Deepan Sivaraman

Deepan Sivaraman is an Indian theatre director, scenographer and academic. He is from Thrissur, Kerala.

Sivaraman received Charles Wallace India Trust Award in 2003, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards in 2011 and 2010, respectively. Deepan served as the Artistic Director for the International Theatre Festival of Kerala(ITFOK) for 2014 edition which had a curatorial focus on transition, gender and spectatorship. Deepan Sivaraman currently is an associate professor of performance studies at School of Culture and Creative Expressions at the Ambedkar University in Delhi.

Deepan Sivaraman speaking at the KSSP Malappuram Science Festival 2026, alongside Ajai Narendran, Dr. Anand Narayanan, and Dr. T. P. Vinod

The Legend of Khasak Khasakkinte Itihasam – The Play a Milestone

Deepan involved with KM Kunjambu Smaraka Kalasamaithi.(KMK) Trikaripur for the project of The Legends of Khasak Khasakkinte Itihasam with the local village actors, it was a unique theatre project that has no similarities in the recent Indian theatre history in the terms of its production of working with village actors and the way in which the entire village got part of it. The trans – chronic post-modern novel of O. V. Vijayan, The Legends of Khasak Khasakkinte Itihasam is revived onto the stage, in the Land of dark native myths and tantalizing legends – Kasaragod. The geographical memory of Khasak is transplanted to the landscape of Kasaragod. The tree of life, Revered Time, Slits of spreading self and sins and mythologized nature of Khasak takes a re-birth to burn down into the body of the spectator. The performance fuses native religious rituals and native art forms in separately. The three months of theatre camp for the regional artists were a refreshing wind to the cultural present of Kerala, which proved that the rural art gatherings were not extinct in the cultural space. From the last remaining sapling spread a green hope which rushed the village into a spring of artistic thought. There were muted tunes, silenced slogans and an unbroken harmony which united the whole village onto the theatre. Portraying, or interpreting Khasak into its multidimensional plurality was a challenge to any medium, to which this theatrical interpretation stands as an exemption. The characters of Khasak Allapicha Mollakka, Maimuna, Appukili, Naizam Ali, Kuttandan Pushari and Ravi meet the spectators in the aesthetically subverted, politically deconstructed, surreal space.

Directorial works along with its design

Year Title Credit 2018Dark Things Scenographer and co-director with Dr. Anuradha Kapur 2018 Nationalism Project Director, Scenographer 2015 The Legends of Khasak Director, Scenographer 2015 The Cabinet of Dr Caligari Director, Scenographer 2014 It’s Cold in Here Director, Scenographer 2014 Project Nostalgia Director, Scenographer 2013 The Little Prince Director, Scenographer 2011 Ubu Roi Director, Scenographer & Dramaturge 2010 Peer Gynt Director Scenographer, Dramaturge 2009 Spinal Cord Director, Scenographer & Dramaturge 2004 The circle of the seasons Director, Scenographer 2004 Dream of Death Director, Scenographer 2002 Kamala Director, Scenographer 1998 Lord of the Flies Director, Dramaturge

Scenography works

Year Title Director Producer 2018 The Girl in the Drain Dr. Anuradha Kapur National School of Drama Delhi 2017 Naked Voices Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry National School of Drama Delhi 2016 Talatum Abhilash Pillai Serendipity Art Trust Delhi 2016 Bitter Fruit Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry National School of Drama Delhi 2012 Virasat Dr. Anuradha Kapur National School of Drama Delhi. 2008 The Little India Emily Grey Trestle Theatre, UK 2006 Palm Grove Tales Abhilash Pillai School of Drama Thrissur 2003 Siddartha Jyothish MG Abhinaya Theatre Centre Thiruvananthapuram 2002 Bhagvadujjukeeyam Jyothish MG Abhinaya Theatre Centre Thiruvananthapuram 2001 Verdigris Abhilash Pillai Abhinaya Theatre Centre Thiruvananthapuram 2000 Thatri Realizing Self J Shailaja Kriya Collective Thiruvananthapuram

Major Theatre Festivals participated

2019 – International Theatre Festival of Kerala Kerala, Dark Things 2018 – Wuzhen International Theatre Festival Shanghai, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari 2018 – YULICA International theatre festival Krakow, Nationalism Project. 2017 – International Theatre Festival of Kerala 9th Edition, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari 2016 – International Theatre Festival of Kerala 8th Edition, The Legends of Khasak 2016 – Bharat Rang Mahotsav Delhi, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari 2013 – International Theatre Festival of Kerala 7th Edition, Virasat 2012 – International Theatre Festival National School of Drama Delhi, Peer Gynt 2011 – International Theatre Festival of Kerala 5th Edition, Peer Gynt 2011 – National theatre Festival of Kerala, Peer Gynt 2010 – Ibsen Festival New Delhi, Peer Gynt 2010 – Mahindra Excellence in theatre Awards New Delhi, Spinal Cord 2010 – Rangayana National Theatre Festival Bangalore, Spinal Cord 2009 – International Theatre Festival National School of Drama Delhi, Spinal Cord 2009 – International Theatre Festival of Kerala, Spinal Cord 2009 – National Theatre Festival Thiruvananthapuram Kerala, Spinal Cord 2007 – Avignon Theatre Festival France, Siddhartha 2006 – Prithvi Theatre Festival Mumbai, Bagavdajjukam 2006 – South Asian Theatre Festival New Delhi, Siddhartha 2004 – International Theatre Festival National School of Drama New Delhi, Siddhartha 2003 – International Theatre Festival National School of Drama Delhi, Bagavadajjukam 2001 – International Theatre Festival National School of Drama New Delhi, Verdigris 2000 – Festival De Alameda Lisbon Portugal, Verdigris 2000 – Asian Woman Theatre Festival New Delhi, Thathri Realising Self

Awards 2010 – Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards 2012 – Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award