Renji Panicker
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Renji Panicker is an Indian film actor, scriptwriter, director, film producer, and journalist best known for his Malayalam films. Renji Panicker began his career as a journalist. He started off as a reporter for magazines and publications. During an interview, while working for Chithrabhumi, a film magazine, he met director Shaji Kailas, who led him into the world of cinema and within a short time became one of the most wanted scriptwriters of Malayalam cinema. Renji scripted several commercially successful films for Shaji Kailas, including Dr. Pasupathy (1990), Thalastaanam (1992), Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans (1993), Ekalavyan (1993), Mafia (1993), Commissioner (1994), and The King (1995). The Renji Panicker-Shaji Kailas team elevated Suresh Gopi into a bankable lead actor during the early 1990s. He is known for his collaboration with director Joshiy, which included the films Lelam (1997) and Pathram (1999). Panicker uses stuffy English words to deliver the impact with emphasis. Except Dr. Pasupathi and Aakasha Kottayile Sultan all of his films are done with a political backdrop. Political problems and events were always added and magnified in his scripts, which evoked controversies and threats to his life. Panicker's dialogue in Lelam based on a real-life character and jingoistic characters from Commissioner are considered timeless for Mollywood. He made his debut as a director with Bharatchandran IPS in 2005, He also co-produced this film. This film crossed 100-day run in all major centres and gave a rebirth to Suresh Gopi. Renji's second directorial attempt was Roudram, released in 2008, with Mammootty in the main role, Another police story, this film was a success.