When Artificial Intelligence meets Navarasas - Facial Expression Classification in Kathakali Using DSFD and CNN

Kathakali, an ancient art form that dates back to the 17th century, is renowned for its intricate hand gestures, dance movements, musical accompaniment, elaborate costumes, and makeup. Mastering such an art form is a challenge even for the most dedicated enthusiasts, given its unconventional methods of expression. However, with current advanced technology, we can use this to aid the learning of unfamiliar subjects by classifying factors to help the new learners. In this paper, we focus on classifying one aspect of the play, which is the expressions on the actor’s face given a picture using computer vision methods. To achieve the final model, we use a combination of Dual Shot Face Detector (DSFD) and Convolution Neural Network (CNN) and finally tuning up the epochs of the training process. With our dataset, the proposed model reached an accuracy of 93% among nine classes. This project hopes to introduce Kathakali to a wider audience and facilitate the learning process of this art form.