life changes 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 some 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 always be remembered through his words and stories.
Also read: Andhra King Taluka OTT release: When and where to watch Ram Pothineni, Upendra’s action comedy film online
