Mahesh Dattani’s Dance like a Man : A Study of Gender Discrimination

Mahesh Dattani is one of the most remarkable dramatists of Indian English Literature. He is the true observer of society and he writes only what he sees and not what should be. He deals with the burning issues of the society in his plays. His plays are being staged, published, and translated in India and abroad. He is gifted with versatile personality. He is a writer, director, actor, dancer, and teacher. He has been awarded with the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for his contribution to Indian Drama in 1998. His most distinguish quality is wide range of themes that he deals with his writing. His plays have the universal appeal. He often deals with subjects that are considered as taboos and are under carpet. In many of his plays, he deals with various issues like gender discrimination, homosexuality, communalism, and child sexual abuse. The best thing is that he never advocates any change and never convey a message. He wants to evoke a spirit of self-analysis among the audience through his pays. Gender discrimination is one of the major themes depicted by writes in literature. It is the most burning issue in Indian society. Dattani has also dealt with this issue in his play Dance Like a Man. Thus, the present paper discusses the issue of gender discrimination in the play Dance Like a Man.