Priyadarshan

Priyadarshan, man, now there’s a name that’s basically woven into the fabric of Indian cinema. He’s been at it for nearly four decades, churning out hit after hit in both Malayalam and Hindi films—over 90 of them, if you’re counting. Born and raised in Thiruvananthapuram, he was always the bookworm type, which honestly explains why his scripts snap with wit. He started out writing skits for All India Radio while messing around in college, then just dove straight into filmmaking. His first flick, Poochakkoru Mookkuthi, dropped in 1984 and exploded bigger than anyone expected. That kicked off a whole run of slapstick comedies, tossing out gems like Oodarathuammava Aalariyam and Onnanam Kunnil Oradi Kunnil. But he’s not a one-trick pony—dude switched gears and tackled crime dramas in the same breath, collaborating with legends like Mohanlal. By ’88, Priyadarshan was unstoppable. Vellanakalude Naadu was a monster hit, poking at political corruption, and then Chithram simply blew the roof off—over a year in theaters, madness. And just when people thought he’d peaked, Kilukkam came along in ’91 and reset all the records. After a wild run in Malayalam cinema, he shifted focus to Bollywood. His Hindi debut, Muskurahat, flopped, but no biggie—Gardish got him right back on top. But honestly, Hera Pheri in 2000? That’s the stuff of legend. It redefined comedy for an entire generation. He kept that momentum going with Hungama, Garam Masala, and Phir Hera Pheri, dropping classics left and right. Even in recent times, Priyadarshan’s got game. Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea won him a National Award. A Padma Shri, Filmfares, state awards—you name it, he’s got it. The guy’s a total powerhouse, plain and simple.