An interesting attempt has been made by Professor H. Lüders to vindicate for the shadow play an important place in the development of the Indian drama. The term denoting the performers of such plays he holds to have been Çaubhika, or, in vernacular form, sobhiya; they explained to the audience the shadow pictures displayed before them, and thus were precursors of the true drama. The example of Java is called into service to meet the obvious criticism that every consideration tells in favour of the view that the shadow play is later than, and based upon, the true drama.