Sivakumar Palakrishnan

Last updated
Sivakumar Palakrishnan
Born
Singapore
Occupation(s)Actor, producer, director
Years active2005–present
Known forA Yellow Bird, Tanglin, Sunny Side Up

Sivakumar Palakrishnan is a Singaporean actor, producer, and director. He is known for his lead role in A Yellow Bird (2016), which premiered at Cannes Critics' Week, and for his performances in Mediacorp television dramas including Tanglin and Sunny Side Up. He won the ASEAN Film Award for Best Actor in 2017 and was a National Winner at the Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2025.

Contents

Career

Palakrishnan has appeared in numerous productions across film, television, and theatre in Singapore.

In film, he starred as **Siva** in A Yellow Bird (2016), a Singapore–French co-production directed by K. Rajagopal that premiered in Cannes Critics’ Week. [1] [2] [3] His performance was recognised with the ASEAN Film Award for Best Actor in 2017. [4] He later appeared in the psychological drama Repossession (2019), [5] and in the comedy-drama #LookAtMe (2022). [6]

On television, Palakrishnan was part of the long-running Channel 5 drama Tanglin, [7] and appeared in Vasantham and Channel 5 programmes such as Sunny Side Up (2022–2024), [8] Reunion (2021), [9] Naam (2022), [10] and Folklore (2018) on HBO Asia. [11]

In addition to acting, Palakrishnan has directed programmes for Mediacorp and independent platforms. He directed the short film Fiona, My Friend (2020) for Viddsee Originals, [12] and was credited as director for the Vasantham television comedy series Thiru Valluvan (2011). [13]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016A Yellow BirdSivaLead role; screened at Cannes Critics’ Week
2019RepossessionVinod
2022#LookAtMeThe Warden

Television

Year(s)TitleRoleNotes
2017–2018TanglinChannel 5 drama
2022–2024Sunny Side UpMediacorp Vasantham
2021ReunionVasantham mini-series
2022NaamVasantham drama
2018Folklore (ep. "Nobody")ArupHBO Asia series

Directing

Awards and nominations

References

  1. "A Yellow Bird: Cannes Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  2. "Cannes Film Review: 'A Yellow Bird'". Variety. 22 May 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  3. "Director K. Rajagopal's A Yellow Bird shows the underbelly of Singapore at Cannes Film Festival". The Straits Times. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  4. "Singaporean film A Yellow Bird". Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  5. "Repossession". FilmFreeway. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  6. "#LookAtMe (2022)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  7. "NTU CCA Singapore Digital Archive – Sivakumar Palakrishnan". NTU CCA Singapore. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  8. "Sunny Side Up". meWATCH. Mediacorp. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  9. "Reunion". meWATCH. Mediacorp. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  10. "Naam". meWATCH. Mediacorp. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  11. "Folklore – Nobody". HBO Asia. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  12. "Fiona, My Friend". National Archives of Singapore. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  13. "Thiru Valluvan". Mediacorp Vasantham. 2011. Sivakumar, director. Thiru Valluvan. MediaCorp Vasantham, 2011.
  14. "Fiona, My Friend". National Archives of Singapore. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  15. "Thiru Valluvan". Mediacorp Vasantham. 2011.
  16. "Singaporean film A Yellow Bird". Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  17. "Full List of National Winners 2025" (PDF). Asian Academy Creative Awards. 30 September 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  18. "Vasantham's Pradhana Vizha 2022 Winners". CNA Lifestyle. 4 December 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  19. "NTU CCA Singapore Digital Archive – Sivakumar Palakrishnan". NTU CCA Singapore. Retrieved 30 September 2025.