Chutti
Malayalam
The built-up white frame around a Kathakali actor's face.
CostumeKathakali
Meaning
Chutti is the rice-paste and paper structure built outward from the jawline of a Kathakali performer, framing the face and enlarging it for the audience. Applied over hours by a specialist, it is part of an elaborate make-up system in which colour and shape declare a character's nature before he moves.