Renji Panicker

Renji Panicker is an Indian script writer, producer, actor and director who works in Malayalam cinema. He made his debut as a director with Bharatchandran IPS in 2005.^[1]

A firebrand script-writer and director of Malayalam Cinema, Renji Panicker, popularly known as Renji began his career as a journalist. After completing his masters degree in journalism from Kerala University, Renji started off as a reporter for several magazines and publications. It was during an interview, while working for Chitrabhumi, a film magazine, that he met Shaji Kailas, which led him into the world of cinema and within a short time became of the most guaranteed scriptwriter of Malayalam cinema. He later switched over to film direction and has directed two films so far. He is also the managing director of one of the Malayalam newspaper, Metrovaartha.

Personal life

He is born as eldest son among three children to Keshava Panicker and Laalamani at Nedumudi, Alleppey. He did his bachelors in Malayalam Literature from S.D college, Aleppey and diploma in Journalism from The Press Club Institute of Journalism, Trivandrum. He pursued post graduation in Journalism from Kerala University, Karyavattom.^[2]

Renji Panicker is married to Anitha Marium Thomas, a psychologist by profession who was his classmate at Kerala University. They have twin sons, Nithin Panicker and Nikhil Paniker, and lived in Chengannur before shifting to Cochin.^[3]

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,which turned out to be a super hit. But the success of his debut film failed to bring any recognition to Renji Panicker, whose next venture Akashakottayile Sulthan, in 1991, directed by Jayaraj, with Sreenivasan in the main role, bombed at the box-office. This made Renji to rethink on continuing film as a career. But again, upon the insistence of Shaji Kailas, Renji made another attempt in 1992. Thalastaanam, revolving around campus politics was a phenomenal hit and the huge success marked the beginning of Shaji-Renji combination, which brought out many blockbuster films in the later years.

In the year 1993, Renji penned Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans. Directed by Shaji Kailas, this film was a turning point in the life of Jagadish, who was till then tagged into comic roles. 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. The success of Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans was followed by Ekalavyan, which got released in the month of May in 1993. Directed again by Shaji 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 succeeded in establishing himself as the next super star of Malayalam cinema.Ekalavyan successfully completed 150 days in almost all the theatres it got released. This police saga was followed by Mafia, revolving around Bangalore underworld. Directed by Shaji Kailas with Suresh Gopi as hero, released in 1993, Mafia turned out to be another super hit and made Renji the most expensive script-writer in the malyalam film industry.

In 1994, Shaji Kailas and Renji Panicker created a sensation at box office with Commissioner, an out and out police film, which completed a run of 200 days in theatres. Suresh Gopi appearing in the title role, the film turned out to be the biggest grosser of the year. Again Shaji and Renji joined together in 1995, but this time, they had Mammootty as the hero. The King, which was released in the end of 1995, broke seveal records in collections. After the huge success of The King, the duo intentionally parted ways and decided to go alone.

Renji, after a long time wrote a script for another director, when he chose Joshi in 1997. Lelam, another action thriller with Suresh Gopi as the main hero was again super hit at box office adding new feather to Renji's cap. The same team brought out Pathram in next year. Revolving around print media and the politics surrounding it, this flick is best remembered for its stunning and sparkling dialogues. The continuous run of super hits came to an end in 2001. Renji's combination with Joshi, Dubai bombed at box office. This was followed by Praja another fiasco, though for the first time Mohanlal appeared in a Renji film. The back to back set backs forced Renji to take a break for three years. In 2005, he hit-back with Bharatchandran IPS the sequel of Commissioner, released in 1994. Bharatchandran IPS was also the directorial debut of Renji Panicker. Apart from directing, he also co-produced this film. This film crossed 100-day run in all major centres and gave a rebirth to Suresh Gopi who was going through the dark days of his career. Renji's second directorial attempt was Roudram released in 2008, with Mammootty in the main role, Another police story, this film was also a huge success at box office.^[4] Renji's next project was The King & the Commissioner in which Mammootty and Suresh 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 Shaji Kailas. This film had many expectations, as Mammootty and Suresh Gopi were reuniting after many years as well as Shaji Kailas and Renji Panicker.^[5] Unfortunately, it got negative reviews from the critics and became a box office disaster.

Trademarks

In Renji's films, heroes are shown as fearless men, who whenever get angry, scold all the wrong-doers, especially the corrupt higher officials. Dialogues are always lengthy and Renji always adds English words and then translate those words in Malayalam which became a repetitive thing in all of his films. Except Dr. Pasupathi all of his films belong to political backdrop. Recent political problems are always added in his script which evokes much controversy, but he gives more emphasis to hero's fire dialogues. Renji's dialogue presented by MG Soman in the film Lelam is well known in malayalam films even now, the dialogue was of 3 minutes duration which unfolds the past of the character. Renji's style always includes much powerful english words and the same translation of it in malayalam. Commissioner was the first breakthrough to Renji of which the dialogues are remembered by people even now. Renji Panicker is regarded as one of the best malayalam firebrand script writers.

Filmography

References

External links

• Renji Panicker at the Internet Movie Database