Chapter - Ii
Chapter - Ii
Chapter - Ii
CHAPTER - II
When he shifted to Pune, at that time India was under the British rule. ―He
participated in the Indian freedom movement in 1942 at the fourteen years of age‖
(Tendulkar, Interview with Priya Adarkar 49-50). ―He was so much devoted for
the freedom struggle movement that he left his studies‖ (Tendulkar, An
introduction by Samik Bandopadhyay 598). He then had his admission in a new
school. During Quit India Movement, Gandhiji appealed to the students and called
them to boycott the schools run by the British Government as a part of the
campaign. It was an initiative to end the British rule in India. Vijay was one of
those students who replied Gandhi‘s call and took interest in it and attended secret
meetings and distributed pamphlets to rebel against the English officials. He was
also associated with the communist party and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh for
some time. These incidents encouraged him and brought out the fearlessness and
adventurous nature of Tendulkar.
2
Tendulkar‘s love and devotion for his country reached to the immediate
heights. These qualities are easily seen in his writings. Vijay was to go to the
police station due to a sudden meeting. He was freed after being given a severe
warning by the police to his father, as he was a minor. His father, Dhondopant
prohibited him from taking any more part in the nationalist movement and he was
forced to return to school. But it was too late, by now he had fallen far behind in
his studies. He was often punished at school. When it became unbearable, he
began bunking the classes and wasted his precious time in watching movies. He
wasted all the money given to him for the school fee. He also spent much of his
time at the city library in reading books. He due to the fear of getting beaten by
his parents escaped from his family and friends. Writing became his only
companion when he was alone and sad. Tendulkar shared his views with Mukta
Rajyadhyaksha in an interview in following words:
stayed away from school a lot and was often humiliated whenever I turned
Tendulkar started writing for news paper. He made up his mind to pursue
writing and as such he took interest in writing for newspapers and magazines. He
3
also worked in various printing presses as a proof-reader for three years (1944 to
1947). In 1948, he worked as the sub-editor in daily ‗Navabharat‟. ―He also
worked for ‗Maratha‘ and ‗Loksatta‘. He was the executive editor of ‗Vasudha‘
and ‗Dipawali‟ for some time. He wrote columns for ‗Manus‘ and ‗Maharashtra
Times‟. He also spent a few years as public relations officer for the Chowgule
Group of Industries‖ (Tendulkar, Interview 1983). During his career as a
journalist, he got good knowledge of society and human life. Tendulkar states in
N.S.Dharan‘s Indian English Drama Critical Perspectives:
He had great love for writing and his penchant for writing was reflected in
his experiences which show that somewhere a talent was hidden in him. His
vigilant mind was always curious to know about the worldly situations around
him, regarding this Amar Nath Prasad and Satish Barbuddhe writes about him in
these words:
He was not satisfied with the ‗second hand‘ information which he got,
while sitting in the newspaper office. In his study tours he got ‗first hand‘
The story „Amchyavar Kon Prem Karnar‟ (Who Will Love Us) was
Tendulkar‘s first published work. At the age of twenty–two he wrote his first full-
length play „Gruhastha‟ (The Householder) but unfortunately it could not be
succeeded. He wrote „Shrimant‟ (The Rich) in 1955 dealt with the subject of
unmarried motherhood and jolted the conservative audience of the times.
Arundhati Banerjee says about Tendulkar‘s early plays:
Tendulkar‘s first major work that set him apart from previous generation
Marathi playwrights was Manus Nawache Bet (An Island Called Man,
genius was cut out for the newly emerging experimental Marathi theatre of
sympathy in the mind of the readers. The course of modern Marathi theatre was
rapidly changed in the 1950s and 1960s.
The play „Sakharam Binder‟ was published in 1972 and suffered the same
fate like Vultures. It deals with the issue of the domination of the male over the
female. His next play „Mitrachi Goshta‟ (A Friend‘s Story) appeared in 1980. It
was based on a short story ‗Mitra‘ written by the author himself in the mid-fifties.
It presented the pathetic life of Sumitra, the protagonist, who is a lesbian. The play
created a sensation because nothing like this had been created in writings during
those days.
Court Chalu Aahe (Silence! The Court Is in Session) (1972), Nishant (End of
Night) (1975), Samna (Confrontation) (1975), Manthan (Churning) (1976),
Simhasan (Throne) (1979), Gehrayee (The Depth) (1980), Aakrosh (Cry of the
Wounded) (1980), Akriet (Unimaginable) (1981), Umbartha (The Threshold)
(1981), Ardh Satya (Half Truth) (1983), Kamala (Kamala) (1984), Sardar (1993),
Yeh Hai Chakkad Bakkad Bumbe Bo (2003), Eashwar Mime Co. (The Mime
Players) (2005) and Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan (1978).
His early writings brought him a real life experience of this class. His
writings significantly changed the face of Indian drama of that time as regards
‗experimental presentations by theatre groups like Rangayan‘ (Varde 87). ―The
leading actors of theatre groups were Shreeram Lagoo, Mohan Agashe and
Sulabha Deshpande. They lent a special power to Tendulkar's creations and gave a
new direction to Marathi theatre‖ (www.dnaindia.com).
During the 1970s and 1980s he wrote the original scripts and dialogue for
Hindi films. He had been the screen writer for eleven films in Hindi and eight in
Marathi. ‗The famous films among them are Nishant, Akrosh, Ardhya-Satya,
Manthan and Aghat—that defined the paradigm for the 'Middle-Cinema'
movement in India‘ (Tandon 124). The famous Marathi films are Samana (1975),
Simhaasan (1979), and Umbartha (1981). ―The film is based on women's activism
in India. It was directed by Jabbar Patel, and featured by Smita Patil and Girish
Karnad‖ (www.youtube.com). He was considered equal amongst the famous art
and commercial cinema film-makers of Bollywood- Satyajit Ray, Shyam Benegal
etc. Besides this, he had written and directed as a social commentator in various
shows on current social issues for Indian television in Hindi.
7
His contribution has not only enriched the Marathi drama and theatre, but
theatres all across India. He took into consideration the varied problems of the
native life of Maharatsra and gave Marathi drama a new dimension. His personal
life is full of gloominess and sadness as he lost his wife Nirmala and son Raja in
2001. ‗His only daughter Priya Tendulkar, who was a renowned television actress,
died of cancer in 2002‘ (timesofindia.indiatimes.com). ‗Tendulkar died at Prayag
Hospital‘ (timesofindia.indiatimes.com). ‗He was battling with Myasthenia Gravis
and took his last breath on 19 May, 2008‘ (Tendulkar, The Telegraph 2008).
Tendulkar autobiographically delineated his inner urge about his flight for
his passion of writing drama, to initiate the dimensions of society that so far had
been neglected or never been dared to project in writings and in theatre. Tendulkar
in an Interview with K. Kannan in When Writing is Life itself, states-
Like a seagull, I have flown over the ocean of life patiently, calmly,
deep will this ocean be? How will the bottom look like?
(www.thehindu.com)
8
Tendulkar too, alike Coelho, ―was disillusioned with life around and
brokethrough the traditional and conventional theatre, making an extreme
excursion into a new kind of theatre experience like Fugard‖ (Coelho 31).
Tendulkar tried his best to change the form, style and pattern of Indian Drama.
His fame has crossed the boundaries of Marathi culture. All his plays
voiced the silence of the middle class common man. He is ranked very high on
both the national and international stage for dramatics. He achieved the fame in
his life time and posthumously, that a very few Indian authors are able to achieve.
He made all the stones unturned by his strength and touched the greater heights in
his literally achievements. He chose the unique subject for his studies. It is
because of the uniqueness of his subject that took him to international level of
drama. He always considered writing significant for men‘s growth and to acquire
intellect. This very uniqueness in his thoughts ensured that his writings were
highly impressive. He was of the view that:
Creative writing has never been my first Love; my primary interest has
always been life itself. I would rather play with child or meet an
talking and I'm not the one to fall in love with my own voice. I am more
I have written about my own experiences and about what I have seen in
others around me. I have been true to all this and have not cheated my
generation. I did not attempt to simplify matters and issues for the
audience when presenting my plays, though that would have been easier
I always feel that this first and repeated experience of the mystique of the
principles, he not only broke the rigid walls of dramatics, but also gave a new
dimension to drama – staging, script, dialogues, backstage etc.
The use of the words in his plays is a unique subject to study. His story
line deals with extremely simple and clear use of words. His words create the
expected change and leave a deep impact. The selection of words used by him is
perfect. His screenplays and plays are equally readable and viewable. It leaves
people struck by his command over the medium while reading. The direction in
his plays written in detail in parenthesis against each scene. They do not require
director. Such directions can‘t be separated from the story as it helps in the
smooth writing of story. As such he gave a new concept of story writing,
presentation of plays and screenplays due to his multifaceted personality.
His indepth reflection for the current dominating issues and the use of his
experimental techniques has made all his plays fantastic and unique. Here it is apt
to quote that: ―Tendulkar's plays are very tightly constructed and display
tremendous control over dramatic structure‖ (www.expressindia.com).
His plays were totally opposed to his contemplative personal character and
personality. The common theme of his writings was violence and it was the only
subject for his study. He was of different opinion and he feels that violence is
basic natural instinct in human beings. Different forms of violence are seen in all
his stories. Though his thematic concerns were totally different and exhibit
pessimistic views but he was full of optimistic thinking. He was of dual nature
12
and used to say that whatever he experienced and observed, he expressed through
his writings. Writing was his only weapon to explore more about human nature
and predicament.
He was a social activist and was able to perceive the mind of people in
society. He took active participation in social movements like the ―Narmada
Bachao Andolan (a movement to save the displaced people owing to the Narmada
Dam Project) and cultural movements like Granthali, movements that expressed
freedom of thought, experimentations in dramatics, etc‖ (www.manase.org).
Tendulkar won the National Film Award for the Best Screenplay in 1977
for his Shyam Benegal's movie, Manthan (1976). He has written screenplays for
many significant art movies, such as Nishant, Akrosh, and Ardh Satya. Tendulkar
received many awards during his career. In 1970, he won both Sangeet Natak
Akademy Award and Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay Award. He won Filmfare Best
Screenplay Award for Aakrosh and Filmfare Best Story Award for Aakrosh 1981.
13
He was also awarded with Filmfare Best Screenplay Award for Ardh Satya
in1983. Tendulkar received Padma Bhushan in1984 and Saraswati Samman in
1993. He was also honoured with Sangeet Natak Academy Fellowship (1998),
Kalidas Samman (1999), Katha Chudamani Award (2001) and The Little
Magazine Salam Award (2006).
The play Ghashiram Kotwal was written and staged in 1972. It acclaimed
international reputation. The play was stamped as Anti-Brahmin and was bitterly
criticized by the society. The condition became so turbulent that he had to seek
protection from police. His play Kanyadaan also faced same humiliation as it was
a criticism on brahmanical social order against dalits. But still he was awarded the
Saraswati Samman for this play. ―While speaking at the awards ceremony, he
revealed in the ‗Afterword‘ written for the play Kanyadaan (1983) “that once he
had a slipper hurled at him for this play‖ (71). Thus he received both- awards and
honours as well as curses and abuses for his plays. Arundhati Banerjee aptly
comments, that ―Tendulkar is both venerated as well as controversial figure in the
country`s theatre scene‖ (Banerjee 7).
the new drama sect. I have felt no great urge thus, far to determine which
sect I belong to, nor do I expect to feel the need to do so in the future. I
have written on any theme that has occupied my mind over time,
amongst the new dramatist, I love to lose myself in the best of Deval,
with ‗bad‘….(5)
classless society, or for that matter, in any society. The spirit of aggression
is something that human being is born with. Not that it is bad. Without
being and writes about them in his plays as a responsible writer (Babu 25).
The complex social factors like poverty and inequality can have
favourable or adverse effects on different classes of society. Generally he talks
about the people from the middle strata who are the greatest sufferers. Gender,
class and the patterns of the class division drew the attention of Tendulkar. He
wrote about women who are infringed and are exploited emotionally, socially, and
physically. Women play a central role in his plays and he focused on the
hypocritical double standard of the civilized urban middle class society. In this
connection, Smita Paul comments in her book Theatre of Power:
Silence! The focal point of interest lies is the struggle between women like
18
Benare and her antagonists headed by the orthodox Kashikar and his
The subject of his plays ranges from the unbelievably gullible to the
clever, from the malleable to the stubborn, from the conservative to the
He successfully gives the readers a clear perception about the lives of his
characters. He portrays the socially deprived women characters, who are so close
to the real life. His strengths are evident and he depicts his central character with
tenderness. He is one of the most creative Indian play wrights and with his
creative thoughts he has enriched the Indian drama and theatre by picturising the
varied problems of native life in Maharashtra.
During early years of his age, India was under colonial rule and Tendulkar
sensitively incorporated structured device like realism in the narrative plot of his
dramas. ―Realism is used by literary critics in two chief ways: (1) to identify a
literary movement of the nineteenth century; and (2) to designate a recurrent
mode, in various eras, of representing human life and experience in literature,
which was especially exemplified by the writers of this historical movement‖
(Abrams 152-154). The main reason for our attraction for him is his uniqueness.
His characters exhibit fundamental, orthodox Indian society. Throwing more light
on the poor state of established traditional values in India, Tendulkar shares his
19
Now as I watch life I get restless, upset, even murderous, when I see the
change that have come. I feel agitated and helpless because I can do
are aware of the serious, complex changes that are going to affect our fat
in a big way? Because, unless we are deeply concerned with life, what we
write or stage or film, whether they are seen, read or discussed, don‘t
really matter…… I continue to watch film and plays but they don‘t move
These lines show that all his plays sharply focus and illuminate the social
upheavals. Through his writings he attacks on the social hypocrisies.
Thematically, his plays have ranged from isolated life of the modern individual to
contemporary politics. He starts from social-individual tensions and ends at
depicting the complexities of human character. He begins with the exploration of
man-woman relationship and ends with reinterpretations of historical episodes.
I have been writing about life around me, who I fill the need to say or to
Tendulkar through his writings has exposed the theme of man's isolated
existence. There is a streak of naturalism and humanism in all his plays. All this
convey a social message. He wanted to make society a better place to live in
through his contribution in writing. Tendulkar's central concern is the relationship
between individual and society. He answers the question of his honest perception
of society in an interview:
I personally don‘t bother about people who haven‘t seen life. They close
their eyes at the sight of suffering as if it does not exist. The fact is that life
is dark and cruel, it‘s just that you don‘t care for the truth (Trivedi 2).
In his 1972 play Sakharam Binder Tendulkar deals with the aspect of the
domination of the male gender. ―The main character, Sakharam, is man devoid of
ethics and morality‖ (Theater Review). He professes not to believe in ‗outdated‘
21
social codes and traditional wives, and uses them for his sexual gratification while
remaining unaware to the moral and emotional significance of his exploits. Thus
the play Sakharam Binder treats varied aspects of sex and harshness. Tendulkar in
an interview with The Indian Express on March 27, 1983 says:
Even in the plays of Sakharam Binder and The Vultures, the theme is not
His primary compulsion is and has always been humanistic. His concerns
are survival, the morals of life and the social position of women. Vijay Tendulkar
has powerfully connected the episodes of the contemporary socio-political
situations in his plays. He has expressed it by saying:
way brood over it. Once in a way I even do something to relieve myself of
instead of taking a position against it. That takes me to a point where I feel
that the relationship is external fact of life however cruel, will never end.
Not that, I relish this thought while it grips me but I cannot shake it off
(Trivedi 1).
The play The Vultures displays the unmitigated violence arising from
selfishness, greed, and sinfulness. It was produced in 1970 and published in 1971.
There was a great storm in the society around when it was first performed on the
stage. It caused sensation as regards sex and violence in the conservative section
of Maharashtrian society. It led the Maharashtrian people stunned as the vulgar
reality of their lives presented through the sexual relations and the scenes of
violence in the play. As a result Girish Karnad says: ―The staging of Gidhade
could be compared with the blasting of bomb‖ (Tandon 158). Since the play was
bitterly criticized by the theatre-going public, it was obscene and suspended for
the time being for the public performances. It depicts violence, greed, selfishness,
sensuality, and sheer wickedness inherent in man‘s life and this aspect is easily
seen in the title itself that the subject-matter of the play was unpleasant. It was
translated in fourteen Indian languages and also awarded with Kamala Devi
Chattopadhyay award.
23
The playwright not merely allegorizes the political event but also satirizes
the cultural intolerance and deprivation, which results in social violence.
Moreover social conditions paradoxically signify political violence that aims to
create a terror so that there may always be an acceptance to terror. Political
violence then coordinates with psychological suppression resulting in social
disparity and self-centeredness. Tendulkar has taken note of these prevailing
norms as a journalist that autobiographically influences his plays. For example,
the play Ghashiram Kotwal and Silence the Court is in Session are a good
example of satire on malignant society that inflicts trauma upon the sections of
people with weaker instincts. Once in an interview with scholarly Indian writers
published in New World Literature Series, the following conversations between
the playwright and the interviewer happened. It relates to the author‘s view point
in this way:
the play is in no way less than the legal punishment. Is that all
the selfish society. Had I shown her aggressive that would have
with the medium itself. The lure of television cannot be faulted for the
25
decline of theatre. I do not think that the ill effects of one medium can be
One of the things which profoundly unite him is his mutually integral
treatment of the issues of contemporary Indian subjectivity. It is based on the
various axes of gender, sexuality, history, politics, tradition, class and socio-
cultural change. Indian drama in recent years has attracted number of critical
thinkers for in-depth critical analysis. They have done a lot of critical work on
Indian drama in translation as well. Tendulkar summed up his life-long
involvement, while delivering the prestigious Shri Ram Memorial Lecture for
Performing Arts:
What I like about those years is that they made me grow as a human being.
And theater which was my major concern has contributed to this in a big
make newer and newer discoveries in the vast realm of the human mind
that still defies all available theories and logic. It's like an ever-intriguing
puzzle or a jungle that you can always enter but has no way out. Not that I
am any wiser than the fool I was when I entered the theater. I still act like
a fool and think like one; but there is a difference. Now I am aware of
what I am doing while I do it. I am my own audience and the critic, if one
may use the language of the theater. Now I enjoy my foolishness and
laugh at it; and of course the foolishness of others too, at times (Tendulkar
36).
26
Criticism and failure of his works could not deter him from writing what
he felt to be right. Tendulkar‘s dramas are still relevant in twenty-first century due
to his deep sensibility and plausibility in his writings. His plays basically feature
the prevalent subjects like— political violence which is an ever existing fact in
terms of political ideology, cultural activism, and socio-cultural affairs related to
women that is body politics in political corporation, human trafficking and issues
of man-woman relationship in advanced industrialized technical world.
27
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Chaudhary, Ashok K. “Vijay Tendulkar Born with the Theatre.” Indian Express.
Athol Fugard and Vijay Tendulkar.‖ Indian Literature Today. Vol.1. ed.
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29
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30
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