Filmmaker Sumathy Ram champions global collaboration through music and storytelling

Music has never been confined to a soundtrack for Texas-based filmmaker and producer Sumathy Ram. She has thought of it as a language capable of carrying ideas across borders, cultures and generations.

Having worked across filmmaking, lyric writing, poetry and music production, Sumathy says every creative pursuit ultimately serves the same purpose. “I use my platform to express my views on humanity and well-being,” she says.

Collaborating with artistes such as Indian music composer, and three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi has only strengthened that conviction she says. “These collaborations give me the strength to continue believing that music is an agent of social transformation. It brings joy to communities, provides spiritual sustenance and offers emotional fulfilment.” Sumathy has collaborated on projects spanning more than 40 countries, including Gandhi: Mantras of Compassion , which brought together over 230 musicians from around the world.