It might depend on what the term "postcolonial" is referring to. It could mean that the drama you're studying explicitly dramatizes, or in some way reflects upon, either the colonial experience or the situation of India in the years since decolonization. Or it could mean that you are analyzing the drama in question (of whatever period) from a postcolonial perspective, i.e. with an awareness of how first colonialism, and then the experience of being citizens of an ex-British colony, have shaped the thinking and the work of Indian dramatists. Or it could mean that you are borrowing specific critical approaches or formulations that have been labeled "postcolonial" by theorists and critics belonging to the critical school of that name, for instance Homi Bhabha.
Put another way, the term "postcolonial" can refer to an actual historical situation ("India today is a postcolonial nation"), or to an artistic strategy or set of concerns ("Dattani's work is typical of postcolonial Indian drama"), or to a critical approach ("Postcolonial theory helps us understand the work of 19th-century English dramatists"). If you're writing about Dattani, it's most likely the second of these, although it could also be some combination of them.
Thanks. Please can anyone point me to a resourceful material on POSTCOLONIALISM
The word 'Postcolonial' is problematic enough and when it comes to India, it is even a worse terrain to tread unlike what we have had in the African situation. India as a postcolony has gone thru some really amazing experiences and as a new state after the partition I believe it became even harder to define where Postcolonial India begins
But returning to the idea of postcolonial, history could explain writing. But then the events make it a tough world.
I am aware of postcolonial concerns in Indian Literature: partition literature, Literature that deals with the place of both women and the low castes (Spivak is a good starting point here)
Maybe a good understanding for India would be works by Leila Gandhi. Start there and then let's go on
Hi,
for a beginner in post-colonial Indian theater the following are a must read.
An Authoritative book: THEATRES OF INDEPENDENCE — Drama, Theory, and Urban Performance in India since 1947 by Aparna Bhargava Dharwadker; Oxford University Press, New Delhi-(2007?).
Girish Karnard as a postcolonial writer? If yes read Postcolonial Drama; Edited by Nasser Dasht Peyma, New Delhi; 2009; ISBN-81-316-0282-6.
Another interesting book: Acts of Authority/Acts of Resistance - Theater and Politics in Colonial and Postcolonial India by Nandi Bhatia, Copyright © 2004, University of Michigan.
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/tj/summary/v063/63.3.dharwadker.html
I slightly have a different opinion concerning Mahesh Dattani's work. I would first like to know what aim/purpose of your research: Performance or textual analysis. Within these two broad focus, you might want to explore further. I have conducted an interview with Dattani and have analyzed his Where Did I Leave My Purdah keeping performance analysis in mind. His performative practices might allow to search beyond post colonial notions as mentioned by scholars above.
Instead of talking about postcolonialism its better if we talk about neocolonialism. The times have changed and this postcolonialism does not have much effect. Rather it has taken a new form which is more required to be explored. The brain drain, diaspora, east west encounter, hybridization of culture have become more important with the changing scenario. These can also be found in Indian English drama.
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