The interaction of a cationic dye crystal violet, in aqueous solution with different types of surfactants, such as anionic, cationic, non-ionic, gemini and their mixtures has been investigated spectrophotometrically and fluorimetrically in premicellar and post micellar concentration regions. In the premicellar concentration region of anionic surfactants, the dimer of the dye is formed: in the micellar concentration region, the monomer of the dye predominates. With cationic and nonionic surfactants, crystal violet is solubilised primarily as the monomer. In case of anionic and nonionic mixture, stability of dye-surfactant complex increases with increase in mole fraction of anionic surfactant. Cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CAB) has no interaction with crystal violet. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.