Renji Panicker

Last updated

Renji Panicker
Born (1960-09-23) 23 September 1960 (age 64)
Nedumudi, Kerala, India
Other namesRenji
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • singer
  • lyricist
  • actor
  • film producer
  • poet
  • journalist
Years active1990–present
SpouseAneeta Marium Thomas
Children2

Renji Panicker (born 23 September 1960 [1] ) is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, film producer, and journalist known for his works in Malayalam films. He made his debut as a director with Bharatchandran IPS in 2005. [2]

Contents

Early life

He did B.Com from SD College, Alappuzha and certificate in Journalism from Press Club, Thiruvananthapuram. He earned MCJ from Kerala University. [3]

Career

Panicker began his career as a journalist. He started off as a reporter for magazines and publications. During an interview, while working for Chithrabhumi , a film magazine, he met director Shaji Kailas. Renji scripted several films for Shaji Kailas, including Dr. Pasupathy (1990), Thalastaanam (1992), Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans (1993), Ekalavyan (1993), Mafia (1993), Commissioner (1994), and The King (1995). The Renji Panicker-Shaji Kailas team elevated Suresh Gopi into a bankable lead actor during the early 1990s. He is known for his collaboration with director Joshiy, which included the films Lelam (1997) and Pathram (1999). He became a film director and directed two films. He is one of the managing directors of the Malayalam newspaper Metrovaartha.[ citation needed ]

Renji has taken several cameo roles in his own films. However, he gained popularity as an actor for his role in Ohm Shanthi Oshaana (2014). He acted in Njaan (2014), Premam (2015), Jacobinte Swargarajyam (2016), Thoppil Joppan (2016), Alamara (2017), Godha (2017) and Bhayanakam (2018).[ citation needed ]

Personal life

Renji Panicker was married to Aneeta Mariam Thomas, his classmate at Kerala University.[ citation needed ] Aneeta died on 10 March 2019, suffering from a kidney ailment. They have twin sons, Nithin and Nikhil, and were living in Alappuzha before moving to Kochi. [4]

Film career

While interviewing director Shaji Kailas, for a film magazine in 1990, he was impressed by Renji's language and asked him to do a script for him. Renji, who was an active politician since his college days tried out a political satire, Dr. Pasupathy , that turned out to be a hit. But the success of his debut film failed to bring recognition. His next venture Akashakottayile Sulthan, in 1991, directed by Jayaraj, with Sreenivasan in the main role, bombed. This made Renji to rethink film as a career. Upon Kailas' insistence, Renji made another attempt in 1992. Thalastaanam , revolving around campus politics was a hit and marked the beginning of the Shaji-Renji combination.[ citation needed ]

In the year 1993, Renji penned Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans . Directed by Kailas, this film was a turning point in the life of Jagadish, who was until then slotted into comic roles.[ citation needed ] Jagadish played the role of a common man who overnight becomes the home minister of the state. Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans completed 150 days in theatres, establishing Renji Panicker as one of the leading script writers in Malayalam cinema. Next was Ekalavyan , released in May 1993. Directed by Kailas, Ekalavyan was an action thriller revolving around the unholy nexus of drug mafia-godmen and politicians. Appearing in the lead role of a police officer, Suresh Gopi established himself as the next star of Malayalam cinema. Ekalavyan completed 150 days in most theatres. Mafia then revolved around Bangalore underworld. Directed by Kailas with Gopi as hero, it was released in 1993, making Renji the most expensive script-writer in Malayalam film. [5]

In 1994, Kailas/Panicker created Commissioner , a police film, which completed a run of 200 days in theatres. Gopi appeared in the title role and the film became the biggest grosser of the year. Shaji/Renji rejoined in 1995, casting Mammootty as the hero of The King , which was released in the end of 1995 was successful. Thereafter the duo parted ways. [6]

Renji, after a long time wrote a script for director Joshi in 1997.[ citation needed ] Lelam , another action thriller with Gopi as the hero was again a hit. The same team brought out Pathram the next year. Revolving around print media and the politics surrounding it, this flick is best remembered for dialog. The continuous run of hits came to an end in 2001. Renji's combination with Joshi, Dubai bombed. This was followed by Praja , the first time Mohanlal appeared in a Renji film and it completed 100 days in theatres.[ citation needed ] The back to back set backs forced Renji to take a break for three years. In 2005, he followed with Bharatchandran IPS the sequel of Commissioner, released in 1994. Bharatchandran IPS was his directorial debut. He also co-produced this film. This film crossed 100-day run in all major centres and gave a rebirth to Gopi. Renji's second directorial attempt was Roudram, released in 2008, with Mammootty in the main role, Another police story, this film was a box-office success. [7] Renji's next project was The King & the Commissioner in which Mammootty and Gopi played the lead roles, Joseph Alex I.A.S. and Bharathchandran I.P.S., taken from the films The King and Commissioner. It was directed by Kailas. This film had many expectations, as Mammootty and Gopi were reuniting after many years as were Kailas and Panicker, [8] it becomes a blockbuster and commercial success.[ citation needed ]

Plots and style

Panicker's dialogue in Lelam is based on a real-life character while the jingoistic and valorised protagonists in Commissioner (1994) and The King (1995) are considered timeless classics for Malayalam cinema. [9]

Filmography

As an actor

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992 Thalastaanam Politician
1993 Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans Politician
Ekalavyan Airport passenger
Mafia Excise/Home Minister Venkidappa
1994 Commissioner Journalist
2014 Pakida Nandakumar
Ohm Shanthi Oshaana Dr. Mathew Devasya
Money Ratnam Isaac
Munnariyippu Mohan Das
Njaan Kuttysankaran
Cousins DoctorCameo
2015 Picket 43 C.O Vinay Chandran
Aadu Thomas Paappan & Varkey Pappan
Ennum Eppozhum CEO of GM Builders
Ayal Njanalla K.P.K. Menon
Haram Isha's Father
Loham Albert Alex [10]
Premam David Kalapparambath, George's fatherCameo
Acha Dhin Home minister Thomas Chacko
Njan Samvidhanam Cheyyum Jury committee member
Jamna Pyari Sridharan
Rajamma @ Yahoo Mayor Abraham Pothen
Punchirikku Parasparam Person reading newspapershort film
Anarkali Pappan
Charlie Panicker DoctorGuest appearance
2016 Pavada Paul Scaria
Jacobinte Swargarajyam Jacob
Valleem Thetti Pulleem Thetti Madhavan
Pa Va Thampuran Johnny
Mohavalayam
Angane Thanne Nethave Anchettannam PinnaleZachariya
Welcome to Central Jail Gopinath
Oru Muthassi Gadha Dr. Mathew / Mathai
Oppam Padmakumar P, IPS officer
Thoppil Joppan Fr. James Anakattil
Aanandam Diya's fatherCameo
Campus Diary Koya Saahib
Ore Mukham Prakashan
2017 Georgettan's Pooram Fr. Mathews Vadakkan
KadamkathaSreekumar
Samarpanam
GeminiDr. Gokul
Alamara Pavithran
1971: Beyond Borders Janardanan
Sakhavu KuriyachanCameo
Godha Captain
Clint Writer V K Nambiar
Puthan Panam Iqbal RowtherCameo
Ramaleela V. G. Madhavan
Viswasapoorvam Mansoor Kalathil Haji
Oru Cinemakkaran Fr. Mathew
Role Models Gautham's father
Villain Commissioner Sreenivasan
Solo Thomas ZachariahSegment: World of Trilok
Masterpiece Edward LivingstoneCameo
2018 Kadha Paranja Kadha
Captain Coach Jafer
Aami S. K. Nair
Krishnam Dr. Sunil
Vallikkudilile Vellakkaran Chief Guest
Kinar
Abrahaminte Santhathikal SP Shahul Hameed
Kuttanadan Marpappa John's fatherPhoto presence
Naam Fr. James Kottayil
Bhayanakam Postman – disabled in World War I
Drama Kunjachan
Ente Ummante Peru Mohammed Hydarali MehfilPhoto appearance and voice
2019 Vijay Superum Pournamiyum Venugopal
Kodathi Samaksham Balan Vakeel DGP K. E. Eappan
MargamkaliUrmila's father
Sakalakalashala
ThelivuRamesh Kumar
Roudram 2018 Narayanan
Kalikoottukkar
Pengalila Koshy Mathew
Athiran Jayanarayana Varma
Oru Yamandan Premakadha Advocate John Kombanayil
Ningal Camera Nireekshanathinlannu
Aniyan Kunjinum Thannalayathu
Mohabbathin Kunjabdulla Thangal
Sachin Ramachandran
Love Action Drama Swathi's father
Ulta
Thakkol Clement
2020 Kalamandalam Hyderali Kalamandalam Hyderali
Forensic Retd. SP Abdul Wahab IPS
2021 Backpackers Rawther
Muddy Master of Hero [11]
Kaaval Antony
2022 Naaradan Govinda Menon
CBI 5: The Brain Balagopal, DYSP, C.B.I.
Kooman Somasekharan, CI
Gold Other bride's father
2023 Kolaambi Abdul Kader [12]
Iru [13]
Section 306 IPC [14]
Otta [15]
Thaal [16]
Bullet Diaries [17]
2024 Little Hearts Johnson [18]
DNA DGP Martin Aloshius IPS [19]
Secret [20]
Hunt [21]
Kadha Innuvare Comrade Sivaprasad alias Sivettan [22]
2025 Ennu Swantham Punyalan [23]

Other works

YearTitleDirectorWriterNotes
1990 Dr. Pasupathy Yes
1991 Aakasha Kottayile Sultan Yes
1992 Thalastaanam Yes
1993 Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans Yes
Ekalavyan Yes
Mafia Yes
1994 Commissioner Yes
1995 The King Yes
1997 Lelam Yes
1999 Pathram Yes
2001 Praja Yes
Dubai Yes
2005 Bharatchandran IPS YesYes
2008 Roudram YesYes
2012 The King & the Commissioner Yes
TBA Lelam 2 Yes [24]
TBAUntitled Jeethu Joseph filmYes [25]

Distribution

YearTitlelanguageNotes
2017 Orayiram Kinakkalal Malayalam
Adam Joan Malayalam
Kaabil HindiIn Kerala
Raees HindiIn Kerala
TBA Lelam 2 MalayalamPre production

Television

YearTitleChannelRoleNotes
2017–2018Aniyara Surya TV Host
2019Nammal Thammil 2 Asianet Host
2019–2020Jananayakan Amrita TV Judge
2020 Crime Patrol Kairali TV Host
2020-2021 Indulekha Surya TV Ramanadha MenonTV Serial
2021Votography Kairali TV Co-Host with John Brittas
2022Naatupaksham Surya TV Host
2023 Masterpeace Disney+ Hotstar ChandichanWeb series
2024 Manorathangal ZEE5 PathmanabhanSegment: Swargam Thurakkuna Samayam [26]

Awards and nominations

Won
Nominations

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References

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