My Lecture on Dattani (Autosaved)

8/9/2019 My Lecture on Dattani (Autosaved)

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INTRODUCTION TO MAHESH DATTANI PLAYS

1. Dattani takes the famil !nit an" famil settin#$ a#ain an" a#ain he !ses the famil

h%me as his l%&ale$ an" f'a#'ants them.( )%hn M&Rae

*. Dattani e+,e'iemtns !sin# s,lit sets- hi""en/ '%%m- inte'i%' an" e+te'i%'.

0. Dattani ,las ith time$ N%ne %f his ,las is stati& ithin its time f'ame. The m%2e

3eteen ,ast an" ,'esent- e2en 3eteen life an" "eath- ith the ease ith hi&h a

&ha'a&te' ente's an" lea2es the sta#e.( )%hn M&Rae

4. Dattani %'ks %n his ,las in the theat'e- s!itin# his mate'ial t% the s,a&e- 'esha,in# an"

fine$t!nin# his te+ts &%nstantl.( )%hn M&Rae

5. On Final Solutions, %ne &'iti& sai"- This ,la sh%!l" 3e t'anslate" int% e2e' In"ian

lan#!a#e an" ,e'f%'me" th'%!#h%!t the &%!nt'.(

6. Dattani has &'eate" ima#es- &ha'a&te's- an" ,l%ts hi&h 'e2e'3e'ate ith the 'ealit %f

In"ia t%"a. The !se In"ian mth%l%#- In"ian t'a"iti%ns- In"ian "an&e- In"ian En#lish

an" In"ian s%&ial ,'%3lems$ et s,eak %fthemes hi&h t%!&h an a!"ien&e7 the sea'&h f%'

in"i2i"!al i"entit insi"e an" %!tsi"e the famil8 the nee" f%' ha,,iness- l%2e- se+!al

f!lfilment- se&!'it8 the l%neliness an" em,tiness %f s!,e'fi&iall s!&essf!l li2es8

3el%n#in# an" n%t 3el%n#in#8 ,ain an" ,ath%s %f kee,in# !, a,,ea'an&es.( )%hn M&Rae

9. Shakti :hatia7 Dattani/s a'e ,las %f healin# 'athe' than %f "est'!&ti%n. The m%"e is

&%mi& 'athe' than t'a#i&- alth%!#h the &%n&e'ns a'e "ee,l &%n&e'ne"; Dattani/s a'e 2e'

m!&h ,las %f i"eas ith 3i# iss!es at thei' hea't. :!t the a'e ,las %f i"eas %f a&ti%n-

&%nstantl in m%2ement an" &%nstantl th'%in# !, !ne+,e&te" shifts %f ,e'&e,ti%n-

&han#es %f t%ne- an" ne insi#hts int% &ha'a&te's. (

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manl F!een/ it &%mes 'i#ht !, t% "ate in its F!esti%nin# %f female an" male '%les in

s%&iet.(

4. Shakti :hatia %n Cha'a&te'i%sati%n7 The &ast %f &ha'a&te's is &l%sel knit8 h!s3an" Nitin

an" )iten a'e als% 3'%the's8 thei' 3e"'i""en an" "emente" mat'ia'&h :aa is !,st'ai's in the

h%!se- &astin# a sha"% %2e' the a&ti%n ith he' 3 t!'ns &lea' an" &'aGil skee"

,e's,e&ti2e8 an a3sent 3'%the' an" "a!#hte' ,'%,el e2ents as m!&h as the &ha'a&te's %n

sta#e.(

5. Shakti :hatia ,!tsfits :B int% the f%'m!la$ D'ink Clast'!,h%3iaJ !n&%nt'%lla3le

'e2elati%ns.( Stan"a'" "'amti& f%'m!la.

6. Ms . D. ShafiF!e in he' M. Phil thesis ,%ints %!t7 In :B Dattani takes !, the ,'%3lem

%f h%mese+!alit %f a ma''ie" man hi&h !ltimatel ma's his &%n!#al life.(

9. Dattani in his inte'2ie sas7 I am n%t s!'e I ha2e ,%'t'ae" the %men as 2i&tims in

:B. I see men as 2i&tims %f thei' %n 'a#e an" 'e,'essi%n. This has se'i%!s

%&nseF!en&es %n the li2es %f %men.(


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i. Re&%!'se t%7 Naina De2i/s th!ma'i8 Kanhia8 Lalitha as a &atalst an" he'

3%nsai ith %'an#e f'!its t'ee.

e. Alka 2itim %f he' h!s3an"/s se+!al %'itentati%n

i. Re&%!'se t%7 Al&%h%lism"'!nkenness an" ,'%mis&!it8 2entin# an#e' %n

:aa8 Lalitha as a &atalst8 Alka/s "an&e in the 'ain.

f. S!3ha"'a K!ma'i Cha!han/s '%!sin# an" ins,i'in# ,%em

#. T% siste's ith thei' fa!lts an" sh%'t&%min#s h%l" %!t a#ainst thei' h!s3an"s

h% st!nt thei' #'%th.

h. Lalitha7 'eelan&e 'itin# 3%nsai8 %mns&ien&e %f he' h!s3an"/s 3!siness8 has

n% &hil"'en8 sa2e f%' thei' f!t!'e flat.

=. Si#nifi&an&e %f :%nsai Plant as a leitm%tief an" %the' sm3%ls7

a. '%th %f 3%nsai an" th%se %f the T'i2e"i %men. :%nsai st!nte" #'%th8 2e'

te"i%!s8 sha,e the 3'an&hesint% hate2e' sha,e %! ant$ 3 ,in&hin# an"

i'in# the sh%%ts(8 "a'fe" mat!'it ith miniat!'e f'!its.

3. The T'e2e"i %men/s h!s3an"s ha2e ,'!nne" an" &%nt'%lle" thei' #'%th

im,!lses.St!nte" #'%th an" "a'fe" mat!'it %f th'ee &ha'a&te's$ D%ll- Alka

Sh'i"ha'.

&. Sh'i"ha'/s 3%nsai %n his %ffi&e ta3le si#nifies the "ef%'me" 'elati%nshi, %f

3'%the's ith thei' i2es.

". Othe' Sm3%ls7 D%ll/s fa&e mask 'e,'esents the ima#e %f n%'malit %f

h%!seife- "a!#hte'$in$la an" m%the'8 3e##e' %man 'e,'esents the #!ilt la""en

,ast hi&h )iten "est'%s.

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e. Naina De2i/s th!ma'i m!si& e2%kes an" &%mments %n ea'nin# f%' l%2e an"

f!lfilment e+,e'ien&e" 3 all ma%' &ha'a&te's.(

f. E+istan&e %f Kanhaia 'e,'esents K'ishna- Ra"ha/s ete'nal %!n# l%2e'.

1?. :aa/s R%le in the Pla

a. Ol" %man8 s!ffe'e" a st'%ke8 &%nfine" t% 3e"8 3ein# shi%fte" t% he' s%ns/s h%mes

alte'natel8 ne2e' seen %n th sta#e 3!t he' ,'esen&e in the ,la is 2e' m!&h felt

'elaise".

3. He' h!s3an" as &'!ele' t% he' h% ha" alas teate" he' an" "ese'te" he' afte'

he #%t an%the' %man.

&. She &%nsistentl s!mm%ns he' "a!#hte's$in$la- ,'efe'a3l D%ll- 3 'in#in# 3ell

an" sh%!tin# l%!"l.

". She is st'%n# an" "%minatin# &ha'a&te' 3 &%nt'%llin# an" "i&tatin# he' s%ns an"

thei' i2es 3 a %f 3!llin#- 3la&kmailin# an" insti#atin# e##in# %n.

e. :aa ha" 3een 3ea!tif!l an" 'i&h sin#e' h% ha" t% ma'' !n&%!th !#l- '%!#h

an" l%!tish &'!"e an" 2i%lent ,e's%n. He' h!s3an" ma''ie" he' f%' he' m%ne

an" t'eate" he' 3a"l

f. :aa insti#ates Nitin t% ki&k D%ll an" Nitin t% th'% Alka %!t %f the h%!se.

#. :aa is &%n2in&e" that %nl P'af!l l%2es s,asti& Daksha t% h% she has ille" he'

h%!se ith P'af!l as the t'!stee. She ille" t% e+,atiate the sin she ha" &%mmitte"

%f ,'%2%kin# )iten t% 3eat his ife 3e&a!se %f hi&h Daksha is 3%'n s,asti&.

11. Cha'a&te's %f )iten an" Nitin

a. )iten/s ife- D%ll8 Nitin/s ife Alka

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". D%ll/s time ,ass is Naina De2i/s th!ma'i- fantasisin# 'e,la&ement &%%k-

Kanhaia 1= %' *? ea's %l"s like he' s%n. Alka/s ,ass time is '!n t% #et aa

%2e' he' h%m%se+!al h!s3an"/s ne#le&t.

e. Lalitha ,'esents 3%nsai t% D%ll h% likes t% "'ees !, as a taaif &%!'tesan ith

3ea!tif!l m!a'a %!tfit. Alka ants t% ,la 2aliant F!een/s '%le in the ,'%,%se"

3all.

f. Lalitha tells them t% a&t as s%methin# the a'e n%t( an" %,enl &%nt'ast thei'

h!s3an"s. An" th!s the 3'eak the 3%!n"a'ies %f ,'esentati%n ,'etenti%n an"

'ealit.

#. Alka a"mits that she is n%t an i%"eal an" l%al ife- n%' he' h!s3an" is &%m,etent

h!s3an". This sh%s n%3%" is ,e'fe&t.

h. Alka is al&%h%li&8 D%ll is a teet%talle'8 Lalitha is an %&assi%nal "'inke'.

10. Cha'a&te's %f Sh'i"ha' an" L%litha

a. Sh'i"ha' is h!s3an" %f Lalitha an" an em,l%ee in an A" A#en& %f the T'i2e"is.

3. Sh'i"ha' is the %nl ,'%fessi%n in the a#en& %ne" 3 the %ffensi2e 3'%the's h%

a"amenatl an" %3stinatel ant t% ,!t f%'a'" e2en &!st%me's "islikes.

&. He t'ies t% &%n2in&e the &%n&ee,t %f the &am,ai#n.

". Ra2atee is name" afte' Chai'man Sha'ma/s ife- Re2athi hi&h the 'en&h

,'%n%!n&e" as Re$3atee then an" the'e he "e&i"e" t% name it afte' it.

e. The "% n%t ha2e &hil"'en. The a'e sa2in# t% ,a the "%n,ament t% 3! a flat.

f. Sh'isha' 'e2en#es %' a2en#es %2e' )iten 3 !sin# a h%'e 3ef%'e han"in# he' t%

him.

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#. He ki&ks thei' %3 afte' his ife is h!miliate" in the last a&t %f the ,la. He ants

t% #% t% ,%li&e stati%n t% l%&k !, the il" animal )iten f%' the &'ime %f '!nnin#

%2e' his &a' %n %l" 3e##a' %!tsi"e thei' h%!se.

h. Lalitha #%es t% "is&!ss the ,'%,%se" maske" 3all t% 3e %'#anise" as &am,ai#n t%

la!n&h %men/s ni#htea'- Re2atee.

i. She ha" inte'est in he' h!s3an"/s 3!siness !nlike the T'i2e"i %men.

. He' ,ass time is f'eelan&e 'itin#- makin# 3%nsai t'ee

k. Lalitha is ,'%!" t% 3e int'%"!&e" as ife %f Re2atee Sh'i"ha'( 3e&a!se the'e a'e

man Sh'i"ha's in the %ffi&e.

14. Cha'a&te' %f P'af!l

a. D%ll an" Alka/s 3'%the'

3. Nitin/s h%mese+!al ,a'tne'. Late' Nitin hates him f%' t'i&kin# him t% ma'' his

siste'.

&. :aa initiall hates him 3!t late' l%2es him s% m!&h s% that she a,,%ints him as the

t'!stee t% he' ,'%,e't f%' Daksha/s ill.

". %' )iten- he is sentimental f%%l( 3e&a!se f%' his siste's- he is 'ea" t% len"

inte'est f'ee l%an %f la'#e am%!nt %f m%ne t% them %n ,aa3le hen a3le( 3asis.

On the &%nt'a'- the t'eate" him like a ,ie&e %f shit(. )iten ants 1* instea" %f

1? lakh s% that the %!l" l%an * lakh %n inte'est t% %the'.

e. Alka &%nsi"e's hi- a &heat f%' n%t tellin# he' a3%!t Nitin/s se+!al %'ientati%n an"

his lie a3%!t thei' ,a'ents n%t 3ein# ma''ie". %' :aa- thei' m%the' as a(kee,(

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3e&a!se thei' fathe' li2e" ith an%the' famil %f f%!' &hil"'en %f s%me%ne else

hi&h :aa lea'ne" th'%!#h a lette' f'%m :aa/s &%!sin at Ahme"a3a".

15. e' e' Min%' Cha'a&te's %&alise" Daksha- Kanhia- P'af!l an" Ol" :e##e'

@%man

a. Daksha is ,'emat!'el 3%'n s,asti& "a!#hte' %f )iten an" D%ll. She st!"ies at

O%t. D%ll ants Daksha t% atten" "'esse" as a "an&e' in a maske" 3all 3e&a!se

she 3ein# s,asti& an" "ef%'me" &an n%t "an&e. :aa has 'itten a ill f%' he' an"

P'af!l ill l%%k afte' he' afte' :aa/s "eath.

3. D%ll has fantasise" K'ishna in he' f'!st'ate" an" l%nel life. He is a 'e,la&ement

%f t%%thless &%%k h% #%es t% his nati2e ,la&e. He is a #'an"s%n %f &%%k/s f'ien".

He is %f 1= %' *? ea's %l". @hen the h!s3an"s ha2e #%ne %!t the &l!3 an" :aa

has ke,t fe" D%ll ,las l%2e$s%n# th!ma'i- sit&hes the kit&hen li#hts %ff an"

takes Kanhia in f%' fi2e "as an" ni#hts. Shakti :hatia %3se'23es7 Kanhaia

'e,'esents %'l" %f se+!alit$ hethe' h%m%se+!alit %' h%m%se+!alit. He mi#ht

3e the all!'in# &%%k h% mi#ht %' mi#ht n%t 3e K'ishna %f D%ll %' Alka %' the

"a'k a!t%"'i2e' h% em3%"ies Nitin/s #!ilt.(

&. The %l" 3e##a' %man is mste'i%!s &ha'a&te'. D%ll an" siste' hate he' an" )iten

in his 'a#e kills he'. She kee,s sh!ttlin# 3eteen Alka/s an" D%ll/s h%!se e2en if

she is th'%n aa 3 at&hman. She &%mes in late an" #%es ea'l. She has

&%2e'e" he'self in ta',a!lin in %'"e' t% sa2e f'%m 'ain. The &ah'a&te's %f P'af!l-

Daksha- Kanhaia %' 3e##e' %man a'e all ,e'2asi2e in the ,la. Shakti :hatia

&%mments %n he' &ha'a&te'7 The 3e##a' %man 'e,'esents the #!ilt$la""en

3!'"en %f the ,ast hi&h )iten %!l" "est'% if he &%!l".(

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16. The ,la- :B- is e+,li&itl se+!al in its ,'esentati%n %f s&enes- %'ientati%n %f &ha'a&te's-

slan# an" !se %f "i't lan#!a#e an" sm3%ls.

a. H%m%se+!alit P'af!l Nitin

3. P'%mis&!it an" le&he'- le"ness

&. P'%stit!ti%n in %ffi&e an" h%m%se+!alit in %ffi&e an" %!tsi"e

". Alka/s "an&e in 'ain.

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My Lecture on Dattani (Autosaved)