"What people see through social media is not the culture of Kochi," Mollywood actor Asif Ali said on Thursday evening while addressing a gathering at the opening ceremony of Kappa CULTR.

Kappa CULTR, the hottest music festival in Kerala, is organised by Mathrubhumi. The festival will continue from January 10 to 12 at Bolgatty Palace in Kochi.

Asif, who has been receiving rave reviews for his latest film Rekhachithram, expressed his excitement about being part of the Kappa CULTR Fest. Actress Anaswara Rajan was also the guest at the event.

"Last time I missed the event, I just saw photos and videos. This time they called me for the inauguration... I thank you so much," he said.

Asif highlighted the importance of showcasing Kochi’s true culture. "We need to show what Kochi’s culture is... We are very welcoming, supportive, and celebratory; we love festivals."

Kappa CULTR kicked off with a grand ceremony attended by distinguished guests, including Mayor M. Anil Kumar, MLA K.N. Unnikrishnan, Kerala Minister for Industries, Law and Coir P. Rajeev, Member of Parliament Hibi Eden, and Mathrubhumi Managing Editor P.V. Chandran and Joint Managing Editor P.V. Nidhish, among others.

The festival will, over the next three days, showcase Kerala’s rich cultural heritage, with music, dance, and various other activities.