Tota shows off some martial arts moves. Picture by Sanat Kr Sinha

Ever heard of a snake’s fist? Tune in to Sony Pix at 11pm today and Jackie Chan will show you how the kung-fu fighting style has as much venom as an actual snake bite. “Snake and the Eagle’s Shadow is a turnaround film in Chan’s career after a string of flops. I saw the film in a north Calcutta theatre. Since then, Jackie Chan is my god and martial arts the reason for my entry into films,” Tolly actor Tota Roy Chowdhury said at an event to announce a martial arts film festival on Pix.

Shaolin Nights, the festival, is a tribute to Chinese martial arts, derived from the Shaolin monastery. “Martial arts films of the ’70s and ’80s always do well on our channel. They may be low on plot but the unfettered action makes up for that,” said Sunder Aaron, executive vice-president and business head of Pix.

Tota picked two more films from the bouquet for special mention. “John Woo’s Red Cliff (March 19) must be among the best war films ever, so creatively has it been shot. Another must-watch is The Forbidden Kingdom (March 21), starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li. When it released in 2008, Chan was 54 and Li was 45. But thanks to martial arts, their looks defy their age.”

The actor took the stage to show some martial arts moves with Nunchaku, a kicking pad and an assassin’s sword, a concealed blade he brought from China. “I will soon start training for a Bengali film where I play a trained killer. I will use martial arts for the action sequences,” he added.

The kung-fu action on Pix airs daily at 11pm till March 23.

Shaolin fest

Snake and the Eagle’s Shadow (March 17)
5 Shaolin Masters (March 18)
Red Cliff (March 19)
The Bells of Death (March 20)
The Forbidden Kingdom (March 21)
The Rebel Intruders (March 22)
Crazy Shaolin Disciples (March 23)