Diya Suriya Makes Her Directorial Debut

Diya Suriya, daughter of actors Suriya and Jyothika, has made her debut as a filmmaker with a short film titled Leading Light.

The 13-minute docu-drama, produced under her parents’ banner 2D Entertainment focuses on women gaffers in Bollywood. Gaffers are the lighting technicians who work closely with cinematographers on film sets.

The film highlights the struggles, challenges and determination of women who entered this male dominated profession.

It features three pioneers, Hetall Deddhia, Priyanka Singh and Leena Gangurde, who share their journeys, the tough demands of the job and how they broke stereotypes to establish themselves.

Leading Light is currently being screened at the Oscar Qualifying Run at Regency Theatre in Los Angeles from September 26th to October 2nd, making it eligible for the 2026 Oscars in the Best Documentary Short category. Proud parents Suriya and Jyothika said they are happy to support their daughter’s work.

Suriya and Jyotika’s daughter Diya makes her directorial debut! Her documentary short film “Leading Light” is being screened at Los Angeles’ Regency Theater and aims for Oscar qualification. Proud moment for Tamil cinema! #DiyaSuriya #Suriya #Jyotika #LeadingLight #CinemaNews… pic.twitter.com/dBDUq47J0e

— kgpradeepkumar (@kgpradeepkumar) September 27, 2025