My protagonist is a 19-year-old girl named Kalki, named after the prophesized hero of the Kalyug. She is a product of a highly dangerous experiment that seeks to turn young girls into venomous assassins. Her powers come from an extremely deadly celestial venom called Halahala.
Inspiration Board
Vishkanya Statue
Nagraj from Raj Comics
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge
Berserk by Kentaro Miura
Berserk by Kentaro Miura
Initial Sketches
Her character represents the young urban Indian woman navigating the complexities of a religious patriarchal society. I am trying to provide a fresh perspective to the ‘typical hero’ archetype, trying to illustrate how changing something like the gender of the hero affects their journey in a patriarchal world. Does it make them more bitter and wary? Do other people take them as seriously as a typical male hero? How does this affect their morality? How does society perceive a hero that doesn’t fit into their boxes and labels?
The character is based on two myths-
The hero Kalki, who is prophesized to slay Kali, the reigning Asura of the Kalyug.
Vishkanyas- poisonous damsels who were used as assassins by kings, after going through the process of mithridatism.
This Avatar is triggered by extreme emotions like fear, anger, and stress. In this form, her bodily fluids are venomous, particularly her blood- contamination with blood causes paralysis followed by a painful death, increased strength and agility, can emit a toxic aura of charged energy.
Kalki’s final form is awakened once she has completed both her physical and spiritual journey and is to battle against the Asura Lord Kali’s true form as the Deva Indra. As a reincarnation of Vishnu, her powers in this form are akin to that of a God’s, allowing her
to fight on the same level as Indra (the antagonist).
to fight on the same level as Indra (the antagonist).
Expression Sheet
Alternate Poses
