Costume and make up are a very significant aspect of all the classical art forms. Chutty facial make-up has a significant role in creating the characters of Kathakali and Koodiyattam. The facial make-up in Kathakali and Koodiyattam are divided into different categories based on the temperament and importance/status in the hierarchy of characters. Pacha, Kathi, Thadi, Kari and Minukku are the various types of make-up followed in Kathakali, which are determined according to the basic qualities of the characters portrayed.
The colours used in Kathakali make up also have a significance. For instance the colour green is associated with romance and noble qualities as well and are classified as Pacha . Mythical characters like Rama, Krishna, Pandavas etc come under the Pacha class. Red signifies aggression and violence. Characters of Dushasana, Trikartha etc fall under these categories and black is associated with the primitive human nature.
Besides the basic coloured make up, a second element is the Chutty. Chutty is the white paper mask bordering the face of a Kathakali artist. Until mid 20th century, the chutty artist glued rice-paste around the actors’ face in two-three layers. In the 1929 when paper became ubiquitous, a teacher of fine arts, Thiruvella Ramakrishna Panicker, as an experiment, used thick bond white paper instead of the rice chuttis, on the face of the Kathakali artist, during a performance, This became a revolutionary invention in the history of Kathakali-make-up. Since then paper chuttis have become a permanent feature. Almost all the male characters except Minukku, have chutty.
Kathakali make-up or Chutty Kuthu takes about two to three hours to be completed. While being made up, the actors lie on their backs. The artistically trimmed paper affixed on the face of the artist blends with the green/black/red colours. It also provides an ethereal aura to the artist turned character.
The intrigue of a Kathakali costume is mounted if one were to look at it from a distance. The circular crown, followed by the curvaceous masks, ornaments and the crinoline skirt, show the remarkable geometry and sense of proportion of the costume designers of yore.