Sabri, the first Muslim girl at Kalamandalam for Kathakali, all set for her Arangetram

When Kalamandalam opened its doors to female students, Sabri became the first girl from the Muslim community to enrol at the renowned institute to learn Kathakali. The pioneering Kathakali guru, Kalamandalam Gopi, who had championed the cause for girls’ inclusion, personally accepted Sabri in 2023, accepting her as his disciple.

Under the guidance of Kalamandalam Anilkumar and alongside fellow trainees, Sabri has successfully completed her training. She is preparing for her Kathakali debut, scheduled for October 2. Sabri hails from Kollam’s Anchal and is the daughter of photographer Nizam Ammas and Aneesa.

Her father’s profession as a photographer often took him to Kathakali performances, where Sabri’s fascination with the art form and its elaborate costumes began. It was this early interest that inspired her journey to Kalamandalam.

Notably, it was only in 2022 that gender distinctions in the Kathakali curriculum at Kalamandalam were officially removed.