India, Dec. 22 -- The Malayalam movie actor-director, Sreenivasan, who passed away at the age of 69, had become a legend in his own time. His filmography includes two directorial ventures, screenplays for 60 films, and acting roles, including as the lead, in more than 200 movies. These stats, however, are not what make Sreenivasan a unique and distinguishing figure in Malayalam movies.

He once remarked that his contribution to Malayalam cinema is not what he has scripted or acted in but the 500 films he didn't do. This casual remark had an immediate effect, and it was then rehashed in different contexts, helping to create an impression of a witty sensibility. Several of the dialogues he wrote for the movies are used in different situatio...