Former Atlys brand head co-founds indie creative agency KALI

Janardhan Pokala, former Brand Head of Atlys, a visa services start-up, has co-founded KALI, a multidisciplinary creative agency working across brand strategy, mainline advertising, digital, film, still production and emerging technologies.

Pokala said the agency has been set up in response to the increasing fragmentation of creative work across agencies and platforms. “We have built systems where specialists operate in silos, and the work suffers because responsibility is fragmented,” he said. “KALI brings creative, strategy and execution to the same table, with the people who create the work involved from the first conversation to the final output.”

He added that the agency draws inspiration from culturally influential agencies that challenged conventions rather than playing safe, backed strong points of view and took full responsibility for the work they put out.

At Atlys, Pokala led brand and creative strategy across Indian and global markets. He has spent over a decade working across agencies and brands, shaping identities, narratives and campaigns across categories and geographies.

KALI has been active since May 2025 but has chosen to come out to the world, via the press, now. It headquartered in Delhi and works with brands across India.