After graduating from the Film and Television Institute of India in 1984, Santosh Sivan began his film career as a cinematographer, eventually working with such legendary Bollywood directors as Aditya Bhattacharya (Raakh) and the always innovative Mani Rathnam (Iruvar, Dil Se). In 1995 he moved into directing himself with the #92;children's film Halo, which was featured in several #92;children's film festivals. He gained international renown for his second feature, The Terrorist in 1998, a harrowing #92;fact-based drama about a teenage female assassin that so impressed actor John Malkovich that he arranged its distribution in the United States. Malli, a more low-key #92;drama about an impoverished little girl, followed in 1999. His Bollywood #92;epic Asoka, a major artistic departure, was released in 2001. Sivan serves as cinematographer on all his directorial efforts, giving his films a distinct, lush visual beauty. ~ Tom Vick, All Movie Guide