Breaking Barriers: The Role of English in Shaping Indian Theatre through Mahesh Dattani's Vision
Dr. Jamirul Islam1, Dr. Md. Nasir Hossain2
1Assistant Professor (English),
Department of H&S, Malla Reddy College of Engineering and
Technology, JNTU, Hyderabad. Email: jamirul2801@gmail.com
2Assistant Professor (English), Department of H&S, Malla
Reddy College of Engineering and Technology, JNTU,
Hyderabad. Email: mdnasir0097@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This research paper investigates Mahesh
Dattani's arguments for English as the language of communication for
both contemporary Indian theatre and his plays (Sharma, 2018). The
study examines the personal factors and situations that led Dattani
to decide to write in English. His audacity in language choice has
greatly aided in his career as a playwright and director, gaining
him acclaim and exposure across the globe (Mehta, 2020). Along with
his dramatic talent, he adapts Western theatrical approaches to the
Indian socio-cultural environment, allowing him to preserve the
original essence of the characters and events in his plays (Patel,
2017). The odd themes he chooses for his plays are something that
most authors of his day fear having to deal with on stage (Verma,
2019). However, Dattani approaches these concerns in the most
effective way possible thanks to his dramatic brilliance, making the
audience aware of the issues and encouraging independent thought
(Iyer, 2021). To present completely new projections on the global
stage, he pulls Indian theatre out of its typical closet languages
and themes (Banerjee, 2016). He also gives it new aesthetic elements
that make it even more vivid, energetic, and rich (Nair, 2022).
Keywords: Indian
Drama, Space in writing drama, English Language in theatre,
Cultural identity, Social issues in theatre and English as a
cultural connector.
