Question

Discuss the main thematic concerns of dattani as evidence in tara.

Answer 1

Tara is a story of a girl who wants to twinkle and shine, just like her name. Dattani using the themes like gender identity, discrimination, middle-class life, revelation etc. He through these themes has beautifully shown the agony of a girl in typical Indian society. Also, in this play we can see him experimenting with the stage.


 Right from the beginning we can see the difference between male and female. Like, in scene where Bharti has finished her pooja, and Patel is getting ready to go to work. “The men in the house were deciding on whether they were going to go hunting while the women looked after the cave”.

 Another, theme is revelation where Tara comes to know that it was not her father but mother who discriminated between herself and her brother right from the age of 3 months when Bharti, her mother insisted on giving the third leg to her brother which rather suited her more.

 Dattani as a playwright breaks the unity of place, time and action in the very beginning of the play. After the soliloquy of Dan where he is shown in London at the lightening speed he appears in Mumbai from present to past. Here, he is able to disregard the unities by the help of lighting alongwith the music effects.


 When the play begins a spot picks When the play begins a spot picks up Dan and faint music is played when he is imagining the past and for past spot lights is up the stage level to highlight Tara and Chandan who walks in. Then the lights cross fade to the Patel’s living room and the action moves there. Again, when Dr. Thakkar is introduced to us, the light picks him up while Dan fades into darkness. But, Dr. Thakkar’s interviewer is Dan who continues to speak from his level. Dattani very cleverly uses the lights to highlight the action wherever he wants at any level without any breaks for change of scene. It is this that gives the play the feeling of unity of action. Music is so well used that it creates and enhance the mood of characters. Fade music for past- flash backs and different music when Tara is hurt or fight between Bharti and her husband or when the secret is revealed.