As Malayalam cinema mourns the death of Sreenivasan, attention has turned to the extraordinary list of national, state and industry awards that mark his long career as an actor, screenwriter, director, producer and satirist, a body of work that reshaped Malayalam storytelling and chronicled the social conscience of Kerala.

Sreenivasan’s most significant national recognition came in 1998, when 'Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala', which he directed, won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues. The film also swept major honours at the Kerala State Film Awards, winning Best Popular Film, and later earned him Best Director (Malayalam) at the Filmfare Awards South, cementing its status as one of the most socially resonant Malayalam films of its time.

His long association with the Kerala State Film Awards reflected his sustained excellence across disciplines. He won Best Film for 'Vadakkunokkiyantram' (1989), Best Story for the landmark political satire 'Sandesam' (1991), and Best Screenplay for 'Mazhayethum Munpe' (1995). In 2006, his understated performance in 'Thakarachenda' earned him a Special Mention (Acting), while 'Katha Parayumpol' fetched him the Best Popular Film award as producer in 2007.

The Kerala Film Critics Association Awards repeatedly recognised Sreenivasan’s writing, honouring him for Best Story ('Vadakkunokkiyantram'), Best Screenplay ('Mazhayethum Munpe, 'Yathrakarude Sradhakku', 'Katha Parayumpol'), and conferring a Special Jury Award in 2007. In 2023, he received the prestigious Chalachitra Ratnam Award, acknowledging his lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema.

At the Filmfare Awards South, Sreenivasan won Best Director (Malayalam) for 'Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala' (1998) and Best Film (Malayalam) as producer for 'Katha Parayumpol' (2007), a film that bridged popular appeal with emotional realism and later inspired a Bollywood remake.

Sreenivasan also won the Ramu Kariat Memorial Award for both Best Film ('Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala') and Best Actor ('Aathmakatha '), reinforcing his rare ability to excel equally in front of and behind the camera.

Among his other major honours were the Sathyan Memorial Film Award (2009), the T K Ramakrishnan Memorial Award for contribution to public life (2011), the Bharat Balan K Nair Film Award (2012), and the Tapasya Madampu Smriti Award (2024) for his lasting contributions to Malayalam film literature.

In death, as in life, Sreenivasan stands remembered not just as an award-winning filmmaker, but as one of Malayalam cinema’s most incisive observers, fearless satirists and enduring cultural voices, a legacy validated as much by applause as by the honours that followed.