Sidhart Joe Dev

Sidhart Joe Dev, a performance and screen artist from Penang, has cultivated a career in both screen and stage, producing and hosting everything from talk shows and lifestyle programs to podcasts. His passion for theatre has led him to work as a writer, director, and actor, with performances in productions such as A Streetcar Named Desire, Atomic Jaya, Antigone, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, and Jungle Book The Musical. Beginning his theatre journey in Penang in 2012, he laid a strong foundation for his love of storytelling and performance. To further support his creative pursuits, he established his own company in 2023, JDEV Studios, dedicated to bringing his work to life on screen and stage.

In 2022, Sidhart entered the Kuala Lumpur art scene by participating in Joe Hasham's You, Me, and The Big C. His remarkable performance in the SHORT+SWEET Theatre festival earned him multiple accolades, including Best Actor, Best Director, Best Production, Audience Choice Award, and Mercedes Benz Creative Excellence Award for the play Trash.

In 2023, Sidhart featured in Fa Abdul’s monologue series His Story and Theatresauce’s They All Die at The End, an all-Indian male ensemble show exploring themes of Indian masculinity, identity, and family history. He also portrayed Sultan Mahmud Shah in Joe Hasham’s modern retelling of Jebat. Malaysiakini Press praised his performance, describing him as a "narcissistic, egomaniacal Sultan Mahmud Shah, adding depth to a comic book villain”.

Returning to the SHORT+SWEET Theatre Festival in 2023, Sidhart showcased his talents in the play I’ll Be There for You, which received several awards, including Best Newcomers, Best Production, Audience Choice Award, and The Creative Excellence Award. His performance and direction earned him awards for Best Actor and Best Director, reinforcing his stature in the festival.

In 2024, Sidhart took on a meaningful role in Fa Abdul’s Leela Jhansi, a poignant production that delves into the struggles of a child bride. He also joined Twisted, a whimsical children’s theatre show which reimagines classic fairytales with a playful twist. Additionally, he participated in the 2024 Georgetown Festival theatre lineup, performing in Theatresauce's all-male ensemble play, They All Die at The End. Closing out the year, Sidhart collaborated with long-time theatre partners from Penang to produce a new show he co-wrote, titled Tewas: No Light at the End of the Tunnel, exploring themes of bullying, resilience and struggle.

In 2025, Sidhart continued to broaden his creative footprint with five diverse and compelling theatrical and film projects.

In August, he produced Wacky Double Bill, a sharp, witty, and socially observant piece by acclaimed Malaysian playwright Adriana Nordin Manan. Presented as two back-to-back short plays, the production offered distinct yet thematically connected reflections on contemporary Malaysian life.

In October, he returned to the SHORT+SWEET Film category with his short film Ten Minutes Together, which was warmly received for its strong writing and went on to win Best Script. In the theatre category, Sidhart then debuted Ten Minutes Together – Part 2, a new short play that expands the emotional landscape of the original. Blending heartfelt storytelling with sharp, character-driven dialogue, the piece explored family, secrecy, and generational tension and received both The Festival Director’s Award and The Actors Studio Foundation Award.

Later Sidhart was also involved in What the Elders Left Us Festival, serving as a core production member for the festival. The project highlighted the work and legacy of Malaysian artists from the 1960s and was produced in collaboration with Instant Cafe Theatre. This marked his first formal collaboration with Instant Cafe Theatre, expanding his practice into curatorial and festival-making work while deepening his engagement with Malaysia’s artistic history.

To close out the year, Sidhart brought Tewas: No Light at the End of the Tunnel to Kuala Lumpur audiences for the first time. Co-written and produced in 2024, this powerful production examines the realities of bullying, resilience, and institutional failure in Malaysian schools. Following a successful debut in Penang, the KL staging. Tewas went on to become a critically well-received production, earning strong audience response and establishing Sidhart as a creator capable of handling socially grounded, emotionally driven work. The success of Tewas marked a new phase in his artistic trajectory, paving the way for larger and more ambitious projects.

In 2026, Sidhart will be seen producing Bebenang (working title), a large-scale production co-produced with Leysha Al-Yahya and directed by Farah Rani. The project brings together Malaysian artists from multiple disciplines to explore questions of national identity through verbatim theatre, and is set to be one of the most ambitious and significant productions in the Klang Valley that year.

He is also planning collaborations with local Chinese theatre troupes as part of his broader interest in bridging the gap between English-language and Chinese-language theatre. Through this, Sidhart aims to explore the creative possibilities of Malaysia’s local languages and contribute to a more interconnected, diverse performing arts landscape.