Habitus explores the brahminisation of traditional practices: Kiran KR

Kiran KR’s short documentary Habitus, selected for the Malayalam Short Documentary section, examines how familiar cultural practices and ancient traditions are gradually reshaped by a changing social order.Speaking to us, the director says the 20-minute documentary was made as part of his fourth-semester project at KR Narayanan Film Institute. “It discusses how non-Brahmanical practices and customs are getting Brahminised. It is a study of how this is increasingly happening,” he says.His inquiry began at home. “My father is the priest at a nearby temple. I noticed the changes from there and observed the changes that had happened over the past 15 years. My observation was that the practices had become Brahminised. I have also explored how this affects ordinary people,” he shares.For the documentary, Kiran focused on two temples as case studies. “I understood that many temples have undergone changes. I took two case studies. One is the temple where my father is a priest, and the other is a temple in Kollengode, Palakkad. We went there and filmed. During the filming, we understood that the temple had been taken over by a group based in Thiruvananthapuram. We also explored how these changes lean towards right-wing politics,” he says.This is not Kiran’s first selection at the festival. His short film was selected in the campus section in 2020, and Habitus marks his fourth visit to the festival. “It is one of the bravest and strongest documentary and short film festivals in the state. The most prominent filmmakers in the country want to screen their work here. Being able to screen my own documentary here is fortunate. I am excited about the result,” he says.On this year’s selection, he adds, “According to my understanding, the selection is good, and I am looking forward to watching the works I haven’t seen yet and getting to know everyone.”Get the latest Bollywood & Entertainment News, and more. Download the TOI app.Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!