The main actor is a Chakyar who performs the ritualistic koothu and koodiyattam inside the temple or in the koothambalam. Chakyar women, Illotammas, are not allowed to participate. Instead, the female roles are played by Nangyaramma. Koodiyattam performances are often lengthy and elaborate, ranging from 12 to 150 hours spread across several nights. A complete Koodiyattam performance consists of three parts. The first of these is the "purappadu" where an actor performs a verse along with the nritta aspect of dance. Following this is the "nirvahanam" where the actor, using abhinaya, presents the mood of the main character of the play. Then there is the "nirvahanam", a retrospective, which takes the audience up to the point where the actual play begins. The final part of the performance is the "koodiyattam", which is the play itself. While the first two parts are solo acts, koodiyattam can have as many characters as are required to perform on the stage.