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Classical Sanskrit theatre flourished during the first nine centuries ce. Aphorisms on acting appear in the writings of Panini, the Sanskrit grammarian of the 5th century bce, and references to actors, dancers, mummers, theatrical companies, and academies are found in Kautilya’s book on statesmanship, the Artha-shastra (4th century bce). But classical structure, form, and style of acting and production with aesthetic rules were consolidated in Bharata Muni’s treatise on dramaturgy, Natya-shastra. Bharata defines drama as a Bharata classified drama into 10 types. The two most important are nataka (“heroic”), which deals with the exalted themes of gods and kings and ...(100 of 82044 words)