National Award-winning Tamil filmmaker Parthiban has shared the compelling reasons behind his decision to cancel a trip to Dubai and travel to Kochi instead, expressing a deep desire to pay his last respects to renowned Malayalam filmmaker Sreenivasan.
For those who may not know, Sreenivasan, a respected actor, writer, and director, passed away on Saturday at Trippunithura Taluk Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for age-related health issues. He was 69.
Personal Journey to Pay Homage
Parthiban elaborated on his intense journey to Kochi via a post on X. He recounted the challenges he faced: “If you listen to how I reached Kochi, it was intense beyond words. There were no flights available from Chennai to Kochi. At 7:55 PM, I took out my Benz and drove myself. I reached the airport at 8:40 PM. On the way, I narrowly escaped accidents at four different points. I was driving alone.”
At the airport, he encountered further difficulties. “The flight was scheduled for 8:50 PM. Even after entering the airport, there were no seats available. Half seriously and half jokingly, I told the senior manager at Indigo that even a pilot’s seat would be perfectly fine if that was the only way to get me on the flight. Finally, at 9:25 PM, one of the staff stepped down, and that seat was given to me. I remain grateful to the senior manager for making this arrangement possible.”
Timing and Accommodations
Parthiban reached Kochi by 11:00 PM without a plan for accommodation. “I eventually found a modest three-star hotel near Sreenivasan sir’s home. I was actually supposed to be in Dubai today. I cancelled my flight. I cancelled my hotel. And yet, the strangest thing is this—within my own mind, I could have offered my condolences from anywhere. Still, something pulled me here.”
Reflecting on his motivations, he said, “I kept asking myself: why did I run all the way from there to here? Something inside me was hitting very hard.”
A Gathering of Legends
Upon his arrival, Parthiban observed that he was amidst other legends like Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Dileep. “What stood before me was not money — rather, a pure soul and a great creator, someone deserving of immense respect. I carried jasmine flowers with me to pay my respects to a dear friend. I knew I might not be recognised, and that was never the point. What mattered to me was that this act would be registered with the universe.”
Parthiban continued, “When something is done with complete sincerity, it reaches where it is meant to reach—to that friendship—even if it is only the universe that bears witness.”
An Unexpected Connection
To his surprise, Parthiban learned that he had not gone unnoticed. “I genuinely thought nobody had recognised my presence, and I was completely at peace with that. However, Director Rajesh, with whom I had worked on the film ‘Escape From Uganda’, noticed my presence and later sent me a few messages. That moment quietly stayed with me.”
Rajesh’s message touched Parthiban deeply: “Seeing you in that crowd today made me genuinely happy. Pure friendship. Pure respect. Coming all the way from Chennai just to be there for Sreeniyettan says everything about you. A good human, a true friend. Touched my heart, big brother. Big hug, huge respect.”
Parthiban added, “Today you taught me a powerful life theory, more than a lesson, a philosophy. I truly learned something that will stay with me.” Reflecting on the younger generation, he noted, “Among all the heroes I met there, you are the biggest hero. They are all Gen Z kids. I want to show them what a real hero is.”