Abstract
ABSTRACTFollowing the centenary of the October Revolution (1917), this essay examines commemorative events in India and beyond and the contradictions of depicting the socialist revolution through its leader, Lenin (1870–1924). The Lenin cult dominates cultural-historical narratives, manifesting either in the iconization or iconoclasm of the leadership figure. In this context, this essay aims to revisit the sites of cultural manifestations and offer critical insights. By juxtaposing dramatic and theatre works from Germany, the United Kingdom, and India from the second half of the twentieth century, I explore alternate strategies of grappling with both the failures and the impact of the Revolution beyond the personality cult. Each work deploys various strategies of self-reflexive criticality of the Left. This essay aims to connect the past with the present and critique trends leading towards a consensus culture around cult figures.
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