An Amendment of Masculinity in Dance Like A Man of Mahesh Dattani

Abstract

Mahesh Dattani, a thought-provoking playwright, has won the reputation of a man of letters, who is always ready to deal with the 'burning issues' of contemporary life and within the skeleton of society. Present age is the age of show off market economy in which caption holds the cap. But the plays of Mahesh Dattani open the door to enter, peep, study and provide the opportunity to amend your concepts about the issue. All the plays of Mahesh Dattani handle social issues not in general but the deep-rooted prejudices that should be amended. Same happens in the play, Dance Like A Man (1989) where he has represented an amendment of the image of masculinity and raised a definition of gender equality. He has unveiled the issues which society has been represented with decoration and tried to hide the wounds. The term ' Masculinity' refers to the social expectations of being a man. It is a socio-cultural concept. It attributes some roles, behaviour, characteristics which are assigned by cultural and political policies of a society to a body. It is not a biological concept. Mahesh Dattani, through the character of Jairaj, has amended the masculine image of man and the selection of profession by a man in the play.