Tara

Q. Discuss the theme of gender discrimination in Mahesh Dattani’s Tara. How does it
shape the destiny of the two twins?

Mahesh Dattani’s Tara is a powerful play that lays bare the subtle and systemic gender
discrimination embedded in Indian society, even among the educated and affluent. The
central conflict of the play revolves around the tragic fate of conjoined twins—Tara and
Chandan—who are surgically separated as infants. What makes their story heartbreaking is
that the medical decision surrounding their surgery was not based purely on scientific
reasoning, but on gender bias.

The twins shared three legs at birth, and medically, the third leg had a better chance of
survival if it were attached to Tara. However, the family—particularly the mother Bharati and
her father—chose to have it given to Chandan, the male child, assuming that he would benefit
more from physical completeness. This unethical decision, facilitated by a complicit doctor,
reflects how male children are prioritized even at the cost of justice and fairness.

Tara, although emotionally stronger and more intelligent than Chandan, is marginalized
because of her gender. Her potential is never fully recognized or nurtured. In contrast,
Chandan, though weaker and less assertive, is seen as more worthy of investment and care.
The irony is that the leg does not survive on Chandan, and both children remain physically
challenged, but the emotional consequences are even more damaging.

The discrimination not only shapes Tara’s physical life but also her emotional and social
existence. She remains cheerful and resilient but never gets the opportunities she deserves.
Chandan, burdened by guilt, eventually moves to London and tries to erase his identity. The
gender bias that favored him ends up haunting him, as he realizes that his life came at the
cost of his sister’s.

Through Tara, Dattani critiques a society that preaches equality but practices deep-seated
patriarchy. The tragedy of the play lies in the quiet but devastating decisions made within a
family—decisions that are shaped not by love, but by cultural expectations and gendered
preferences. Tara’s destiny is ultimately shaped by a system that failed to see her as equal,
despite her light, strength, and potential.

Q. Write a character sketch of Tara. How does she challenge and yet fall victim to
societal norms?

Tara, the titular character of Mahesh Dattani’s play Tara, is a vibrant, intelligent, and
emotionally strong young girl whose life is tragically shaped by gender discrimination. Born
as a conjoined twin alongside her brother Chandan, Tara represents both resilience and
vulnerability in the face of a deeply patriarchal society.

From the very beginning, Tara exhibits qualities that challenge societal expectations of a girl.
She is sharp, articulate, and courageous. Despite her physical disability resulting from a
biased medical decision during her infancy, Tara remains cheerful, hopeful, and driven. She
engages in conversations with wit and insight and aspires to take part in academic and
political debates—dreams that reflect her desire to live a meaningful life, irrespective of her
physical limitations.

However, Tara is also a victim of silent injustice. When the twins were separated surgically,
the third leg—more viable on Tara—was instead given to Chandan, solely because he was a
boy. This decision, made by her own mother and grandfather, reveals how even within the
household, a girl’s body and future can be sacrificed in favor of a male child. Though Tara is
unaware of the truth for much of the play, the emotional distance she senses and the pity
disguised as love affect her deeply.

As the play progresses, Tara becomes a symbol of unrecognized potential. Her dreams
remain unfulfilled, and her health steadily deteriorates, both physically and emotionally.
Society’s refusal to accept her as equal, despite her strengths, ultimately leads to her
decline. In many ways, Tara’s life is a quiet protest—her refusal to be passive, her
intelligence, and her emotional maturity all stand against the traditional image of a
dependent, submissive girl.

Yet, her tragedy lies in the fact that her fight goes unacknowledged. Even in death, her story
is told through her brother’s voice. While she challenges the norms through her spirit,
society’s deeply ingrained gender bias still claims her life.
In Tara, Dattani crafts a character who is both an individual and a symbol—a girl who burns
brightly for a while, only to be dimmed by a world that refuses to see her light.

Q. What is the role of Roopa in Tara? How does she reflect societal attitudes?

Roopa in Mahesh Dattani’s Tara serves as a minor but significant character who reflects the
prejudiced and superficial mindset of society. She is a neighbor and a peer of Tara and
Chandan, and her interactions with them subtly reveal how people perceive and treat those
who are physically different.

Roopa often visits the twins under the pretext of friendship, but her conversations reveal a
lack of sensitivity. She is visibly uncomfortable around Tara’s disability and often makes
condescending or thoughtless remarks. While she pretends to be friendly, she clearly shows
more interest in Chandan, the boy, and dismisses Tara’s intelligence and confidence.

Her behavior mirrors the larger societal attitudes toward disabled individuals, especially
girls. Roopa treats Tara with pity rather than equality and makes it clear that physical
appearance and social norms govern who deserves attention and respect.

Through Roopa, Dattani exposes how deep-rooted biases operate at a subtle level, even
among the younger generation. Roopa does not make any direct attacks, but her casual
insensitivity and selective attention reflect the social discrimination and marginalization Tara
faces outside her family.

Q. What role does Dr. Thakkar play in the tragedy of Tara and Chandan?

Dr. Thakkar, the family’s trusted surgeon in Tara, plays a crucial role in the tragedy that
befalls Tara and Chandan. He is the medical professional who performs the surgery that
separates the conjoined twins, but he is also complicit in a deeply unethical decision that
drastically alters the course of their lives.

At the time of the surgery, Dr. Thakkar, though a skilled doctor, allows gender bias to dictate
At the time of the surgery, Dr. Thakkar, though a skilled doctor, allows gender bias to dictate
his actions. Despite the fact that the third leg, which the twins share, would have a greater
chance of survival if attached to Tara, the decision is made to give it to Chandan, the male
child. This decision is made out of the belief that Chandan’s future as a boy would be more
valuable, thus ignoring Tara’s potential and prioritizing the male child’s well-being.

Though Dr. Thakkar does not outrightly challenge the family’s wishes, his silence and
compliance with their decision makes him an accessory to the tragedy. The surgery fails, and
both twins are left with disabilities, but it is Tara who bears the brunt of this injustice,
reflecting the patriarchal values that shape her fate.

How does Dattani portray the emotional distance between Mr. Patel and his children?

In Tara, Mahesh Dattani shows the emotional distance between Mr. Patel and his children,
Tara and Chandan, through his cold and distant behavior towards them. Mr. Patel is not a bad
father, but he is emotionally detached from his children. He favors Chandan, the boy, and
shows less care for Tara, the girl. This reflects the patriarchal mindset in society, where sons
are often given more attention and importance.

Mr. Patel’s emotional distance also comes from his guilt. He knows that he made the wrong
choice when he allowed the surgery to be done in a way that favored Chandan. However,
instead of expressing his regret or love for Tara, he remains silent. This makes his
relationship with his children very strained and distant. He doesn’t show affection or
concern, which leaves Tara feeling neglected and unloved.

Through Mr. Patel, Dattani shows how societal expectations can affect family relationships,
creating emotional barriers that hurt everyone involved.

Gender Discrimination in Tara by Mahesh Dattani and The Last Song by Temsula Ao

Both Mahesh Dattani’s Tara and Temsula Ao’s The Last Song explore the theme of gender
discrimination, though they do so in different contexts. Dattani’s play Tara reveals how
gender bias manifests in a seemingly progressive family and its devastating impact on the
life of a young girl. In the story, the protagonist Tara, a conjoined twin, suffers because her
family prioritizes her brother Chandan’s well-being over hers. The surgical decision to give
family prioritizes her brother Chandan’s well-being over hers. The surgical decision to give
the functional third leg to Chandan, rather than Tara, reflects a societal belief that a male
child’s future is more valuable than a girl’s. Despite Tara’s intelligence and strength, she is
treated as secondary simply because of her gender. This patriarchal mindset leads to her
emotional and physical suffering, and her dreams are crushed by a system that refuses to
acknowledge her worth.

In The Last Song, Temsula Ao portrays gender discrimination through the character of
Apenyo, a young girl who faces brutal violence and marginalization in a war-torn society.
Apenyo is raped by soldiers of the Indian Army, and her tragic fate is compounded by societal
stigma surrounding sexual violence. Her voice is silenced by the community’s judgment, as
the crime against her is seen as a dishonor to her family. The shame of her assault leads to
her denial of a proper burial, reflecting the dehumanizing impact of gender oppression in a
patriarchal society. The double victimization—of being assaulted and then being denied
dignity in death—highlights the brutal treatment of women in conflict zones.

Both stories vividly illustrate how gender discrimination shapes the lives of women, leading
to their marginalization and suffering. While Dattani’s Tara critiques domestic patriarchy and
the preference for male children, Ao’s The Last Song critiques militarized violence and the
exploitation of women in wartime. In both, women’s lives are defined by societal attitudes
that place little value on their autonomy, emotions, or identities. Gender discrimination thus
becomes a shared theme, revealing the painful consequences for women in both domestic
and war-torn environments.