kingara kavyamAn animated short film that blends folklore and magical realism, creatively reimagines a rooted, culture-specific story of Kappiri and Kunjala to tell the story of feudalism, oppression and resilience in medieval Kochi.
The story of Kappiri, an African slave, exists in the oral and folkloric history of Kochi and is mentioned in Cochin: fame and legendsMK Das’s authentic book on Kochi.
The lyrical, animated film by Rahul Riji Nair is a great example of how animation can be used creatively to discuss socio-economic power systems.
from still kingara kavyamAnimated Short Film by Rahul Riji Nair | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Rahul says the idea of an animation film on the Kappiri Muthappan myth prevalent in Kochi came to his mind during the COVID-related lockdown in 2020 when he, like many others, wondered what would happen to cinema when people were confined to their homes. Speaking over the phone, Rahul says he was also keen to expand his repertoire and that’s when he decided to make an animation film.
“I consider myself a storyteller and I wanted to expand to studying different media; animation was one such area,” he explains.
Award winning indie director of films like Ottamuri Velicham And kalla notam He taught himself the process of animation through YouTube tutorials and conversations. Rahul says, “I had read Kappiri’s story and it stuck with me. Though we have read about slavery in America and Europe, there is not much written about slavery in our neighbourhood.”
Rahul Riji Nair Photo courtesy: Ajit Kumar
After developing the story and script in April 2020, they started looking for a producer and studio for the animation. He further added, “I realized that the budget of even a short animation film was almost double that of a feature film and hence I needed a producer. In 2023, I found what I was looking for in Kochi-based animation studio Carmond Infinity.”
He says it was a synergy that benefited the film. “I benefited from his talent and the animation filmmaking process, while my filmmaking and narrative experience helped him.” They began filming in December 2023 and completed it in December 2025.
Kappiri reaches Kochi after being sold to a rich feudal lord, who ill-treats him and makes him work like an animal to extract oil and till the land. Kunjala, a woman from a marginalized community, sympathizes with his plight and tries to help him deal with it. The budding romance between Kappiri and Kunjala ends when Kapiri is sold to a Dutch merchant.
However, the story embraces present-day Kochi when the “reincarnations” of Kappiri and Kunjala meet at the homestay run by him and the two form an instant connection, hinting that love and destiny can transcend time, geography and history.
Rahul says the short film is “an exploration of love and resilience woven into the turbulent history of Kerala…”.
Freed from the constraints of reality, Rahul uses visual cues and symbols to depict the exploitation, suffering and resilience of the characters. kingara kavyam It portrays the inequality and inhumane conditions of that time when marginalized people were silenced by socially accepted harsh punitive actions.
from still kingara kavyamAnimated Short Film by Rahul Riji Nair | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The animated format has also helped him give a realistic touch to the scenes while depicting the bare-chested Kunjala. “Nudity in a feature film might not have been so easily accepted, but the animated sequences ensured that we were able to portray the costumes quite accurately without raising eyebrows and for a wide audience. At that time, women in Kerala, regardless of caste, did not use outerwear and we were able to stick to that fact,” he explains.
A fantasy sequence when Kujala and Kappiri dream of life without chains is shown with a poetic touch with a Dutch song in the background. Rahul laughs and says that this song in Dutch language was in the collection of music director Siddharth Pradeep.
“To keep it rooted in local culture and visual heritage, we studied the murals of Kerala for that dream-like sequence,” says Rahul. And so the colours, costumes, hairstyles and backgrounds follow that style and Kappiri and Kujala get a graffiti-like makeover.
Attention to detail is also evident in the Dutch-era coins that have been given to purchase Kappiri from its Malayali owner. Rahul and his team extensively studied the coins of that era and photographed them to give the coins an authentic touch.
Rahul Riji Nair Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
kingara kavyam It is one of the eight films selected for the South Asia competition at the third edition of Animela, the international festival dedicated to animation, VFX, gaming, comics and XR, to be held in Mumbai from 19 to 26 February. The film will have its world premiere at the festival.
Encouraged by the reception the short film has received, Rahul says he is all set to make a full-length animation film in Malayalam. The director says, “The story and script are ready. I am looking for a producer.”
published – February 12, 2026 10:40 am IST