Kalki Koechlin on storytelling, streaming, and her spooky new series
Known for choosing roles that challenge norms and spark conversation, Kalki recently reflected on how the rise of streaming platforms is rewriting the rules of filmmaking.
Kalki Koechlin is crossing borders, languages and cinematic cultures! The National Award-winning actress is all ready to charm international audiences in ‘Her Song’, a French comedy-drama executive produced by Oscar winner James Ivory.
The film will make its world premiere as the opening night selection at Cinequest on March 10 in San Jose, California.
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Kalki’s first French-English role
In a rare mix of French and American-accented English, Kalki leads an ensemble cast that includes French actress Eléa Clair, Zach Grenier, Thais Sobreira, Marie-Christine Adam, and Christophe Grundmann, fresh off his acclaimed 2026 Oscar-nominated short ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva’.
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Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the French Pyrenees, ‘Her Song’ tells the story of Olivia, an American writer who returns to her family’s ancestral home. This is the same house her grandmother escaped to during World War II to flee Nazi-occupied Paris.
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There, Olivia meets Madeline, a spirited local whose creativity and zest for life mirror the past echoes of Olivia’s grandmother.
The film intertwines three narratives: Olivia’s grandmother’s past, Olivia’s present-day experiences, and the story she’s writing. Through her friendship with Madeline, Olivia discovers that everyone carries an “inner song”. This is a concept that draws inspiration from a playful, fictional story about a Namibian tribal tradition.
From Bollywood to the world stage
Kalki is no stranger to challenging roles. She won India’s National Film Award for ‘Margarita with a Straw’. International audiences may recognise her from Berlinale-selected ‘Gully Boy’, Netflix’s ‘Sacred Games’, or Prime Video’s ‘Made in Heaven’. ‘Her Song’ marks her first official foray into a European-set English-language project.
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