Siddharth Iyer

Siddharth Iyer is part of a new generation of Pune-based filmmakers who see no boundary between writing, directing, and acting. Growing up in the city's Deccan Gymkhana neighbourhood, he was steeped in Marathi literary and theatrical traditions. His mother, a Marathi novelist, and his father, a documentary cinematographer, gave him a household where storytelling was as natural as breathing. By his teens, Siddharth was writing short stories in both Marathi and English, and his short film made on a borrowed camera won the state-level youth film competition. Siddharth earned his degree in Film Direction from the Film and Television Institute of India, where he was mentored by some of India's finest filmmakers. His diploma film, Aatma Katha, a Marathi experimental narrative about memory and identity, won the National Award for Best Short Film and established him as a filmmaker to watch. But Siddharth also harboured a passion for acting, and he trained in screen performance under Naseeruddin Shah's workshop at Motley Productions. His acting debut in Punha Eka Diwashi (2023), a Marathi neo-noir he also co-wrote, directed by Chaitanya Tamhane's associate Rohit Kulkarni, showcased his multifaceted talent. Playing a disillusioned screenwriter investigating a mysterious death, Siddharth brought a brooding intensity that drew comparisons to early Aamir Khan. He followed this with the Hindi indie Kahaani Mein Twist, where he played a struggling screenwriter in Mumbai, a role that allowed him to draw on his own experiences.