Renji Panicker Biography

Renji Panicker is an Indian journalist, scriptwriter, producer, actor, and director. He is best known for his Malayalam films. His directorship debut was made with Bharatchandran IPS in 2005.

Renji Panicker Age | Renji Panicker Date Of Birth

Panicker was born on 21 January 1958. He is 61 years old as of 2018.

Renji Panicker Family

Renji Panicker was born in Nedumudi, Kerala, India as the youngest son among three children born to Kesava Panicker and Leelamani Amma at Nedumudi, Alleppey.

Renji Panicker Education

Just like any other family would do, Panicker was educated by his family. He went to Sanatana Dharma College where he did his bachelors in commerce, Alappuzha (S.D college, Alappuzha) and a certificate in Journalism from Press Club, Thiruvananthapuram. He also studied in Kerala University, Karyavattom and earned himself a master’s degree in Journalism.

Renji Panicker Wife | Renji Panicker Wife Death

Panicker’s better half is called Anitha Mariam Thomas. It turned out that she was his classmate at Kerala University. Unfortunately, Anitha died on 10 March 2019, suffering from a Kidney ailment.

Renji Panicker Son

The couple has twin sons, Nithin Renji Panicker and Nikhil Renji Panicker, and lived in Alleppey before shifting to Cochin.

Renji Panicker Career

While interviewing director Shaji Kailas, for a movie magazine in 1990, he was affected by Renji’s language and asked him to try to a script for him. Renji, WHO was full of life politician since his school days tried out a political caustic remark, Dr. Pasupathy, that turned out to be a hit. But the success of his debut film didn’t bring recognition. His next venture Akashakottayile Sulthan, in 1991, directed by Jayaraj, with Sreenivasan in the main role, bombed. This created Renji to rethink film as a career. Upon Kailas’ insistence, Renji created another try in 1992. Thalastaanam, revolving around field politics was successful and marked the start of the Shaji-Renji combination.

In the year 1993, Renji confined Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans. Directed by Kailas, this film was a turning purpose within the lifetime of Jagadish, who was till then slotted into comic roles. Jagadish vies the role of a typical man WHO long becomes the housing minister of the state. Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans completed one hundred fifty days in theatres, establishing Renji Panicker joined the leading scriptwriters in Malayalam cinema. Next was Ekalavyan, released in May 1993. Directed by Kailas, Ekalavyan was Associate in Nursing action adventure story revolving around the unholy nexus of drug mafia-godmen and politicians.

Appearing within the lead role of a policeman, Suresh Gopi established himself because of 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 a hero, it was released in 1993, making Renji the most expensive script-writer in Malayalam film. In 1994, Kailas/Panicker created Commissioner, a police film, that completed a run of two hundred days in theatres. Gopi appeared within the theatrical role and therefore the film became the most important grosser of the year. Shaji/Renji rejoined in 1995, casting Mammootty as the hero of The King, which was released at the end of 1995 was successful.
Thereafter the duo parted ways.

Renji, once an extended time wrote a script for director Joshi in 1997. Lelam, another action adventure story with Gopi because the hero was once more successful. The same team brought out Pathram succeeding year. Revolving around medium and therefore the politics close it, this flick is best remembered for dialog. The continuous run of hits came to Associate in the Nursing finish in 2001. Renji’s combination with Joshi, Dubai bombed. This was followed by Praja, another collapse, the first time Mohanlal appeared in a Renji film. The back to back setbacks forced Renji to require a prospect for 3 years.

In 2005, he followed with Bharatchandran IPS the sequel of Commissioner, free in 1994. Bharatchandran IPS were his directorial debut. He also co-produced this film. This film crossed 100-day run all told major centers and gave a rebirth to Gopi. Renji’s second directorial try was Roudram, free in 2008, with Mammootty in the main role, Another police story, this film was a success.

Renji’s next project was The King & the Commissioner during which Mammootty and Gopi vie 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 several expectations, as Mammootty and Gopi were reuniting once a few years as were Kailas and Panicker. Unfortunately, it also bombed.

Renji Panicker Movie List | Renji Panicker Filmography

Filmography as an actor

Other works

Renji Panicker Distribution

Television

Renji Panicker Awards

Won

• Kerala Film Critics Association Awards for Best Second Actor (Male)- Jacobinte Swargarajyam, 2017
• Asianet Comedy Awards for Star performer of the year – various films, 2017
• Asianet Film Awards for Best Supporting Actor- Jacobinte Swargarajyam, 2017
• South Indian International Movie Awards for Best Supporting Actor- Jacobinte Swargarajyam, 2017
• Asiavision Awards for Best Character Actor- Jacobinte Swargarajyam, 2016

Nomination

• 65th Filmfare Awards Southfor Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Malayalam- Godha, 2018
• 2nd IIFA Utsavam for Best Supporting Actor- Jacobinte Swargarajyam, 2017
• 64th Filmfare Awards South for Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Malayalam- Jacobinte Swargarajyam, 2017
• 4th South Indian International Movie Awards for Best Supporting Actor- Ohm Shanthi Oshaana, 2015

Renji Panicker Salary | Renji Panicker Net Worth

This Information will be updated soon

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Renji Panicker Interview

Renji Panicker: I regret writing every word I have used in my films which were gender or case insensitive

He is a scribe who has often been labeled the epitome of patriarchy in Mollywood, for his ‘firebrand’ dialogues, particularly that of Joseph Alex from The King and Bharathchandran IPS from The Commissioner.
But the more we speak to Renji Panicker, the more the image of him we have in our minds seems to break. You realize that he is like every other human being, whose ideas and thoughts have evolved with time. In fact, Renji Panickerseems more of a politically sensitive and aware person who believes in the greater common good. A journalist, scriptwriter, director, and now actor, Renji Panicker is someone who never leaves a stone unturned to fulfill his passions. While film aficionados have lauded his remarkable performance as the protagonist in the award-winning film Bhayanakam, directed by his close friend Jayaraj, he confesses that he is still apprehensive about his acting caliber. In a candid interview, the ‘cool dad’ of Mollywood introspects on his tryst with Malayalam cinema.

You play the lead character in Jayaraj’s movie Bhayanakam, which won three National Awards.
Jayan (Jayaraj) called me one day, saying he wants to meet me. On meeting, he gave me the script of Bhayanakam and asked me to read it. I did and found everything about it perfect and said yes right away. I was very well aware that Jayaraj is someone who will never approach me for a role unless he is sure about it. I consider being able to perform the role of the postman in Bhayanakam as sheer luck, as he could have easily given it to an established actor. However, I knew it was going to be a challenging role and had revealed my anxiety to Jayan. But he was confident that I will be able to transform my physique and body language to enact the postman. That gave me the courage to take it up.

Prior to the shoot, Jayan and I visited Kuttanad to practice rowing country boats. I was familiar with it already as I am from Kuttanad. I also had to practice walking using crutches as the postman is someone who was left handicapped in the war. So I did a lot of homework for it. During the shoot, I kept in my mind that the postman is a war returnee and will have the trauma not only in his mind but in every move and thought of his as well. It is engraved in him and that is why, even in the most intimate moments with Gowrikunjamma, he tells her that the only smell he can think of is of gunpowder. Getting into a character that is the complete opposite of what I am itself was a trial. He is a softspoken person while I am just the other way around. As an actor, I am someone who has never done a character as serious and deep as that of the protagonist in Bhayanakam. Everything was new and challenging for me.

The positive aspect of it all was that the story happens in my native town and I was very well aware of the history of the land. I am also someone who has read almost all of Thakazhi’s works. It proved to be an advantage.

Many including Jayaraj and Asha Sharath said you deserved an award for the film.
Getting an award depends on how the jury judges the performance and the film. I heard similar comments while acting in the film and afterward. Like any other common man, I too felt that it would have been nice if I had gotten an award, but at the same time, I also know that the jury saw better performances than mine in the list of competitors.

Politician, journalist, scriptwriter, director and now an actor. Which do you relate to the most among these?
Everything (laughs). In my life, I have not done anything I don’t like. I have always chosen only those paths in my life which have excited me. I have written scripts and also assisted a director while I was studying journalism in 1981. Since then I had journalism and films in my mind and I am pursuing both.

We heard that you are an accidental actor who came in through Om Shanthi Oshana (OSO). Now you have done the lead role in a National award-winning movie. How do you rate Renji Panicker the actor?
I still have my apprehensions and doubts about my acting skills. I have assessed my good and bad performances. I have enjoyed and loved only a few of them but I have never regretted doing any of my characters. I always wanted to try different kinds of roles and have never felt anything wrong in trying something new. Since I have my own verdicts on my characters, I take into account only those comments I feel are genuine. There are a few roles of mine that people have unanimously appreciated — like the dad from OSO, Premam, Godha and Jacobinte Swargarajyam and Kuttysankaran from Renjith’s Njaan.

Don’t you have the freedom to choose only those roles you think you can enjoy doing or love seeing on screen?
In the past four years, I have refused more films than I have acted in. Currently, I have chosen acting as a career, and I think the roles that are coming to me are those that the directors think I can essay. We can only choose from those. By experimenting with different roles, I myself will be able to discover what I can or can’t do. Sometimes the beauty we feel when we listen to a script will not reflect on screen. At times we pick roles out of trust in someone, out of friendship or due to commitments and obligations. It is difficult to be rigid in choosing roles in such circumstances.

I think post-Bhayanakam, I have the liberty to choose from the roles that are coming to me. Essaying the protagonist was a confidence booster and also a milestone for me. I explored the actor in me. It is a great leap when my performance in it was gauged as good by the director and viewers.

You are scripting the sequel of Lelam, which is going to be directed by Nithin Renji Panicker.
I am working on it. Probably by August or September, it will be ready for shooting. I am someone who gets an idea about a script only after I finish it. I am not someone who writes scripts based on a storyline. Most of the time, I write shots and scenes on the sets. So I have no clue how the sequel will turn out to be.

Post the Kasaba controversy, it is being said that the scriptwriters of Mollywood are facing a challenge on how to pen a script that is gender sensitive. Has the writer in you turned gender sensitive as well?
Earlier, films were never judged from such a perspective or rather, no one used to judge an actor’s standpoint through the characters he or she essayed. The atmosphere was different but now in the current scenario, even a casual dialogue is being dissected and criticized. I strongly feel that the dialogues, situations or scripts weren’t written consciously out of strong gender prejudice. It was because I see the characters I have created as just characters. I will not ever accept it if someone says or tries to prove that I have gender prejudices. I am very clear that I am not. However, in the contemporary scenario, where new interpretations are given to whatever we do, I am very careful not to give anyone the space to interpret any of my writings as sexist or misogynistic.

In many of your earlier films, there are dialogues that can be termed as sexist in the current scenario. For instance, Mammootty’s dialogue from your film, The King, in which he ends a long dialogue to his junior with statements like…You will hereafter not raise your hand against a man. If you were not a woman, I would have shown you how. You are just a woman. How do you perceive those now?
I feel I shouldn’t have written it. When I wrote it, I never thought of belittling women or even degrading the gender, it was just contextual for the film. Those who clapped for those lines have later found it disturbing. If I knew that what I was writing based on a situation will have a different interpretation in the future, I wouldn’t have written that. Definitely, I regret it. If a woman who sits in a crowd finds that my dialogues in the film is degrading her gender or has offended her, I agree that it was a mistake from my side. But I would like to make it very clear that I have never intended to demean anybody. I acknowledge it. If any viewer is or was hurt by a remark from the films that I have written – be it based on gender, caste, color or creed – I shouldn’t have written them. I know it has happened. I have used words like ‘andan, adakodan, chemman, cheruppukuthi…’ but back then, I wasn’t aware how offensive these terms are. Only when criticism arose did I realize that I shouldn’t have written them.

Being a politically sensitive and aware person, I should never bring caste or gender prejudice in my writings. I regret every word that I have used which have sounded so. However, my films as a whole have focused on humanity and were highly politically sensitive.

What do you think about the uncertainties that prevail in Malayalam cinema now?

It is unfortunate and I feel there are a lot of misinterpretations and misunderstandings. I don’t think there is any deliberate agenda behind any of the incidents.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Renji Panicker News

Renji Panicker’s wife dies

Anitha Mariyam Thomas, wife of actor, scriptwriter, producer and director Renji Panicker died here Sunday. She was 58. She died early this morning at 3.30 am at the Chengannur Century Hospital.

She was undergoing treatment for kidney ailments for quite some time. She will be buried on Monday at 12 pm at Chengannur Puthenkavu Marthoma Aarohana Church.

She leaves behind her twin sons Nithin, a director and Nikhil, an actor.