THE POWER OF COSTUME: DEFINING CHARACTER AND IDENTITY IN THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i2.2024.1391Keywords:
Indian Costume Design, Theatrical Performance, Character IdentityAbstract [English]
This research examines the historical significance of costume design in Indian theatrical performance, focusing on its role in defining character and identity through case-based analysis. By investigating specific case studies from key historical periods and traditional Indian theater forms—Classical Sanskrit drama, Kathakali, and Parsi theater—the study explores how costumes have been utilized to convey complex character identities and cultural narratives. Each case study provides an in-depth examination of costume design practices, materials, and symbolic meanings, highlighting the profound relationship between attire and character portrayal. Drawing on primary sources such as historical texts, visual records, and contemporary accounts, this research traces the evolution of costume design in Indian theater and its impact on narrative and audience perception. Through focused analysis, the study underscores the enduring power of costume in theatrical storytelling and its significance in India's cultural heritage. This case-based approach offers comprehensive insights for historians, theater practitioners, and costume designers interested in the legacy and ongoing influence of historical costume design in Indian performance traditions.
Downloads
References
Banerjee, S. (2017). The Melodramatic Public: Film Form and Spectatorship in Indian Cinema. Routledge.
Bharata Muni (1996). Natya Shastra. (M. Ghosh, Trans.). Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
Bhattacharjee, S. (2018). Digital Technologies in Costume Design: A Review. International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics, 13(1), 61-69.
Don Rubin (1998). The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific. Routledge.
Gaston, A. (2018). Costume and Identity in Indian Classical Dance-Drama. Dance Chronicle, 41(2), 215-237.
Hansen, K. (1999). Making Women Visible: Gender and Race Cross-Dressing in the Parsi Theatre. Theatre Journal, 51, 127 - 147. https://doi.org/10.1353/tj.1999.0031 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/tj.1999.0031
Katari, R. R. (1981). History of Indian Theatre. Lancer Publishers.
Kuriakose, T. (2019). The Kathakali Costume and Tradition: A Study on the Tradition and Transition of Costume in Kathakali. The Journal of Indian Institute of Stage Craft and Design, 3(1), 78-92.
Lal, A. (2014). The Empress of India: Indian Theatre in the Age of British Empire. Oxford University Press.
Rajan, R. (2010). The Kathakali Complex: Actor, Performance, Structure. Routledge.
Shah, M. (2020). Costume as Cultural Capital: Negotiating Tradition and Modernity in Contemporary Indian Theatre. Journal of Asian Performance, 27(2), 321-345.
Singh, A. (2016). Collaborative Creativity in Contemporary Indian Theatre: The Case of Costume Design. Theatre Research International, 41(2), 121-136.
Subbiah, M. (2021). Characters in Classic Theatre: A Study of Nayaka and Nayika in Sanskrit Drama. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT), 9(3), 1234-1256.
Vatsyayan, K. (1991). The Art of Kathakali. Abhinav Publications.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Nirbhay Rana
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
With the licence CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
It is not necessary to ask for further permission from the author or journal board.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.