Mahesh Dattani s Recent Radio and Stage Plays A Study in Multiculturalism

Abstract

Though India has got a rich legacy of dramatic literature - the newlinemultifarious productions in Indian languages ranging from the tradition of newlinerecitation by a whole class of reciters; through puppet performances, masks, newlineclassical Sanskrit drama, ballad singing, clowning, martial arts, pageants and newlineprocessions, to the modern drama and theatre in modern Indian languagesinterestingly, newline modern Indian dramatic writing in English is neither rich in newlinequantity nor, on the whole of high quality when compared to other forms of newlineIndian Writing in English. The Indian Drama in English Translation, with the newlinegreatest Rabindranath Tagore ruling from the front with his own English newlinerenderings of his Bengali plays is comparatively more productive. The newlineprominent contributors who have enriched the Indian Drama in English newlineTranslation by their bold innovations and experiments include: Mohan Rakesh, newlineBadal Sircar, Vijay Tendulkar, Girish Karnard and Mahashweta Devi. newlineHowever, Indian Drama in English has come of age with the heralding newlinevoices beginning to penetrate like Mahesh Dattani and Manjula Padmanabhan, newlineably guided by the literary genius, Aurobindo, who wrote dramas originally in newlineEnglish. Mahesh Dattani, the most prolific writer is the first Indian playwright newlinewriting in English to have won the Sahitya Akademi Award. His plays have no newlinedoubt added a new scintillating dimension to the contemporary Indian Drama in newlineEnglish. Dattani s work is now seen as a significant contribution towards Indian newlinedrama in English finding a vital new place in modern world theater . newlineMahesh Dattani is known as the avant-garde of modern Indian theatre. He newlineis a multi-faceted genius: a dancer, director, commentator, actor and above all a newlineplaywright. He brought a revolution in Indian Theatre by sowing seeds for the newlinenew drama which attempts to eliminate the difference between the page and newlinestage. newlineMahesh Dattani is an existential philosopher, whose plays are a manifesto newlineof the new realism. He has explored the burning issues such as child sexual newline2 newlineabuse, lesbian and gay re