An Ode To Rebirth: Kolam Brings Southern Sri Lanka’s Masked Theatre To Paris

Kolam reopens at 6 Rue Lucien Sampaix as a broader cultural hub for Sri Lankan art, music, food, and design. The launch centers 'An Ode To Rebirth' — a continuous single-take short film directed by Corentin Bahon featuring sound design by UN*DEUX and set photography by India Bharadwaj and Alexandre Relmy.

Lahiru Weladawe moved from Sri Lanka to Paris at six years old, navigating life across two distinct settings. As a child, he spent years distancing himself from his origins, gradually coming back to them in adulthood through cooking, creative projects, and a growing desire to build something that could last.

That path led to Kolam, which made its debut in Paris as an intimate seven-seat Sri Lankan restaurant. Sharing home-cooked dishes like kottu, hoppers, and pol sambol with friends demonstrated how food opens immediate and spontaneous conversations, offering an accessible entry point into Sri Lankan culture within a city famed for its culinary life.

Following a brief break, Kolam has reopened in a larger venue at 6 Rue Lucien Sampaix in the 10th arrondissement. The new location allows the project to grow beyond a restaurant into a broader space for art, music, design, and events. To mark the return, Weladawe harked back to the source of the name: 'Kolam', the traditional Sri Lankan masked dance-theatre hailing from the island’s southern region.

The reopening coincides with the release of 'An Ode To Rebirth', a short film developed from Weladawe’s original concept and directed by Corentin Bahon. Developed in collaboration with traditional Sri Lankan performers, the film allows the physical language of the art form — rhythm, live movement, intricate masks, and collective presence — to interact directly with contemporary cinema.

Shot in a single continuous take, the camera moves directly within the circle of performers. Bodies emerge from dark frames as heavy drums and physical movement pick up pace. The production retains the candid elements of live performance, keeping audible breaths, subtle glances, and natural variations among dancers. Director Corentin Bahon focused on capturing physical presence in motion, inviting viewers into the circle right alongside the performers.

Sound carries much of the film's momentum. Franco-Sri Lankan artist and producer Kevin Varenne, performing under the name UN*DEUX, composed the original score and sound design. A long-time friend and collaborator of the project, Varenne built the soundtrack around traditional Sri Lankan percussion, layering low frequencies and atmospheric room audio captured on set. Vocal sounds weave through the mix, echoing the supernatural presence represented by the carved masks.

The moving image is paired with a photographic series shot on set by India Bharadwaj and Alexandre Relmy. Their photographs capture moments with the performers, garments, carved details, and physical gestures, holding onto details that pass quickly in the film's continuous movement. The images offer visual documentation of the craftsmanship, discipline, and physical stamina behind the dance-theatre tradition.

The title, 'An Ode To Rebirth', also points to several aspects of the project. It marks the physical return of Kolam to Paris in a larger location while honouring the performance tradition that inspired the venue’s identity. For Weladawe, bringing Sri Lankan artistic performance to the forefront creates a platform to share traditional forms within contemporary spaces.

At their new venue, Kolam expands its footprint as a cultural hub whilst the space connects food, music, visual arts, and collaborative programming under one roof, opening up fresh conversations across Paris. Through culinary offerings, filmmaking, photography, and sound, Kolam presents heritage as an active, living, and breathing process that continues to travel and adapt across borders.

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