The Make-Up falls into five main classes

1. Pacha (green): This class of make-up is exclusively for the heroic, kingly and divine types of charactors.

2. Kathi (knife): This kind of make-up is meant for the characters who are arrogant and evil, but have a streak of valour in them.

3. Tadi (Beard):
There are distinct types in this class:

a. Chuvanna Tadi (Red beard): The red beards are vicious and vile characters, whose faces are painted mainly black on the top half and red on the lower.

b. Vela Tadi (White beard): The white beard represents a higher type of being and is seen mainly in the character of Hanuman, the monkey-man of divine nature.

c. Karutha Tadi (black beard): The Black Beards are the character-types in which black predominates in make-up and costume. These are the primitive beings-the wild hunters and forest dwellers.

4. Kari (Black): These female characters are the demonesses - the most gruesome figures on the Kathakali stage.

5. Minukku (radiant): This class, which symbolizes gentleness and high spiritual qualities, is in sharp contrast to the preceding four classes. The female minukku characters are the heroines, servants, etc.

In addition to these five main classes of make-up, there are eighteen special characters whose make - up cannot be fitted into any particular category. These include the birds Garuda and Jatayu, the swan Hamsa, the serpent Karkotaka, the man-lion Narasimha and various special elaborations of the standard patterns to meet other requirements.