The Curtain Raiser

NURTURING TALENT THROUGH
PASSION-DRIVEN TRAINING
IN PUBLIC SPEAKING & ACTING

About The Curtain Raiser

Established in 1985, The Curtain Raiser is a passion-driven organization dedicated to developing individual potential through immersive training in Acting, Public Speaking, Anchoring, Leadership, Screenplay Writing, and Voice Modulation. Located in Thiruvananthapuram, we’ve trained over 150 batches, hosting flexible evening sessions suitable for all age groups from 10 to 75. With personalized guidance and a legacy of 30+ short films, 100+ shorts, and 50+ theatre performances, we transform stage fear into confident expression.

Creative
Head

The Curtain Raiser

A Name For The Best Public Speaking Training &
The Best Acting Training

The Curtain Raiser was established in 1985 at Madras Kerala Samaj for theater activities. It was inaugurated by Late Sri. T.K.Balachandran (film maker). During it's tenure at Madras it had made fourteen theater and TV productions.

Second phase of activities of the Curtain Raiser in Thiruvananthapuram was inaugurated by Sri. Adoor Gopalakrishnan in 1994. Around twenty stage and TV productions along with number of cultural workshops were arranged during the period. The Curtain Raiser was less active for last decade due to the professional engagements of the man behind (Sathish.P.Kurup). Now the third phase of activities are started with the launch of the institute.

ABOUT US

The Curtain Raiser is a passion development organization without any profit motif. Currently, it is situated at Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala. We are conducting training programmes in Acting, Public Speaking, Anchoring, Leadership, Screenplay Writing, and Voice Modulation. Admissions to these courses are without any age restrictions. People from 10 years to 75 years have been trained in different training programmes. We have completed training in more than 150 batches. Our specialty is in individual attention with individual and group practical sessions. We conduct most of the training programmes in the evenings, which is most convenient for the employees and the students.

Apart from training, we are conducting cultural festivals, film festivals, and workshops on different programmes. For the actors of the batches, we have produced more than 30 short films and hundreds of shorts. We also conducted more than 50 theatre performances.

We have completed 55 batches in public speaking. We are restricting the seats to 6 persons in a batch to give full practical-oriented, microphone-based training for speakers, with individual attention to every trainee. Any person coming with stage fear will be trained in a way to speak confidently in front of any audience after the 12-day training program.

Many of our trainees have reiterated that The Curtain Raiser offers the best public speaking and best acting training in Thiruvananthapuram—and stands among the top institutes in Kerala. Our focus on personalized guidance and practical sessions continues to attract aspiring speakers and performers from across the state.

SATHISH.P.KURUP

CREATIVE HEAD
At the heart of The Curtain Raiser is a man who turned passion into purpose. A multi-qualified postgraduate and trained actor from the prestigious School of Drama, Calicut University, he began his cultural journey at the school level—and never looked back.

Crowned Best Actor by the University of Kerala, he quickly gained recognition for his powerful stage presence and unwavering dedication to the performing arts. His journey was further enriched by specialized training in creativity, speech, and leadership, allowing him to conduct impactful theatre workshops across Kerala.

A storyteller at heart, he has written and published short plays and stories, inspiring countless students through engaging sessions in schools and colleges. His passion also led him to receive short term film training from FTI, Adyar Film Institute, and Chitranjali (KSFDC)—broadening his creative scope beyond the stage.

In a bold and admirable move, he left behind a conventional professional career to fully dedicate himself to his life’s mission: awakening self-expression, creativity, and confidence through culture. He also recently obtained a Diploma in Counselling Psychology, enhancing his ability to guide and empower others on a deeper level.

With over a hundred recognitions in short films and theatre to his name, his journey stands as a testament to what is possible when passion meets purpose. His mission remains clear: to help people of all ages rise above fear and step into their most authentic, expressive selves.