"With Kalari Kaur—the story of a working-class Indian woman fighting injustice with extraordinary skill—we want to create not just a cult classic, but launch a bold cinematic universe rooted in one of history's greatest martial arts traditions."
My personal connection with Kalari began in the 1980s, when the esteemed Professor G. Sankara Pillai brought a troupe of actors and Kalari martial artists - including the extraordinary Krishnadas Menon - to the UK theatre company Tara Arts, where I was resident writer.
Together, they introduced British theatre practitioners and audiences to South India's rich blend of theatre, dance, and this amazingly unfamiliar martial art, Kalari.
Instantly falling in love with their skilful demonstrations, which included dazzling swords, flexible foils, clashing staffs and glinting knives, I vowed I would do what I could to bring it to the wider audience it deserved.
Since then Krishnadas has constantly toured internationally while maintaining the family's renowned Vallabhatta Kalari school in Kerala. His family and students continue to dominate national competitions, preserving an unbroken tradition across multiple generations of teaching Kalari to one and all - from local children to dancers from many Indian classical forms, and international students seeking the ultimate martial art.
It is only with Krsnadas' irrepressible energy and the support of all his family and students we managed to bring you KALARI KAUR: ORIGINS.
Kalari predates Karate, Jujutsu, Tai Chi and Kung Fu—which Bruce Lee helped popularize globally.
How to showcase this ancient martial art to worldwide audiences? The obvious answer - through the media of film.
My passion over the decades has only grown, and we now have the stories to attempt our ambitious plan. There is much to be done, and with your support we will achieve our goal: make Kalari as well known globally as its peers.
