Divine Paradoxes
In the ritualistic world of Theyyam, men transform into gods—worshipped and revered for a few sacred hours. But when the performance ends, they return to lives shaped by caste-based discrimination and invisibility. Divine Paradoxes is a VR narrative experience that explores this emotional and social contradiction through the fictional character Gopi, whose story is built from real interviews with Theyyam performers and scholars in Kerala.
The project unfolds in three acts—childhood, adulthood, and old age—immersing the viewer in Gopi’s life as he navigates devotion, identity, and marginalisation. From the reverence of ritual to the silence that follows, viewers are invited to experience the paradox firsthand.
The Theyyam character design blends myth and reality—partially human to show vulnerability, with dark skin reflecting caste hierarchies where fairness is linked to power and darkness to oppression. The audience within the VR is intentionally designed with fair skin, symbolising the upper castes who revere the performer as a god, only to ignore him outside the ritual.
A central motif is the golden bangle—passed down through generations—as both a symbol of divine right and the burden of tradition. Through VR, photography, and interviews, Divine Paradoxes questions what it means to be worshipped, and yet remain unseen.