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Natyadharmi

Natyadharmi is an exaggerated gestures in dance. A number of things go under the name of natyadharmi. These include – exaggerated speech, action, nature, and expression, playfulness, embellished boy movements and special techniques of drama. When unusual characters are employed, embellished forms of tones or svara (in song and speech) are used. Similarly, mountains, vehicles, air-vehicles, skin armor and flags, when shown symbolically, are taken as part of natyadharmi.

When an actor takes up a second role, either because no one else is available or because he has the skill to do many roles; when a (socially) not cohabitable woman is made into a cohabitable or vice-versa; when one walks as if one is dancing, employing embellished body movements and expressing oneself by intricate gestures – all these are said to conform to the conventions of dance.

The opposite of natyadharmi is lokadharmi. The normal and abnormal behaviors of people are enacted without any embellished movements of the body.

Broadly speaking, the representation of lokadharma (on the stage) or the usual behavior of the world is lokadharmi. The dharma of the actor, which is specifically stage behavior, is natyadharmi.