Final Solutions: A Social Commentary Drama By Mahesh Dattani

‘Final Solutions’ is a play by Mahesh Dattani. It got him the Sahithya Akademi Award in 1998, making him the first Indian playwright to win the prestigious award. It is a commentary on socio-religious politics in India, with several layers of meaning embedded in the dialogues. Alyque Padamsee in the foreword poses an imperative question- ‘Is life a forward journey or do we travel round in a circle, returning to our starting point?’

Final Solutions by Mahesh Dattani

Mahesh Dattani is a modern Indian playwright, as well as a stage director, actor, producer, screenwriter and filmmaker. His plays have been praised for their portrayal of realistic social issues like gender discrimination, religious differences, taboos, and sexuality. His work is shockingly bold, blatantly honest, and raw.

The title of the play Final Solutions in historical context is a reference to the termination of Jews during World War II. The play is set in two time periods, both dealing with the overarching theme of communal riots between Hindus and Muslims. Dattani makes compelling arguments regarding the idea of forced religious differences dividing a country like India based on stereotypes. Padamsee in the foreword says ‘this is a play about transferred resentments’ – taking out your anger on someone in events of humiliation, just because your forefathers did, is never a valid motivation.

Most of the action in the play takes place inside the house of Ramnik Gandhi and his family. One part of the story follows Ramnik’s mother when she was a young girl and had befriended a Muslim girl in her colony. When her family offers to help theirs, all is well; but overnight, there are major differences that lead to disaster. The truth behind the events is unravelled throughout the play, and the sad reality behind the two religious communities’ fights is revealed. Since then, Ramnik’s mother has had a hatred towards Muslims. In the present, Ramnik claims to be a ‘liberal’, and when two Muslim boys, Bobby and Javed, show up at their house, he offers them jobs, solely to prove to them that he doesn’t see religion as an issue. His wife Aruna, however, shares the same hatred that her mother-in-law has towards them, and all hell breaks loose.

Dattani uses a literary device called ‘chorus’, which essentially functions as an objective voice from the outside, a third party of sorts. The chorus in Final Solutions plays a very important role in moving the plot forward. The chorus here takes on the role of a mob, which is sometimes Hindu and sometimes Muslim, depending on the action of the scene. The chorus speaks in many voices and alludes to themes of communal violence, fascist ideology (represented by the Hindu mob), minority status among the majority (represented by the Muslim mob), multiculturalism, and fear and suspicion of the ‘other’. He also brings to light how it is a blame game; each community blames the other.

The idea of the ‘other’ is depicted in a hauntingly beautiful way by Dattani, when both religions feel the same sentiment towards the other, showing that there are more similarities than differences, which is the takeaway from the play.

The chorus provides context throughout the play, bringing in the role of memory. It is a way for audiences or readers to know details of what happened ‘outside’, which is literally the outside of Ramnik’s house – the streets rife with communal riots. The chorus is simply brilliant in embodying conflicts of interest. When Aruna treats Bobby and Javed as the ‘others’, she is the character that personifies piety and orthodox Brahmin ideals, while the chorus as the mob takes on the voice of Muslims, talking about the injustice and prejudice they face from Hindus.

The chorus presents two opposing perspectives which can be seen as Dattani’s way of showing both sides of the story. Act II of the play focuses on the Hindu mob, articulating their feelings of being insulted by other communities. Act III is where the chorus is the most important – it voices the concerns of the Muslim mob. They talk about assimilating into the majority, and how their primary fear is of them losing their identity. They feel swallowed by the majority and are afraid to be themselves. The chorus states brazenly that it is impossible to coexist peacefully.

This play is unlike any other. Dattani paints a picture of religious disparities and attempts to justify that both religions have valid points in what they’re feeling. While one invariably will side with the Muslims in terms of being a minority and experiencing existential crises, Dattani tries to show that any person, no matter their background, will react similarly when put into situations that question their presence in society.

One of the most powerful quotes from the chorus sums up the unfortunate situation that most people today echo –

‘A drop of oil cannot merge with an ocean of milk. One reality cannot accept another reality.’