By Grace Cyril,News18

Copyright news18

The next generation of the Suriya–Jyothika family has entered cinema, and this time it’s not in front of the camera but behind it. Diya Suriya, the 17-year-old daughter of the popular actor couple, has chosen filmmaking as her path. At an age when most teenagers are still exploring their career interests, Diya has already made her directorial debut with a documentary titled Leading Light. The project, produced by her parents’ home banner 2D Entertainment, has gone on to secure a screening slot in Los Angeles as part of its Oscar-qualifying run. The young filmmaker’s choice of subject also stands out as it focuses on the largely unheard stories of women gaffers in Bollywood.
Diya Suriya’s film screening in California now
The film is currently being screened at the Regency Theatre in Los Angeles from September 26 to October 2. Announcing the milestone, 2D Entertainment shared the film’s poster on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, “#LeadingLight The untold stories of Women behind the scenes – A docu-drama that discusses the experiences of Women Gaffers of Bollywood. Screening for the ‘Oscar qualifying run’ at the Regency Theatre, LA, California. Congratulations, our dearest #DiyaSuriya, on this exceptional feat and on shedding light on the contributions of these hidden gems.”
The post further added, “Catch it on screens from Sept 26th to October 2nd at 12:00 PM Show. Written and directed by #DiyaSuriya, produced by #Jyotika #Suriya.”

#LeadingLight The untold stories of Women behind the scenes – A docu-drama that discusses the experiences of Women Gaffers of Bollywood. Screening for the ‘Oscar qualifying run’ at the Regency Theatre, LA, California ✨
Congratulations, our dearest #DiyaSuriya, on this… pic.twitter.com/84h9OSpz58
— 2D Entertainment (@2D_ENTPVTLTD) September 26, 2025

About Leading Light
According to regencymovies.com, the 13-minute documentary “is a powerful 13-minute documentary that uncovers the rarely told narratives of women gaffers in Mumbai’s Bollywood film industry.” The description notes, “Through intimate interviews with three pioneering women, the film captures their experiences of working behind the camera in an environment where they are often the only women on set.”
A proud moment for the family
Diya’s milestone arrives just months after she completed her studies at the University of Southern California. In May this year, her parents shared their pride through a heartfelt Instagram post that read, “All we feel right now is … PROUD. May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears. All the very best, Diya. Amma Appa’s blessings forever.”

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A post shared by Jyotika (@jyotika)

About the family
Suriya and Jyotika married on September 11, 2006. They have two children, Diya, born in 2007, and Dev, born in 2010. The couple has appeared together in seven films, beginning with Poovellam Kettuppar (1999).
On the professional front, Suriya is set to appear in Karuppa, directed by RJB, featuring Trisha, Indrans, Natty, Swasika, Sshivadha, Anagha Maya Ravi, and Supreeth Reddy. He is also working on Suriya 46, helmed by Venky Atluri, which co-stars Mamitha Baiju, Raveena Tandon, and Radhika Sarathkumar.
Jyotika, meanwhile, was recently seen in Dabba Cartel, a film centered on a group of women running a drug cartel under the guise of a food delivery business. The project also stars Shabana Azmi, Shalini Pandey, Nimisha Sajayan, and Anjali Anand.