Contemporary Indian Drama: Astride Two Traditions

Book Details

• Author: Bandana Chakrabarty

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Binding: Hardcover

• Pages: 296

• ISBN: 9788170339359

• Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches

• Languages: English

• Release Date: 05-05-2005

About the Book

Contemporary Indian Drama: Astride Two Traditions is a collection of twenty-two essays, an interview, and a few poems translated from Hindi on Metatheatre. The work explores various aspects of dramaturgy, interpretative processes, and directorial interventions within the realm of contemporary Indian drama.

The book is divided into three sections:

1. Theoretical and Historical Perspectives: This section contextualizes contemporary Indian drama, especially in English and its translations.

2. Interlude: Featuring an insightful interview and poems that contribute to understanding the nuances of Metatheatre.

3. Individual Writers and Texts: This section delves deeper into the works of prominent dramatists such as Sadhu Binning, Uma Parmeswaran, Nissim Ezekiel, Dina Mehta, Gurcharan Das, Mahesh Dattani, Badal Sircar, Mahasweta Devi, and others, analyzing themes and dramatic experimentation. The book also explores the use of history, myth, and folk forms in their work.

The text reflects the dual literary and cultural traditions that contemporary Indian drama straddles—both Oriental and Western—and how these elements transition from the written page to the live stage. It will be particularly valuable to theatre lovers, researchers, and general readers with an interest in contemporary Indian drama.

Contents

• Theoretical and Historical Perspectives on Contemporary Indian Drama

• Interview and Translated Poems on Metatheatre

• Analysis of Individual Writers and Dramatic Texts

• Exploration of themes, experimentation, and the use of history, myth, and folk forms in Indian drama

About the Author

Bandana Chakrabarty is a faculty member of English at Government College, Gangapurcity. Her doctoral dissertation focused on “The Feminist Questioning in the Short Stories of Alice Munro.” She has published papers on Canadian writers and feminist issues. Chakrabarty's work reflects a deep engagement with feminist and literary discourses.

Urmil Talwar, co-editor of the book, is a faculty member at B.G.D. Government Girls College, Shahpura. She has worked on her doctoral thesis on the role of public schools in shaping English literary culture during the 1920s and 1930s and has published several papers on British fiction and theory.