Malayalam cinema stalwart Sreenivasan, one of the industry’s most influential actor-writers and filmmakers, passed away on Saturday. He was 69. Sreenivasan, who had been unwell for the past few years, was scheduled to travel from his home in Kandanad to Amrita Hospital in Ernakulam for routine dialysis on Saturday morning. He was undergoing dialysis every other day as part of his treatment. However, as he became severely unwell and appeared unconscious while being taken to the vehicle, his family rushed him to the nearby Tripunithura taluk hospital, sources close to the family said. The Ernakulam DMO said Sreenivasan was unconscious when brought to the hospital and was declared brought dead by the doctor at 8.22 am. His body has been kept at the hospital. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Tributes have begun pouring in from across the film industry and political circles, with colleagues recalling Sreenivasan as a rare storyteller who used humour and satire to reflect deep social realities.

Sreenivasan received several honours during his career, including a National Film Award, two Filmfare Awards South and six Kerala State Film Awards. He won the state award for Best Screenplay for Sandesam and Mazhayethum Munpe. Sreenivasan is survived by his wife Vimala Sreenivasan and two sons, Vineeth Sreenivasan and Dhyan Sreenivasan, both active in the Malayalam film industry.