Asif Currimbhoy (born 1928)[1] is an Indian playwright writing in EnglishCurrimbhoy is India!s "rst auth#nti$ %oi$# in th# th#atr# &# is on# mod#rn Indian playwright who has shown gr#at int#r#st in produ$ing drama Among th# %#ry f#w dramatists writing plays in English' h# has mad# his dbut as a dramatist for th# stag# &is 29 plays ar# "rst and for#most for#most m#ant for th# stag#orn to an industrialist industrialist fath#r and a so$ial wor*#r moth#r' Carrimbhoy!s a$+uaintan$# with English languag# at a young ag# was r#sponsibl# for him attaining mast#ry o%#r th# languag# &# pursu#d his high#r #du$ation from th# ,is$onsin -ni%#rsity and his lo%# for .ha*#sp#ar#an drama has in/u#n$#d his body of wor*&is "rst play 0oa witt#n in th# 19 d#als with ra$ial dis$rimination as a paradigm of post$olonialism Asif Currimbhoy (19283 ) is a proli"$ Indian dramatist of int#rnational r#nown &# #m#rg #m# rg#d #d on th# th#atr th#atri$a i$all s$#n# s$#n# in India India durin during g th# #ar #arly ly 194s 194s'' #stabl #stablish ishing ing hims# hims#lf lf as a dramat dramati$ i$ do$um do$um#nt #ntar arian ian of $ont#m $ont#mpor porary ary politi politi$a $all #%#nts #%#nts in his his $ountry' in$luding th# Indian in%asion of 0oa and th# anglad#shi war of lib#ration 5h# English3languag# English3languag# playwright has also ta*#n as his sub6#$ts th# li%#s of su$h #min#nt Asian spiritual l#ad#rs as 7ahatma 0andhi and th# alai ama :or his parti$ular politi$al and th#atri$al %ision of India' Currimbhoy has b##n d#s$rib#d as on# of th# most pro%o$ati%# Indo3English dramatists ali%# today' and y#t h# has #arn#d gr#at#r a$$laim outsid# his own $ountry
Asif Currimbhoy Currimbhoy was born in ombay' in 1928 &is family was promin#nt among th# ;ho6as' a small' $los#3*nit $ommunity of .hiit# 7uslims
#$uti%# for India!s urmah3.h#ll Corporation 5h# 6ob in%ol%#d #>t# #>t#ns nsi% i%# # tra% tra%#l #l thr through oughou outt th# th# $oun $ountr try' y' from from whi$ whi$h h h# gain gain#d #d "rst "rst3h 3han and d #>p#ri#n$# of th# s#ttings that lat#r "gur#d in his plays Currimbhoy!s "rst play was 5h# 5ourist 5ourist 7#$$a (191)' a roman$# roman$# d#aling with with th# th#m# of East3, East3,#st #st #n$ount#r that ta*#s pla$# in th# shadow of th# 5a6 7ahal
5h# #m#rging playwright $am# to national att#ntion in 191' wh#n his play 5h# oldrumm#rs was bann#d from p#rforman$# by go%#rnm#nt $#nsors b#$aus# of its illi$it $ont#nt 5h# play portrays th# fundam#ntal humanity of a $ommunity of dropouts who ar# li%ing a promis$uous' h#donisti$ #>ist#n$# in sha$*s along =uhu #a$h' on th# $oast outsid# ombay Artists and $#l#briti#s in India r#spond#d with outrag# to th# ban' #%#ntually for$ing th# go%#rnm#nt to r#$onsid#r Currimbhoy w#nt on to produ$# s#%#ral oth#r plays during th# "rst phas# of his $ar##r' in$luding 5h# umb an$#r (192)' an #>p#rim#ntal #>p#rim#ntal ;atha*ali ;atha*ali dan$# drama? @7 (192)' a bold att#mpt to portray &indu spirituality on stag#? and 5horns on a Can%as (19)' a satiri$al loo* at th# produ$tion of art and th# patronag# b#hind it 5h# mid3194s
also saw th# b#ginning of th# playwright!s int#r#st in dramatising %arious asp#$ts of Indian politi$al historyB 5h# Capti%#s (19) d#pi$ts th# politi$al $limat# in India at th# tim# of th# 192 .ino3Indian war' fo$using on th# war!s ##$t on th# $ountry!s 7uslim minority? and 0oa (19) all#gori$ally $riti+u#s India!s 191 in%asion of th# Dortugu#s# $olony of 0oa through th# story of an Indian boy!s ard#nt but poss#ssi%# lo%# for a 0oan girl
Currimbhoy b#gan anoth#r phas# of int#nsi%# produ$ti%ity in th# #arly 194s' b#ginning with In+uilab (191? !<#%olution!)' a play d#pi$ting th# app#al to Indian youth of th# 7ao3in/u#n$#d Fa>alit# mo%#m#nt that #m#rg#d in ,#st #ngal in th# lat# 194s' and ar6##ling 5#aG (191)' a s#rio$omi$ portrait of th# last !pu**a sahibs! (or Englishm#n) who r#main#d in India as t#a plant#rs aft#r ind#p#nd#n$# Among th# playwright!s most ambitious wor*s is .onar angla (192? !0old#n #ngal!)' a sw##ping #pi$ that att#mpts to dramatis# th# lib#ration of anglad#sh from Da*istan in 191 ,hil# $riti$s ha%# r#$ognis#d th# importan$# of th# play!s th#m#s and th# pot#ntial for signi"$ant dramati$ impa$t' som#' in$luding 7; Fai*' $on$lud# that th# imm#ns# s$op# of th# story r#nd#rs th# play ultimat#ly unstag#abl# @m 7an# Dadm# &umH (192? !&ail to th# =#w#l in th# otusH!) in$orporat#s n#wsr##l $lips' slid# pro6#$tion' and "lm#d s$#n#s in a multim#dia produ$tion that $hroni$l#s th# alai ama!s #s$ap# from 5ib#t in 199 In An E>p#rim#nt with 5ruth (192)' Currimbhoy #stablish#s th# dramati$ stru$tur# a$$ording to *#y #%#nts in 0handi!s politi$al lif#' whil# fo$using on th# gr#at l#ad#r!s p#rsonal struggl# to r#main s#>ually abstin#nt
Currimbhoy has writt#n num#rous oth#r full3l#ngth and on#3a$t plays' as w#ll as s$ripts for "lm and t#l#%ision Fotabl# among his on#3a$t plays ar# 5h# &ungry @n#s (19)' whi$h draws a pro%o$ati%# $omparison b#tw##n famin# %i$tims and Am#ri$an b#atni*s? 5h# <#fug## (191)' whi$h portrays th# /ight of 14 million r#fug##s from East Da*istan into India in 191? and 5h# 7ira$l# .##d (19)' a d#pi$tion of Indian %illag# lif#
5h# popular and $riti$al r#spons# to Currimbhoy!s wor* has b##n mi>#d ,riting for th# Indian magaJin# :rontlin# (Kol 24' Issu# 41' 244)' has*ar 0hos# not#s that th# English3languag# plays of Currimbhoy and oth#rs had littl# impa$t on Indian audi#n$#s during th# 194s 0hos# sp#$ulat#s that this may ha%# b##n b#$aus# audi#n$#s w#r# r#sistant to th# id#a of Indian plays writt#n in English' or p#rhaps b#$aus# th# wor*s of Currimbhoy and his English3languag# $ont#mporari#s w#r# simply o%#rshadow#d by th# gr#at popularity of Ki6ay 5#ndul*ar!s 7arathi plays and 0irish ;arnad!s ;annada plays !,hat#%#r it was!' h# $on$lud#s' !all of th#s#
[English3languag#] plays amount#d to %#ry littl# in t#rms of th# $r#ation of a %igorous tradition of play writing!
In $riti$al t#rms' many prais# th# sophisti$at#d $raftsmanship of Currimbhoy!s drama' and his ability to pr#s#nt $omp#lling #thi$al $on$#rns through th# int#rw#a%ing of politi$al #%#nts and pri%at# r#lationships @n th# oth#r hand' in his arti$l# !A 5h#atr# of =ournalism!' whi$h app#ar#d in Indian DEF (%ol 4' no 12' 19) A; hatt $harg#s that th# 6ournalisti$ +uality of mu$h of his wor* (writt#n as it was in imm#diat# r#spons# to $urr#nt #%#nts) has r#sult#d in a la$* of att#ntion to languag# 7; Fai* o#rs #>t#nsi%# analysis of th# playwright!s $hara$t#risation' dialogu#' th#m#s' and stag#$raft in his #ssay !&alf30od!s Dl#ntyB 5h# rama of Asif Currimbhoy!' whi$h app#ars in his .tudi#s in Indian English it#ratur# (198) Fai* $on$lud#s that whil# Currimbhoy d#monstrat#s "n# dramati$ instin$ts in many s$#n#s within his plays' h# ultimat#ly fails to translat#s th#s# instin$ts into $oh#r#nt' ##$ti%# drama 7ost $riti$s r#$ognis# 0oa as on# of Currimbhoy!s most su$$#ssful dramati$ #orts aphn# Dan o#rs an in3d#pth analysis of th# play in h#r #ssay' !Asif Currimbhoy!s 0oaB A Consid#ration!' whi$h app#ars in 5hrough i#r#nt Ey#sB :or#ign <#spons#s to Indian ,riting in English (198)' #dit#d by ;irpal .ingh D ayapa <#ddy' on# of th# for#most s$holars of Currimbhoy!s wor*' $omm#nds th# psy$hologi$al $ompl#>ity' "n# balan$#' and lyri$al languag# of th# play in his !Asif Currimbhoy!s 0oaB A .tudy!' whi$h app#ar#d in Ari#lB A <#%i#w of Int#rnational English it#ratur# (Kol 1' Fo ' 198)' #dit#d by Ind#r Fath ;h#r and Christoph#r ,is#man <#ddy is also th# author of 5h# Dlays of Asif Currimbhoy (198)' on# of th# f#w full3l#ngth studi#s of Currimbhoy!s wor* Anoth#r substanti%# study is !5h# ramati$ Art of Asif Currimbhoy! by ;< .rini%asa Iy#ngar' whi$h is in$lud#d in Indo3English it#ratur#B A Coll#$tion of Criti$al Essays (19)' #dit#d by ;; .harma :aubian ow#rs $omm#nts that Asif Curriumbhoy was LIndiaMs"rst auth#nti$ %oi$# in th# th#atr#N &# has writt#n on a %ari#ty of th#m#s and produ$#d far$#' $om#dy' trag#dy' m#lodrama' history'fantasy' #t$ ayapa <#ddy' in his th#mati$ r#s#ar$h on CurrimbhoyMs plays' $lassi"#s his plays into so$ial' politi$al andr#ligious on#s Currimbhoy $ar#fully s#l#$t#d th# politi$al' r#ligiousand so$ial issu#s r#lat#d to India and n#ighbouring $ountri#s in th# post3Ind#p#nd#n$# p#riod &# was mo%#d by th# %iol#n$# that#rupt#d in th# $ountry during th# si>ti#s&# ass#rts that h# $hos# to writ# for th# th#atr# b#$aus# h#thought that this was th# art form whi$h allow#d him to #>pos# th#$ompl#>ity of th# so$i#ty 5h#atr# was a m#dium to $omm#nt#>t#nsi%#ly on th# $hang#s that $am# o%#r India aft#r Ind#p#nd#n$#and his $on$#pt of a sophisti$at#d so$i#ty has b##n graduallyamalgamat#d into th# plays &# argu#s that th# Indian struggl#against $olonial pow#r has pro%#d l#ss
fruitful b#$aus# #$onomi$ally
post3$olonialIndia
has
b#$om#
$olonis#d
$ulturally
and
Edward .aid stat#s that th# id#a of post3$olonialism n##ds th#dynami$ b#tw##n its#lf and its $oloniJ#rs in ord#r to d#"n# its#>ist#n$#B5h# @ri#nt is an int#gral part of Europ#an mat#rial $i%iliJation and$ultur# @ri#ntalism #>pr#ss#s and r#pr#s#nts that part $ulturallyand #%#n id#ologi$ally as a mod# of dis$ours# with supportinginstitutions' %o$abulary' s$holarship' imag#ry' do$trin#s' #%#n$olonial bur#au$ra$i#s and $olonial styl#s (8)
5h# dynami$ b#tw##n th# $oloniJ#r and th# $oloniJ#d may impos#an int#ll#$tual rath#r than a politi$al domination o%#r th# post3$olonialnation ,hil# politi$al fr##dom may #>ist' th# int#ll#$tualind#p#nd#n$# is far from r#ality .aid go#s on to stat# Oit is a$#rtain will or int#ntion to und#rstand' in som# $as#s to $ontrol'manipulat#' #%#n to in$orporat#' what is a manif#stly di#r#nt (or alt#rnati%# and no%#l) worldO (94)<#sistan$# th#ory in post3$olonial lit#ratur# r#fut#s th# %#ry notionthat id#a of r#pr#s#ntation also $onnot#s furth#r sub6ugation<#sistan$# lit#ratur# us#s th# languag# of #mpir# to r#but its dominantid#ologi#s In oth#r words' th# $oloniJ#d nation is Owriting ba$*'Osp#a*ing #ith#r of th# oppr#ssion and ra$ism of th# $oloniJ#rs or th#inh#r#nt $ultural Ob#tt#r3 n#ssO of th# indig#nous p#opl# &#l#n 5iPn#>pr#ss#s this point b#st in h#r #ssay ODost3$olonial it#ratur#s andCount#r3dis$ours#OB ODost3$olonial lit#ratur#sQ$ultur#s ar# thus$onstitut#d in $ount#r3dis$ursi%# rath#r than homologous pra$ti$#s' andth#y o#r R"#lds! or $ount#r3dis$ursi%# strat#gi#s to th# dominantdis$ours#O (9) It is th# int#ntion of this pap#r to analys# th# paradigm of $olonis#r and $olonis#d distin$tion as r#%#al#d in Asif Currimbhoy!s 5horns on A Can%as It d#pi$ts th# r#lationship b#tw##n an upp#r $lass patron of art and som# artists who b#long to th# low#r strata of so$i#ty wh#r# th# distin$tion b#tw##n th# ra$ial LusN and Loth#rN has b##n p#r$#ptibl# in th# patt#rn of #litist and und#rpri%il#g#d r#lationship 7altiMs fath#r is th# r#pr#s#ntati%# of th# #litist $lass and Sa*ub and Faf#sa ar# th# r#pr#s#ntati%#s of th# downtrodd#n$lass 5h# fath#r is a patron of arts and Sa*ub and Faf#sa ar# b#ggar3li*# artists who ar# tr#at#d as ugly and browb#at#n
