Elements of Sanskrit theatre is an amalgamation of both performance based aspects and technical detailing. Both of these put together give the picture of the Sanskrit theatre as a whole. Abhinaya, bhava, rasa, make up and costume are important because these basic elements enhance the temperament of actors putting original significance into the lifeless words of the drama. Stage props like curtain, decoration, and also places of performance, green rooms, doors and roofs contribute to the making of Sanskrit theatre.

Performative Aspects of Sanskrit Theatre
The performative aspects of Sanskrit theatre enhance the intensity expressed by the actors in the presentation of their characteristics features under the stress of different emotions on stage. Abhinaya is acting which helps to represent high or low characters on stage under proper guises. While giving the etymology of abhinaya, Bharata says that abhinaya is certainly the most important of all, as that is essential in helping us to visualise the main significance of play. There are four aspects of abhinaya such as the temperament or satvika, words or vacika, gestures or angika and dresses and make up or aharya. These elements of abhinaya contribute to the development and manifestation of rasa. Rasa and bhava are the two essentials of a play. According to Bharata, Son of Dushyanta, latent emotions of love and the likes are found in drama and poetry, and when the latent emotions are manifested, it is known as rasa. Rasa is the sentiment and bhava is the emotion. The various types of rasas are pathetic or karuna, terrific or bhayanak, erotic or sringara, furious or raudra, and repulsive or bibhatsa. Bhava is the element that helps the audience to realise the main import of a play brought by the means of acting. The bhavas secure the sentiments which are the very soul of the play.

Costumes and make up play a prominent part of Sanskrit theatre. Costumes and make up are the part of the abhinaya known as aharya. The aharyabhinaya includes subjects such as the preparation and use of dresses and ornaments, paintings of the persons of men and women, arrangement of hair and depiction of scenes. These have been treated under four heads that is pusta or model work, alankara or decoration (ornaments, garlands and dresses), angaracana or painting the limbs (colouring, hair and beard), and sanjiva or construction of stage animals. In alankara the occasion when a man or a woman should wear a particular kind of ornament or dress is stated. The kind of painting a person should use on his or her body in the depiction of a particular character, the kind of hair women should wear, techniques of dressing the hair in diverse countries and use of moustaches are discussed in angaracana.

Technical Aspects of Sanskrit Theatre
Along with the performative aspects, the technical detailing is also a major part of Sanskrit theatre. In the scenic representation, the curtain pays an imperative role. The curtain or the javanika, acts like the screen which when drawn aside, the actors who are instrumental in bringing about the sentiments, enter the stage. The ancient Indian theatre had no drop curtain. The Natyashastra states that the curtain is drawn aside from two sides and not pulled up by pulleys. Decoration is an integral part of Sanskrit theatre. Theatres were decorated with all the oriental splendour, colour and brilliance. The front portion of the stage were made of wood and richly ornamented with wooden carvings. Garlands were hung on it and decorated arches enhanced its elegance. The green room is a spacious place to enable the characters to attend to their make up. The green room is a part of the main building. Doors and roofs are of prime importance in Sanskrit theatre. Abhinavagupta cites two views about the construction of doors in a theatre. According to one view, there are only three doors, two from the green room leading to the rangasirsa and one in the auditorium for the entrance of spectators. According to the other, there are four doors; two in the green room wall, one by which the nata enters with his wife and one in the auditorium.

Thus a Sanskrit theatre is an amalgamation of both performance based characteristics and technical aspects. Both the abstract and concrete aspects of Sanskrit theatre contributed to its development and popularity.