Rigorous actor training
Kalari-based movement, improvisation, text work and character psychology, taught by a theatre academic who researches the practice as well as teaching it.
The team
Three people, three disciplines
A theatre academic who has trained actors for two decades, an independent filmmaker who works from lived experience, and an entrepreneur who builds the platform around them. The Act Cafe sits where those three meet.
Director & Assistant Professor
Dr. Syamraji S S
Theatre director, actor, educator and researcher. He leads the artistic and academic direction of the school, and teaches the four-day workshop himself.
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Creative Head
Arun Pandari
Filmmaker, actor, theatre practitioner and social activist. An award-winning independent director who mentors students across cinema and stage.
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Project Head & CEO
Richin R Chandran
Entrepreneur, writer and brand strategist. He builds the ecosystem that turns training into working careers in film, media and content.
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Why it matters
Training, making, and getting the work seen
Most acting classes teach only the first of those. The Act Cafe was put together so that a student who finishes a workshop has somewhere to go next.
A route into cinema
Independent filmmaking experience in the room — how a scene is actually shot, cast and cut, from someone who makes films outside the commercial system.
A creative community
A production and storytelling studio behind the school, so students meet real briefs, real crews and real audiences rather than only classmates.
Train with them
The four-day workshop is led by Dr. Syamraji S S at Technopark, Trivandrum.
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