Suriya and Jyotika’s Daughter Diya Makes Directorial Debut at 17

Diya Suriya, the 17-year-old daughter of actors Suriya and Jyotika, has stepped into filmmaking with her first short film, Leading Light. The project is backed by her parents’ banner, 2D Entertainment.

The 13-minute docu-drama is about women gaffers in Bollywood. Gaffers are the technicians who handle lighting on film sets and work with the cinematographer. The film shows the struggles, challenges, and determination of women who entered this male-dominated job.

Leading Light features three women pioneers in the field — Hetall Deddhia, Priyanka Singh, and Leena Gangurde. They open up about their journeys, the physical and emotional demands of their work, and how they broke stereotypes to build careers in lighting.

The film is now being screened at the Oscar Qualifying Run at Regency Theatre in Los Angeles. It will be shown every day at 12 noon from September 26 to October 2. This screening makes the film eligible for consideration in the Best Documentary Short category at the 2026 Oscars.

Sharing their pride, Suriya and Jyotika said, “We are happy to support Leading Light, directed by our daughter, which shines a light on the lives of Bollywood women gaffers.”