Vasu Pillai
Vasu learnt Kathakali dance
from the age of 13:
"You have to be
in excellent physical shape.
We practised for up to 18 hours a day.
We went to sleep at midnight
and woke up at 4 next morning.
We slept in the guru's house.
I returned home only to eat.
Make-up is extremely important.
Three hours are needed
to make up a dancer playing Ravana,
the demon in the Ramayana.
And four musicians are required;
a cymbal player,
two drummers
and a gong player
who sings the story."