Filmmaker Sangeeth Sivan Passes Away At 61

Renowned filmmaker from Kerala Sangeeth Sivan passed away at the age of 61. He had films like ‘Vyooham,’ ‘Daddy,’ ‘Gandharvam,’ and the ‘Yodha’. Apart from this, he also made 10 Hindi movies like ‘Kya Kool Hai Hum’ and ‘Apna Sapna Money Money’.

Debut and Breakthrough with ‘Yodha’

Although Sangeeth Sivan’s first directorial venture was the Bollywood film Raakh (1989) as an executive producer, he chose to make his directorial debut in Malayalam with Vyooham (1990), a thriller starring Raghuvaran and Urvashi, loosely inspired by Lethal Weapon. However, it was his second film, the 1992 release Yodha, that cemented his name in Malayalam cinema as a director with a unique flair for humor and memorable performances.

Influenced by the Hollywood film The Golden Child, Yodha featured unforgettable repartees between Jagathy Sreekumar and Mohanlal, which have become a part of everyday conversations in Kerala to this day. Sangeeth also roped in the then-newcomer A.R. Rahman to score the wildly successful album for the film, even before the release of his debut musical Roja.

Other Notable Works in Malayalam

Following the success of Yodha, Sangeeth Sivan continued to explore various genres in Malayalam cinema. His films Daddy (1992), Gandharvam (1993) with Mohanlal, and Nirnayam (1995), inspired by The Fugitive, were notable additions to his repertoire. The children’s film Johnny (1993) won the Kerala State Film Award for the Best Children’s Film.

Transition to Bollywood and OTT Space

After the forgettable Snehapoorvam Anna (2000), Sangeeth Sivan gradually drifted away from the Malayalam industry and marked his presence in Bollywood with the Sunny Deol-starrer Zor (1998). His Bollywood films, such as Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne, Kyaa Kool Hain Hum, and Apna Sapna Money Money, were commercially successful but tonally different from his earlier works, leaning towards a louder and more commercial style.

Sangeeth Sivan also ventured into the OTT space with the psychological thriller Bhram (2019) and briefly returned to Malayalam cinema to write and produce Idiots (2012) and E (2017), although these films were unsuccessful.