Colors and Costumes in Cinema: A Semiotic Analysis of Classical Dance Visualization in Malayalam Movie "Manichitratazhu"

Abstract

This study tries to understand the importance of colors in portraying emotional states of characters in cinematic frames, focusing on the film ‘Manichitrathazhu’. Effective usage of colours of dance costumes in Indian cinema, to reinforce the emotions of characters, is thematically analysed by examining the costumes used by the character ‘Nagavalli’, during classical dance scenes in the Malayalam movie ‘Manichitrathazhu’, in comparison with the emotional state of the character. It addresses gaps in the literature about the social relevance of the colors used in Bharathanatyam dance costumes and the feelings they communicate. Harmony in colors of the character’s costumes is interpreted as linked to the emotional state of the character by using color theory. The analysis is done based on the established color combinations already being used in costumes of classical dance forms. Qualitative content analysis is used as the method, with the support of secondary data.