Koodiyattam is the sole surviving classical Sanskrit theatre in India. It is a two thousand year old theatre-tradition.  Traditionally Koothu and Koodiyattam are the privilege of the temple castes Chakiyars and Nambiars.  Chakiyars enact the male-characters and Nangiars (the women of the Nambiars) enact the female-characters.  Nambiars play Mizhavu, the major percussion-instrument in Koodiyattam. The plays of Kulasekhara, Sakthibhadra, Bhasa Kalidasa and Bodhayana are enacted act by act in Koodiyattam.  The four-fold concept of acting dealt with in the Natyashastra, sage Bharata's ancient dramaturgy, find its due significance in Koodiyattam.  Angika (hand-gestures and body-movements), Vachika (Verbal acting), Aharya (Make-up and costuming) and Satwika (Facial Expressions) in Koodiyattam are highly stylized.  One finds in Koodiyattam more of Natyadharmi (stylized Acting) compared to other classical art-forms.

Apart from the epic heroes, heroines, villains and demoness, there is the Vidooshaka (Royal clown) who speaks three languages, Sanskrit, Prakrit (Crude form of Sanskrit), and the local dialect (Malayalam).  His words and actions convincingly portray the true-character of the protagonist.  In the past he was a social auditor.  His diatribes against the establishment and those in power were a corrective force in the feudal-society.  The main characters in Koodiyattam customarily enact 'Nirvahana'; a recollection of past events in the play to form a backdrop for stepping into the present. 

Nangiarkoothu is the counterpart of Koodiyattam.  It is in essence the Nirvahana of the female characters.  Nangiar in forty one days enacts Sreekrishna Charitam (The story of Lord Krishna).  She appears on stage as the Chedi(Maid) of Subhadra in the play,  Subhadradhananjayam of king Kulasekhara.  Theatre artists, choreographers and theatre researchers of the West and the East are keenly interested in the aesthetic-dimensions of both Koodiyattam and Nangiarkoothu.  They come quite often to Kalamandalam for an intimate observation and analysis of these theatre traditions.

Painkulam Rama Chakyar who headed the Kalamandalam's Koodiyattam department was a maverick. During late fifty Rama Chakyar boldly brought Koodiyattam outside the temples. He thus incurred the wrath of the caste-conscious conservatives in the field. But Chakyar did not made any compromise. He liberated these esoteric art forms from the dark cells of taboos and inhibitions. From 1965 Koodiyattam, Nangiarkoothu, the 'Nirvahana' of its female characters and Koothu were made available for study to aspirants all over the world. Kalamandalam has produced a handful of gifted artists in the field.