Thampi was introduced to the Malayalam film industry in 1966 by P. Subramaniam as a lyricist in the film Kaattumallika. He has produced 25 films, directed 29, and written scripts for 85 films in Malayalam besides writing thousands of songs. He is also the author of the well-known literary workPrem Nazir Enna Prema Gaanam. He won the National Award for Best Book on Cinema film whilst his films Gaanam and Mohiniyattam won Kerala State Awards. He is a songwriter, screenplay writer, film producer, director and musician, but says he is more of a lyricist than a filmmaker. His songs include "Chandrikayilaliyunna Chandrakaantham", "Hridayasarasile pranayapushpame" and "Swonthamenna padathinendhartham". His films Chandrakantham, Gaanam, Mohiniyattam, Maalika Paniyunnavar, Jeevitham Oru Gaanam and Ambalavilakku became artistic successes. His successful box office films include Naayattu, Aakramanam and Idi Muzhakkam. Thampi is widely known as "Hrudaya Ragangaluday Kavi", as the majority of his songs invoke romantic moods. He is known for his obstinate and uncompromising attitude to his work and strives to make his songs blend with the scene. Thampi has written four novels - Kakkathampuraatti, Kuttanad, Kadalum Karalum and Njanoru Kadha Parayam and collections of poems Engineerayuday Veena, Neelathaamara, En Makan Karayumpol, Sheershakamillatha Kavithakal, Achante Chumbanam, Ammakkoru Tharaattu.Puthralaabham and Avaseshippukal. His collection of 1001 selected songs, titled Hridaya Sarassu, had three editions in two years. Now going to its sixth Edition. His selected Poems are published in Hindi with the title " SREEKUMARAN THAMPI KI KAVITHAYEM ".
Personal life
Thampi was born at Haripad, Alappuzha District, on 16 March 1940 to Kalarikkal Krishna Pillai and Karimpalayathu Bhavanikutty Thankachi. In an interview, he stated that his ancestors shifted from Chirakkal in Kannur district to Haripad He completed his schooling from Haripad government school. He is a graduate in mathematics from Sanatana Dharma College and civil engineer, graduated from Govt. Engineering College, Thrissur. His siblings are the renowned novelist late P. Vasudevan Thampi who wrote novels like Sreekrishnaparinthu, Advocate P. Gopalakrishnan Thampi, the former Director General of Prosecutions,and former chairman of Kerala Bar Council, Thulasi Gopinath and Prasannavadanan Thampi, former Vice President of Oracle Financial Systems Software Ltd. Thampi is married to Rajeswari and they have a daughter. His wife and daughter have also dabbled in the arts. He also had a son, Rajakumaran Thampi was an erstwhile associate of Priyadarshan and later directed some movies in the Telugu film industry, until his sudden death in Secundarabad in March 2009. Sreekumaran Thampi has three grand daughters Thanmaya, Varada and Thanaya. He is settled in Chennai and his office is in Trivandrum.
