Sriya Reddy Trains in Kalaripayattu for Her Fierce ‘Mahakali’ Role

Sriya Reddy is preparing for one of the most physically demanding roles of her career with Mahakali, the upcoming mythological action film from the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe. The actress, who has become known for portraying strong and intense characters, has reportedly spent more than a year training in Kalaripayattu to prepare for the film’s action sequences.

The development comes after the first teaser of Mahakali introduced Reddy in the title role. Her appearance immediately drew attention, particularly because of the powerful and fierce visual treatment surrounding the character.

A year-long martial arts preparation

According to information from a source close to the production, Reddy underwent extensive Kalaripayattu coaching for the role. The training was designed to help her handle the physical demands of the character and perform the film’s fight sequences with greater authenticity.

Her preparation took place in Chennai, her hometown, with martial artist Akshay Sekhar guiding her through the training. Rather than relying solely on choreography for the action portions, the actress spent a considerable period building familiarity with the traditional martial art.

The preparation is particularly significant because Kalaripayattu requires physical control, flexibility and coordination. For an action-heavy character, such training can help an actor develop the movement and body language required for demanding combat scenes.

Reddy's long training period also indicates the level of preparation that has gone into presenting her character on screen. The production source described the role as a major step beyond the intensity audiences have previously seen from the actress.

From ‘Salaar’ to ‘Mahakali’

Sriya Reddy has steadily built a reputation for playing characters with a commanding screen presence. She began her acting career with Samurai in 2002 and has since appeared in films including Kanchivaram.

Her profile expanded considerably with Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, where she played Radha Rama Mannar. More recently, audiences have also seen her in They Call Him OG, adding another high-profile project to her filmography.

That background in intense roles has made her transformation for Mahakali particularly interesting. The upcoming film gives her a very different setting, combining mythology, action and a larger-than-life character.

Teaser puts the spotlight on Reddy

The first teaser of Mahakali revealed several important characters, with Reddy's appearance as Mahakali becoming one of the major talking points. Akshaye Khanna is also part of the film, playing Shukracharya, while Jitin Gulati, Rohit Saraf and Bhoomi Shetty are among the other actors associated with the project.

The production source has indicated that Reddy's performance could represent another notable point in her career. Her previous work has already established her as an actor capable of bringing intensity to dramatic roles, while the new film appears to demand a much more physically driven performance.

The emphasis on martial arts training suggests that action will be an important part of how her character is portrayed. Her preparation could also give the fight sequences a distinctive physical quality rather than making them dependent entirely on conventional stunt choreography.

Part of the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe

Mahakali is the next release from the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe. Puja Aparna Kolluru is directing the film, while Prasanth Varma serves as the writer.

The project is positioned as a mythological action film and brings together a cast featuring several prominent performers. With the teaser already generating interest, Reddy's role has emerged as one of the elements attracting attention ahead of release.

The film is scheduled to arrive in theatres on January 8, 2027. Until then, details about the story and the extent of the characters' roles are expected to remain closely guarded.

For Reddy, however, the preparation behind the scenes is already notable. Spending more than a year learning Kalaripayattu represents a substantial physical commitment, particularly for a role that requires both dramatic intensity and action-oriented performance.

As Mahakali moves closer to its theatrical release, audiences will be watching to see how that preparation translates onto the screen—and whether Reddy's portrayal becomes one of the film's defining performances.