Kalari Kid

Arushi CV

Arushi (9) is a precocious Hindu schoolgirl training in Kalari, one of the world’s oldest martial arts. Curious and disciplined, she longs to perform with swords at the legendary Kalari Festival. When she misuses her skills in a moment of anger and is banned from participating, Arushi must learn emotional control. Guided by her trainers, Muslim sisters and Kalari champions Anshifa and Arifa, she learns that true strength lies in mastery, not aggression.

Milena John

Milena (21) is a young Christian farmer who loves rural life as much as her Kalari practice. Forced to leave her village to train as a nurse in the city, she struggles with isolation and dislocation. When she realizes that nurses are frequently exposed to violence, Milena finds purpose again by teaching them Kalari-based self-defense, bringing the martial art from the fields into the urban frontline.

Dr. Malavika Binny

Dr. Binny (34), Head of the History Department at Kannur University, provides social and political context. Coming from an unprivileged background, she has risen to a position of authority and openly fights for women’s rights. At the same time, she faces cyber mobbing herself, revealing the persistent resistance women encounter when they claim public space.

Anshifa & Arifa Kodiyil

Anshifa (23) and Arifa (26) are Muslim sisters and accomplished Kalari champions who have carved out authority in a male-dominated martial arts tradition. As trainers, they combine discipline with care, passing on Kalari not as a weapon, but as a philosophy of control, responsibility, and self-respect. Guiding young girls like Arushi, they embody what female leadership and intergenerational solidarity can look like in practice—grounded, demanding, and quietly radical.

Maria Kaur Bedi

Maria Kaur Bedi is a Swiss director and producer whose films focus on women’s empowerment and cross-cultural narratives. Trained at ZHdK and RISD, she works through Spirited Heroine Productions and co-directs with Satindar Singh Bedi. Recent and upcoming projects include The Curse, Kalari Kid – She Hits Back, and 3rd Eye of Shiva.

Satindar Singh Bedi

Satindar Singh Bedi is an Indian director and producer whose work explores identity, social structures and cross-cultural narratives. Trained in film and theatre, he collaborates closely with Maria Kaur Bedi through Spirited Heroine Productions. His recent and upcoming projects include The Curse, Kalari Kid – She Hits Back, and 3rd Eye of Shiva.