Priyadarshan began his cinematic career in the early 1980s within Malayalam, directing films such as Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu (1986), Thalavattam (1986), Vellanakalude Nadu (1988), Chithram (1988), Vandanam (1989), and Kilukkam (1991).

In the 1990s, his work included films like Abhimanyu (1991), Mithunam (1993), Thenmavin Kombath (1994), Kaalapaani (1996), Chandralekha (1997), and Megham (1999).

[2][3] In 2013, Priyadarshan announced that Rangrezz would be his last Hindi film for the time being, as he shifted his focus back to Malayalam cinema.

He was an avid reader in his teens, and during college, he began writing short plays and skits for All India Radio.

With Mohanlal's help, Priyadarshan worked as an assistant scriptwriter on a few films and began writing his own scripts, some of which became successful.

However, Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu, Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi and Dheem Tharikida Thom were successful.

His Tamil film Chinnamanikkuyile remained unreleased, while his work in Malayalam continued with Cheppu, which was a success.

Then came Aryan, an action film based on the Mumbai underworld, scripted by T. Damodaran, which ran for 150 days in theatres.

Chithram ran for 366 days in theatres and set collection records, later broken by his own film, Kilukkam in 1991.

M. Karunanidhi to direct a film for his son's production house, resulting in his Tamil debut with Gopura Vasalile.

[citation needed] In 1993, he made a comeback in Hindi with Gardish, an adaptation of the Malayalam film Kireedom, written by A. K. Lohithadas.

In 1996, Priyadarshan released Kalapani, an epic period film about the Indian independence struggle, scripted by T. Damodaran, starring Mohanlal, Tabu, Prabhu and Amrish Puri with music by Ilaiyaraja.

In 1998, Priyadarshan directed three films: Saat Rang Ke Sapne, a remake of his own Thenmavin Kombathu, and Doli Saja Ke Rakhna, with a story adapted from Fazil's Aniyathi Pravu and Kabhi na Kabhi; all three failed at the box office.

In 2000, Priyadarshan directed the Malayalam-Tamil bilingual Raakilipattu (Snegithiye in Tamil) starring Tabu and Jyothika, with a story adapted from the Marathi film Bindhaast.

His other two Malayalam films, Kilichundan Mampazham and Vettam released in 2003 and 2004, had an average run at the box office, leading him to focus on Bollywood.

Priyadarshan returned to Malayalam films with Arabeem Ottakom P. Madhavan Nayarum in Oru Marubhoomikkadha, starring Mohanlal.

[13] The screenplay and dialogues, written by Priyadarshan based on a story by Govind Vijayan, received positive reviews[14] and became a blockbuster, breaking records[15] and becoming the highest-grossing Malayalam film of the year within 16 days of release.

[16] In early 2018, he began pre-production on Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham, a Malayalam language historical period film set in the 16th century.

[19][20] Priyadarshan has also directed numerous advertisement films for brands such as Coca-Cola, American Express, Nokia, Parker Pens, Asian Paints, Kinley, and Max New York Life Insurance.

[21] Priyadarshan has frequently collaborated with actors such as Mohanlal, Mammootty, Shankar, Kuthiravattam Pappu, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Sankaradi, M.G.

Soman, Thilakan, Jagathy Sreekumar, Innocent, Nedumudi Venu, Sreenivasan, Sukumari, Kaviyoor Ponnamma, Shobana, KPAC Lalitha, Revathi, Lissy, Cochin Haneefa, Maniyanpilla Raju, Mukesh, Nandhu, Jagadeesh, C.I.

He made Kaalapani, a period epic in Malayalam, about freedom fighters in jail at Andaman and Nicobar Islands,; starring Mohanlal, Tabu, Prabhu and Amrish Puri.