Overview

• Sixteen-year-old Sabri performed the Krishna vesham on Thursday evening, becoming the first Muslim girl to take the Kalamandalam stage since the institute’s founding in 1930.
• She joined the Kathakali course in 2023 as the first Muslim girl to enroll after clearing the entrance test and interview.
• Her admission followed advocacy from maestro Kalamandalam Gopi and sustained backing from her father, Nizam, who nurtured her interest from childhood.
• Institute officials say they began admitting girls to Kathakali in 2022 and now have about 40 girls studying across what were once male-only courses.
• Her family traveled from Kollam to attend, and her father said some villagers initially criticized her choice but planned to watch her arangettam.