'Tara' by Asmita Play Group

[Dr Vir Narayan]

Yesterday I watched 'Tara', a play of Mahesh Dattani, played by Asmita Play Group (http://literarism.blogspot.in/2011/11/tara-mahesh-dattani.html), which leaves some important questions on gender and other issues. The play is framed with a medical complication of new born twins (it's a rare case and survival rate is very low) and 'double life' of family members about twin boy and girl. There was question of survival of important organs in girl and mother has taken a different stand altogether but later on she has realised her mistake. She became disturb due to her wrong decision about medical reality and her biasses for boy. It has taken the family in distress situation and lots of confusion about parent's believe on their kids vibrates the story.

The play leaves many questions on gender perspective which was raised in this story-

How a mother is insensitive about her girl child? 

How a father is bias for his boy child and treats him differently? 

How a girl child has different believe about her father which was changed in the last after knowing the harsh reality about her life and stands of her mother? 

The boy child is highly sensitive and always support his twin sister, despite of different stand of family members. It puts a question that how society is framing the gender bias opinion about boy and girl. This kind of views leaves the family in distress situation.

It will be good for those readers and viewers to read/watch this play who are involved in gender evaluation. 

[Rituu B Nanda]

Thank you for posting. In my experience we have to work with everyone to internalise gender and equity. Its beyond the male and female debate.

[Rukmini Panda]

Thanks for posting.

Actually, the cultural norms, ideas and beliefs are internalized both by men and women. Being a mother when a woman is taking any decision, that is shaped by her patriarchal structural mindset, not by being a mother. Hence, there is definitely need to engage with the ideologies which creates division.