Renji Panicker

Renji Panicker (born 23 September 1960 ) 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.

Early life He completed a Bachelor of Commerce from SD College and a certificate in Journalism from Press Club, Thiruvananthapuram. He received a Master of Journalism from University of Kerala.

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. Panicker 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.

Panicker 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).

Personal life Renji Panicker was married to Aneeta Mariam Thomas, his classmate at Kerala University. 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.

Film career While interviewing director Shaji Kailas, for a film magazine in 1990, he was impressed by Panicker's language and asked him to do a script for him. Panicker, 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 Panicker to rethink film as a career. Upon Kailas' insistence, Panicker made another attempt in 1992. Thalastaanam, revolving around campus politics was a hit and marked the beginning of the Shaji-Renji combination.

In the year 1993, Panicker 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. 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 Suresh as hero, it was released in 1993, making Panicker the most expensive script-writer in Malayalam film.

In 1994, Kailas and Panicker created Commissioner, a police film, which completed a run of 200 days in theatres. Suresh 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.

Panicker, after a long time wrote a script for director Joshiy in 1997. Lelam, another action thriller with Suresh 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. Panicker's combination with Joshiy, Dubai bombed. This was followed by Praja, the first time Mohanlal appeared in a Panicker film. The back to back set backs forced Panicker 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 Suresh. Panicker'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. Panicker'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 Kailas. This film had many expectations, as Mammootty and Suresh were reuniting after many years as were Kailas and Panicker.

Plots and style Renji 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.

Filmography

As actor Year Title Role Notes 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 Doctor Cameo appearance 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 Premam David Kalapparambath Cameo appearance Acha Dhin Home Minister Thomas Chacko Njan Samvidhanam Cheyyum Jury committee member Jamna Pyari Sridharan Rajamma @ Yahoo Mayor Abraham Pothen Punchirikku Parasparam Person reading newspaper Short film Anarkali Pappan Charlie Panicker Doctor Guest appearance 2016 Pavada Paul Scaria Jacobinte Swargarajyam Jacob Valleem Thetti Pulleem Thetti Madhavan Pa Va Thampuran Johnny Mohavalayam Angane Thanne Nethave Anchettannam Pinnale Zachariya Welcome to Central Jail Sureshnath Oru Muthassi Gadha Dr. Mathew / Mathai Oppam Padmakumar P, IPS officer Thoppil Joppan Fr. James Anakattil Aanandam Diya's father Cameo appearance Campus Diary Koya Saahib Ore Mukham Prakashan 2017 Georgettan's Pooram Fr. Mathews Vadakkan Kadamkatha Sreekumar Samarpanam Gemini Dr. Gokul Alamara Pavithran 1971: Beyond Borders Janardanan Sakhavu Kuriyachan Cameo appearance Godha Captain Clint Writer V K Nambiar Puthan Panam Iqbal Rowther Cameo appearance Ramaleela V. G. Madhavan Viswasapoorvam Mansoor Kalathil Haji Oru Cinemakkaran Fr. Mathew Role Models Gautham's father Villain Commissioner Sreenivasan Solo Thomas Zachariah Segment: World of Trilok Masterpiece Edward Livingstone Cameo appearance 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 father Photo presence Naam Fr. James Kottayil Bhayanakam Postman Drama Kunjachan Ente Ummante Peru Mohammed Hydarali Mehfil Photo appearance and voiceover 2019 Vijay Superum Pournamiyum Venugopal Kodathi Samaksham Balan Vakeel DGP K. E. Eappan Margamkali Urmila's father Sakalakalashala Thelivu Ramesh 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 Kaaval Antony 2022 Naaradan Govinda Menon CBI 5: The Brain DYSP Balagopal, C.B.I. Kooman CI Somasekharan Gold Chandrasekharan 2023 Kolaambi Abdul Kader Iru Section 306 IPC Otta Thaal Bullet Diaries 2024 Little Hearts Johnson DNA DGP Martin Aloshius IPS Secret Hunt Padmanabhan Ramaswany Kadha Innuvare Comrade Sivaprasad alias Sivettan Soul Stories 2025 Ennu Swantham Punyalan Fr. Nicholas Sweetheart! Manu's father Tamil film E Valayam Vinayan Param Sundari Bhargavan Nair Hindi film The Pet Detective Jose Alula Dheeram Aghosham Bishop 2026 Aadu 3 Thomas Paappan / Narayanan Thampuran Ananthan Kaadu Bilingual film

Other works Year Title Director Writer Notes 1990 Dr. Pasupathy 1991 Aakasha Kottayile Sultan 1992 Thalastaanam 1993 Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans Ekalavyan Mafia 1994 Commissioner 1995 The King 1997 Lelam 1999 Pathram 2001 Praja Dubai 2005 Bharatchandran IPS 2008 Roudram 2012 The King & the Commissioner

Distribution

Television

Awards and nominations

Won FMB Minnale Film Award 2021– Best Actor (Male) for Kalamandalam Hyderali Madrid Imagineindia International Film Festival 2019 – Best Actor (Male) for Bhayanakam Indywood Academy Award for the Best Actor (Male) – Bhayanakam, 2018 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 Nominations 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 Awardsfor Best Supporting Actor – Ohm Shanthi Oshaana, 2015