Kathakali Dance-Theatre: A Visual Narrative of Indian Sacred Mime

In the book titled "Kathakali Dance-Theatre: A Visual Narrative of Indian Sacred Mime", the author K. K. Gopalakrishnan takes us on a journey of Kathakali form of Indian traditional dance, covering its evolution during the last two centuries. Kathakali originates from Kerala in South India. It brings up an energetic performance equipped with a typical set of elaborative costumes and drumming exercise. The artistic composition of each dance-theatric performance is a matter of hard practice and commitment. Thus, the author elaborates the process of dance-drama making, where visually appealing make-ups and costumes for each main character get a high attention. The Indian-ness is truly reflected in a Kathakali character, which visually represents the culturally distinctive Indian performing art and intangible cultural heritage in many Indian or western documentaries. The book is written by the art critic and director of Thiruvananthapuram-based Kutiyattam Kendra (Centre for Kutiyattam) K.K. Gopalakrishnan. This book is systematically structured and contains five elaborated sections, containing 15 chapters. These sections are namely:Part I. Introduction;Part II. Personal Journey of Discovery;Part III. Perspectives on the Origins and Development of Kathakali;Part IV. The Artistic Form of Kathakali;Part V. Present Trends and Future Possibilities.A chapter of the book provides a comprehensive account of the hand gestures (Mudras of Hasthalakshanadeepika) and their applications. The book keeps us informed about the traditional as well as neo-classical forms of Kathakali dance. This book is recommended for the researchers of Indian classical dance traditions, as well as cultural historians, dancers, performing artists and choreographers.