For audiences who have been moved by Traffic, laughed along with Om Shanti Oshana or first discovered actor Nivin Pauly through Thattathin Marayathu, Vineeth Sreenivasan’s work feels like an old friend. His songs, whether the gentle melodies of Aluva Puzha from Premam or the festive joy of Entammede Jimikki Kammal and Thiruvaavaniraavu that spill into every street during Onam, carry with them a sense of home and belonging. To many, Vineeth is not just a name on a poster; he’s a presence woven into their memories. Singer, actor, director, lyricist, storyteller, his journey has unfolded quietly yet profoundly, as layered and comforting as the roles he takes on.
Vineeth’s journey has been a series of ‘happy accidents’, as he calls them. “I never chased acting, singing, or any other roles. Most projects were of my friends and assistants who turned directors,” he says ahead of his recent concert at Phoenix Market City, Whitefield.
Noting how playback singing and live concerts are worlds apart, he says he keeps the focus on his voice daily when it comes to concerts – simple, sustained notes and not rigorous practice.
Now a multi-faceted artiste, Vineeth entered the Malayalam music space with Kasavinte Thattamittu from the 2003 movie Kilichundan Mampazham, starring his father and National Award-winning actor Sreenivasan, alongside Mohanlal and late Soundarya.
Vineeth reflects on how music has evolved with time. “I started off at a time when people were ready to listen to new voices; however, melody was still in vogue then. Now, with social media becoming a thing, even a forgotten song is getting a new lease of life. When Jacobinte Swargarajayam was released, the song Ennilerinju didn’t work well with the audience. But it went viral years after the release, thanks to social media.”
Celebrated for directing feel-good movies, the trailer of his latest release, Karam, signals a surprising shift from his signature style with a thriller tone. “There was a period when I kept doing films in the same space,” he admits. “Later, I wanted to try something new. That’s when scriptwriter-actor Noble [Thomas] approached me with the screenplay of Karam. I asked him to wait for a year and a half, and he did.”
Recalling his directorial venture Thira, and its impact on him, he says, he shifted his focus to directing rom-com genres soon after the film. “I am not involved in the writing process of Karam, but in Thira, we were dealing with real issues – human trafficking, trauma, rescue missions. During the research phase, I couldn’t sleep for days after reading an autobiography by a trafficking survivor,” he said, adding, “It changes you emotionally.”
His process as an actor varies based on the project. For a film like Mukundan Unni Associates, wherein he played a key role, he had to memorise the entire screenplay, which felt like preparing for an exam (laughs). “In other cases, there’s no process as such. I completely trust the director,” he says.