Abhinaya

Abhinaya in Sanskrit dramaturgy denotes different efforts of an actor on stage to communicate different layers of intention and plot to the audience. In the act of abhinaya, the Sanskrit books of drama theory prescribe the blend of physical activities, the spectacle, and even the thought process during the performance of the play. Bharata’s the Natyasastra and Nandikeshvara’s Abhinayadarpana are the authentic works on Indian tradition of Abhinaya. The Natyasastra available in 36 (at some places mention of 37) chapters describes various aspects related with Abhinaya, and generally recorded as the first source book on the subject.

Sanskrit word, Natya, is a comprehensive term and covers the patterns of acting, dancing, and music dancing. Coomaraswamy finds it “a deliberate art” where

nothing is left to chance; the actor no more yields to the impulse of the moment in gesture than in the spoken word. When the curtain rises, indeed, it is too late to begin the making of a new work of art....