by FilmInk Staff
South Australian filmmaker Yogi Devgan brings a deeply personal story of cultural preservation, family, community and belonging to audiences across Australia through SBS On Demand.
A grandmother’s determination to preserve her language and cultural heritage is at the heart of Dadi Maa, a short documentary by South Australian filmmaker Yogi Devgan, available to stream on SBS On Demand from 1 November 2026.
Featuring Dayawati Pandey, affectionately known as Dadi Maa, the documentary tells the story of a woman who turned her passion for language and culture into a community initiative. In 2012, Dayawati established a volunteer-run Hindi and Sanskrit language school in South Australia, driven by a desire to ensure that younger generations would not lose their connection to their linguistic and cultural roots.
For Dayawati, the school was about far more than teaching vocabulary, grammar or ancient verses. It was about passing on stories, traditions, values and a sense of identity that can become harder to maintain when families settle in a new country. She recognised the importance of giving younger generations an opportunity to understand their heritage, connect with their cultural roots and carry that knowledge into the future.
Her dedication reflects a challenge familiar to many migrant families: how to preserve the language and traditions that shaped previous generations while building a life in a new country.
At its heart, Dadi Maa is a story about family, belonging and the enduring connection between generations.
A personal story with a universal message
For filmmaker Yogi Devgan, the story is deeply personal.
As an Australian multidisciplinary artist-filmmaker whose work explores identity, displacement, diversity and human connection, Yogi is interested in the experiences that shape who we are and the stories that risk being forgotten. Through Dadi Maa, he turns the camera towards his own family and community, exploring the delicate relationship between generations, cultural expectations and the realities of growing up in Australia.
The documentary captures a tension familiar to many families: the desire of elders to pass on their language and traditions, alongside the challenges of keeping those connections alive among younger generations whose lives are shaped by a different cultural environment.
Rather than offering simple answers, Dadi Maa invites audiences to reflect on what heritage means, the sacrifices made by earlier generations and the importance of preserving the stories that connect families.
It is also a reminder that cultural preservation does not happen automatically. It depends on people who are willing to give their time, energy and knowledge to ensure that traditions and languages remain part of everyday life.
Recognising the quiet heroes who strengthen our communities
Dayawati’s contribution extends beyond the classroom. In recognition of her dedication to preserving language, culture and community connections, she received the Local Hero Award at the Australian Film Diversity & Inclusion Foundation (AFDIF) Film Festival.
The award recognises people who make meaningful contributions to their communities, often without seeking attention or recognition. These are the individuals whose work may happen quietly in classrooms, community halls and volunteer-led initiatives, yet whose impact can be felt across generations.
For the past three years, AFDIF has presented its Local Hero Award to shine a light on these unsung community contributors and acknowledge the important role they play in building a more inclusive and connected society.
Dayawati’s recognition reflects the spirit of the award. Through her volunteer-led Hindi and Sanskrit language school, she has dedicated herself to helping preserve cultural knowledge and create opportunities for younger generations to connect with their heritage.
Dayawati’s words “You will naturally learn English as you grow up and live in Australia, but it is equally important to keep your own language alive to stay connected to your cultural roots, heritage and identity.”
Yogi said, “learning native language as important as enjoying our food, I remember listing to stories by my grandmother and miss her deeply”
Her story highlights an important message: community leadership does not always happen in the spotlight. Sometimes, it is found in the quiet determination of someone who continues to teach, support and inspire others year after year.
By bringing Dayawati’s story to SBS On Demand, Dadi Maa celebrates not only one grandmother’s determination, but also the many community heroes whose contributions deserve to be seen, heard and remembered.
From personal stories to a broader conversation
Yogi Devgan’s filmmaking journey has been shaped by a commitment to telling authentic Australian stories that reflect the diversity of the communities around us.
A graduate of the University of South Australia’s Bachelor of Film and Television program, Yogi has created community television program for Channel 44 and has made more than 20 short films and documentaries. His work spans fiction and documentary, often exploring the human experiences that unite people across cultural and social differences.
His projects include A Silent Escape, Smile, It’s Free, I Am OK and Unbreakable Stride. Across these productions, he has explored themes of identity, mental health, resilience, disability and the complexities of human relationships.
His commitment to sharing diverse voices also extends to community television and cultural conversations. Through Masala Chai Chat Show, a multilingual program featuring conversations in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and English, Yogi helps bring people and communities together through stories, ideas and lived experiences.
As the founder of the Australian Film Diversity & Inclusion Foundation Inc. (AFDIF), Yogi Devgan advocates for greater representation, diversity and inclusion on and behind the screen, championing filmmakers and stories from under-represented communities. His contribution to arts and culture was recognised when he became a joint winner of the 2025 Governor’s Multicultural Award for Arts & Culture. He is also a member of the South Australian Film Corporation’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group, contributing to initiatives aimed at building a more inclusive and representative South Australian screen industry.
Across these projects, a common thread runs through Yogi’s work: the belief that every community has stories worth telling, and that sharing those stories can help people understand one another.
A local story reaching a national audience
The release of Dadi Maa on SBS On Demand marks an important milestone for an independent South Australian filmmaker bringing a local story to a national audience.
Although rooted in one family’s experience, the documentary speaks to a much wider Australian audience, from grandparents who want to pass on their heritage to parents navigating cultural identity, and young people discovering what their family history means to them.
It also recognises the often-unseen work of community volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to preserving languages, traditions and cultural knowledge for future generations.
For Dayawati, the language school represents a continuing commitment to keeping her heritage alive. For Yogi, documenting that commitment is a way of preserving not only his grandmother’s story, but also a piece of the cultural history of Australia’s diverse communities.
As Dadi Maa reaches audiences through SBS On Demand from 1 November 2026, it invites viewers to look beyond the classroom and into the heart of a family, where language becomes memory, culture becomes connection, and a grandmother’s determination becomes a legacy.
It is also a tribute to the quiet heroes in our communities: the people who give without expecting recognition, preserve traditions that might otherwise be lost, and help future generations understand where they come from.
Dadi Maa will be available to stream on SBS On Demand from 1 November 2026.
