Men play the female characters in therukoothu. The actors who enact the female roles transform into it disremembering one’s gender. It is amazing to see the bodies of the performers transform into a very typical feminine form that was expected and constructed by the society, yet showing the determination and defiance of the female roles performed.

Young lady character belonging to Chakkiliyan community, who are skilled leather craftsmen, exhibits her beauty to wake up and capture audience attention for a whole night play.

Arjuna as Brihanala...part male part female

The male koothu performers in their female role-play, with their strong arms, wide shoulders and broad feet definitely create a desire in every individual and make them recurrently un-learn and re-learn the notions pertaining to the realms of sexuality, motherhood and womanhood by watching these performances repeatedly.

Karna with his wife Ponnuruvi, a defiant woman who refused to accept her husband till his death.

Jamadagini's wife is a docile turned ferocious paradoxical character

Krishna revealing his gender fluidity, a play within a play.

The fierce goddess is a metaphor of potential creative power and her devouring attribute conveys the idea of withdrawal from the worldly pleasures.

A male dressed as Urvasi, a damsel from Indra's court trying to woo Arjuna exhibiting her sexual desires towards him.

Kattiyakaran or kathai-karan throughout the performance slips into both gender norms.

A senior koothu artist getting dressed up for a female role

Young boy draping a saree precisely to perform a female role.

Brihanala, meticulously dressed as part male and female with a drawn moustache on one side and wearing a nose ring on the other side - Madhorubangan.

A 78 year old artist dressed as Draupadi for Kuravanchi play exhibits the motherhood within him to her youngest husband disguised as a baby in his hand ...Thayumanavan