Deepti Pillay Sivan – 2025 Catalysts: 2025 – A year set to be defined by unplugged creativity, catalytic change, and compelling courage…
…TheGlitz proudly shines the spotlight on those disruptive forces – men and women – who we believe will be the real game-changers of this golden year. Presenting our 2025 Catalysts – visionaries poised to make a lasting impact!
Deepti Pillay Sivan: The Creative Trailblazer Sparking a New Era in 2025
Meet the unstoppable Deepti Pillay Sivan – a multi-faceted woman of many talents who’s blazing her own trail with style and substance. She first captured our attention as an actress, sharing her debut screen with the iconic Mohanlal. But Deepti didn’t stop there. She’s a master of reinvention – a producer who has created stellar content for global broadcasters like National Geographic and Al Jazeera, and a Station Director who launched Red FM in the South at just 30. Not one to rest on her laurels, she then ascended to the top as the Business Head of both Sun TV and Zee TV.
Deepti’s creative genius truly came to the fore when she turned director with the award-winning documentary Decoding Shankar, chronicling the life of music maestro Shankar Mahadevan. The film swept 25 international film awards, but Deepti was just getting started. She produced Ozhuki Ozhuki Ozhuki, which was directed by her husband, Sanjeev Sivan, and marked her son Sidhanshu’s debut – talent truly runs in the family! And now, her directorial debut in fiction, Achappa’s Album, written by her husband Sanjeev Sivan and produced by NFDC, further solidified her position as a visionary filmmaker. A seamless collaboration of talent and storytelling, the project showcased Deepti’s unique ability to bring compelling narratives to life.
Fierce, outspoken, and unstoppable, Deepti Pillay Sivan embodies the essence of a modern ‘Hero.’ Named one of TheGlitz‘s 2025 Catalysts, she is set to revolutionize the creative world and leave an indelible mark this year.
Over To Deepti Pillay Sivan
You’ve worn many hats throughout your career, from producer to director, and even station director. What has been the most challenging transition, and how have these roles shaped your perspective on the film industry?
Deepti Pillay Sivan: The most challenging is being a Director of a Film. My roles as the head of Red FM Radio, Sun TV and even my stint with Zee TV was to start an organization from the scratch and do things the way you want- from hiring to programming and eventually deliver it as a well oiled machine for the next person to take over. After that it was just an automated process once things were in place. But as a Director of a Film, the challenges were plenty – first to get the right people from actors, technicians etc on board within budget accepting your vision, completing the film within stipulated days & budget, cajoling the egos of people (as all are famous people on the sets), sometimes things that’s beyond your control like the weather, an accident on the sets, date clashes etc, – in such situations one has to take an on the spot decisions as there are lakhs of rupees per day at stake. Further, being a woman was also one major thing as some of the technicians weren’t willing to take orders from you or discuss things as they think, “I’m much superior (with their years of experience and fame)” and impose their decisions on you as to how to shoot etc. which would be quite different from what I would have conceived. But my guru, my husband Sanjeev Sivan and my dearest friend, the legendary Editor Sreekar Prasad, would drive in the point to me – saying “It’s ultimately going to be your Film so put your foot down and ask for things the way you want and shoot the way you want”. And when you finally do that, you are faced with opposition but you still have to ensure that things are done as money is at stake. Lots of times you have to lump many unpleasant situations, egos and tantrums of people… yet be the most mature and grounded person on the sets as you are the Captain of the ship and the world is watching you.
As someone who has worked with major broadcasters like National Geographic and Al Jazeera, how do you strike a balance between creative storytelling and the commercial demands of media giants?
Deepti Pillay Sivan: In those roles, I was handling the Production whereas the creative things were handled by my husband who was the Director on the projects. So my role was being Ms. Money bags and Execution of the Projects for these Broadcasters.
As the station director who launched Red FM in the South at just 30, and later as a Business and Commissioning head for major networks, what challenges have you faced as a woman in leadership roles in a male-dominated industry?
Deepti Pillay Sivan: I was an actress before joining these corporate organisations. My experience working with loads of talented people in the film industry is tremendous. So my training is to think out of the box and come up with instant solutions to problems in hand etc. After gaining such experience, the confidence one has in one’s ability, makes you survive under any circumstances.
I was hired by the top leadership of these corporate organisations, so your responsibility becomes double to deliver and when you deliver successful results -your peers or seniors (who lack confidence in their ability) in the organisation, for whom this job is extremely important or some would have started their career in the organisation (dont know where to go if thrown out), feel threatened and start breaking you, gaslighting, humiliating in front of your juniors, even character assassinating you (the easiest thing to do since you are a woman) just to cover up for their insecurities. But one has so much confidence in oneself, that in such situations when it goes beyond the tolerance level, I take a walk and start fresh with new goals and aspirations because you are so confident about your talent that you know you will survive. God has been kind to pull me out of such situations and showed me the way ahead.
Your documentary “Decoding Shankar” won widespread praise. What drew you to this project, and how did you navigate portraying such a multifaceted and iconic figure?
Deepti Pillay Sivan: It was just after walking away from a corporate job, I needed to detox myself after my harrowing experience in that job. I wanted to do something different. My hubby wanted to divert my attention and said, ‘You love musician Shankar Mahadevan, do a documentary on him’. Thanks to the Commissioning Editor of PSBT, Mr. Rajiv Mehrotra who also sanctioned the film and inspired me to make a film of my vision. Finally the man, Shankar Mahadevan, was so gracious he agreed immediately. What a talented man he is, his repertoire is huge – the only Pan Indian singer who is from the south but is huge in Bollywood, who could sing from jazz to classical all with absolute ease, songs in any language Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Malayalam… you name it and in front of the camera, he was doing exactly as I desired with no egos, hang-ups or tantrums… that’s primarily the reason I could make the film the way I wanted and deliver the best – and I became a Documentary Filmmaker. Which ultimately earned me the tag of being the only Indian female filmmaker to win 25 International Awards for a documentary film. Such recognition means a lot to me especially when I come from a family with highly accomplished people.
You come from the illustrious Sivan family, where filmmaking runs in the blood. How does this legacy influence your approach to cinema, and do you ever feel pressured by the expectations that come with it?
Deepti Pillay Sivan: I was an actress before I got married. Post my marriage, I got involved in the behind the camera, handling Production etc especially in the films that were churned out by the family. Today if I am a Producer or a Director, I owe it only to my husband Sanjeev Sivan. He gave me the confidence, support, encouragement and inspiration that I can do it. When I was directing “Decoding Shankar”, he told me you will Not take any help from anyone in the family (including him) as people will judge you and not credit you for your hard work. Eventually when I was winning accolades for my film, Sanjeev said, “See how futuristic I was, now no one can take away the glory that you richly deserve for your talent and hard work.” Yes, I was pressured by the expectations not only from the outside world, but also by the family members as the family reputation was at stake and I was under scrutiny of everyone. If I hadn’t delivered, I would have been ripped by everyone. But my hubby is the one who helped me discover my inborn talent, nurture it and success in my projects is purely parents and God’s blessings.
As the producer of the award-winning film Ozhuki Ozhuki Ozhuki, directed by your husband and featuring your son’s debut, how did you navigate the personal and professional dynamics on set? What was it like watching your son step into the world of cinema?
Deepti Pillay Sivan: It was the last conversation my father-in-law Sivan had with my hubby in the ICU and also my mother Vasantha Pillay’s dying wish to see her grandson Sidhanshu act in movies. From the age of four, Sidhanshu would constantly say he wants to be an actor etc and that’s when my father-in-law said – we have launched the careers of so many stars and when our own children seek help; we should be supporting them. After their ( my father-in-law and my mother) passing away, as a tribute to them we made this film “Ozhuki Ozhuki Ozhuki”. It was the best decision as we could discover the actor in Sidhanshu. God sends some people stuffed with talent like Sachin Tendulakar -saying you are meant to be a Cricketer, AR Rehman- you be a musician or Vishwanathan Anand – you play Chess. Similarly I am not saying this because he is my son but this boy is meant to be an actor, as you can see, he transforms into the character the moment you say “Action”. In a matter of time, in the years to come, the whole world will definitely rave about his talent, I can guarantee that.
On the sets since Sanjeev was the Director – father-son had an equation hence it was easy to shoot. Since it was my son’s debut, I didn’t want to upset him, hence the entire pressure was on me to ensure that the film needed to be completed within the budget and the planned days. Further, the absolute confidence in the abundant talent of Sanjeev Sivan made me take the risk and I am truly glad that I did.
Your directorial debut, Achappa’s Album, is a critically acclaimed film for NFDC about time travel. What inspired you to take on such a complex theme for your debut, and how did you approach directing a script written by your husband?
Deepti Pillay Sivan: I would say it’s God’s blessings that this opportunity to direct just fell into my lap. Thanks to NFDC for believing in me, thanks to “Decoding Shankar” the film where I could prove myself, thanks to Shankar Mahadevan for allowing me to make a film on him. So it’s actually one thing leading to another. The script was extremely interesting – which happens in every household and every child. So I was sure that this is one story that everyone will identify as it resonates with everyone and will bring back nostalgia. So when Anirban Bhattacharya initially sounded it out and wrote the script, we felt there is something in the subject. I have three boys in my house and I face this in my house everyday so I just put that on screen. Eventually three of them wrote the script – Anirban Bhattacharya, Umesh S Nair and Sanjeev Sivan. But I realised as a woman and a mother, I could bring out so many minor nuances of life while shooting that a man wouldn’t understand. So being a woman and directing this subject could bring out the perspective of a mother with hilarious undertones and real life instances in a household.
As someone deeply involved in both mainstream and documentary filmmaking, how do you see the future of Indian cinema evolving, especially in terms of storytelling, distribution, and global appeal? What role do you believe women will play in shaping this future?
Deepti Pillay Sivan: The future of Indian cinema has a long way to go if you are looking at global recognition. If you notice any film that has done well globally, it’s purely because of the Co-Production. It’s not because our content is not good, it’s because people aren’t ready to accept our stories as they can’t identify with them. But if it’s in the context of the Indian market we are looking at, if we stay true to our roots and soil, the audience will lap it up and it’s a success story. Unfortunately all our superstars won’t take the risk or compromise and so end up doing unrealistic stuff which tank at the box office. The only Indian Superstar who is ready to experiment is Mammooty and he has constantly delivered superhits too. For me until such time Bollywood stars are ready to take the risk and experiment with realistic stories, for Bollywood, there is no hope but the South film industry will definitely deliver with its stars, content and audience. Can you ever imagine a superstar of Bollywood looking like Allu Arjun of Pushpa? They would never risk their image of designer outfits to rugged ones unless it’s someone like Nawazuddin Siddiqui or Manoj Bajpai or Vikrant Massey etc.
Regarding the role of women filmmakers in shaping the future, this is the best phase for a woman to be in the business of movie making, even in the capacity of a Producer or Director. It’s not the gender that matters, it’s the talent and content that you create. If you are able to deliver what the audience wants… then money talks, not the gender. But the fact is that the world is slowly opening up to women technicians, which was primarily male dominated. However, it will take a while for conservative society like ours to see women at the helm of affairs, but in filmmaking it’s not the compulsion to accept the offer but the money that calls the shots to take up the project. So I realised that if money is good, even a man will lump up their ego and finally accept, even if it’s a woman at the top.
