Priyadarshan is a renowned Indian film director and screenwriter, with a career spanning nearly four decades in the Hindi and Malayalam film industries.
He completed his early education at Government Model School in Thiruvananthapuram, followed by a bachelor's degree from Mahatma Gandhi College and a Master of Arts in Philosophy from University College Thiruvananthapuram.
Priyadarshan's interest in writing was sparked by his voracious reading habits, leading him to write short plays and skits for All India Radio in college.
He began his career in the Malayalam Film Industry in the early 1980s, directing his first film, Poochakkoru Mookkuthi, in 1984. The film's success led to a string of slapstick comedies, including Oodarathuammava Aalariyam and Onnanam Kunnil Oradi Kunnil.
Priyadarshan demonstrated his versatility by directing the crime drama Parayanumvayya Parayathirikkanumvayya in 1985, followed by the film Punnaram Cholli Cholli, which marked his collaboration with Mohanlal.
1988 was a landmark year in Priyadarshan's career, with the release of Vellanakalude Naadu, a political satire crime film starring Mohanlal, and Chithram, which became his biggest hit, running for 366 days in theatres.
Priyadarshan continued to direct successful films in the 1990s, including Kilukkam, Abhimanyu, Advaitham, and Thenmavin Kombath.
After a short break from Malayalam cinema, Priyadarshan shifted his focus to Hindi cinema, debuting with the remake of Kilukkam, Muskurahat, in 1992. He made a comeback with the action-crime film Gardish, which earned two Filmfare Awards.
Priyadarshan's career in Bollywood took off with the comedy movie Hera Pheri in 2000, starring Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal. He went on to direct comedy blockbusters such as Hungama, Garam Masala, and Phir Hera Pheri.
In 2021, Priyadarshan directed the period drama Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea, set in the 16th century, which earned him the National Film Award for Best Feature Film.
Throughout his career, Priyadarshan has been awarded several state and national awards for his work in Hindi and Malayalam cinema, including the Padma Shri in 2012 for his contribution to Indian cinema.
