Characterization in the Play Tara by

Mahesh Dattani

Tara—twin sister of Chandan is the main character of the play. She is a

victim of gender prejudice and patriarchy in urban middle class. Her
tragedy is that she is born a female , a Siamese twin with the other being a
male - child ; She could not live a normal happy , beautiful life because the
third leg fed by her blood was given to her brother by the decision of her
gender conscious mother and her dominating rich influential father . Her
grandfather bribes Dr. Thakkar to take professionally unethical course in
performing the operation to separate the infants, when they were three
months old. The operation is successful but the leg given to the male child
could not survive and after two days becomes life - less. So nature makes
both the twins invalid and weak in health.
Female characters in the play are moving and rebellious. They want to live
and lead happy middle class extrovert life. They fight and also protest
against the morality of the middle class. Tara is angry with her fate. She
wants to live a happy, healthy, beautiful life. She dislikes her father, Patel
for his indifference and acceptance of middle class morality, gender
discrimination and patriarchy. She loves her mother, for she cares for her
career for self - esteem. Her mother's ill health and quarrel with her father
is due to her guilty conscience. She knows her role in her daughter's
miserable life. Her care for her health is at once atonement for her guilt and
a kind of protest against her husband, Patel, who knew and who could
assert to avoid the tragedy. But he quietly accepts the patriarchal system.
He is not happy with Tara's grandfather’s decision - making role in the
family, his influence over his daughter and Bharti's dominating position in
the family. He resents Bharati's over attachment with his daughter Tara,
and is aware that Bharati's nervousness is becoming alarming every day.
Tara's unhealthy life has a role in her mother's ill health. He resents his
wife's decision to donate her kidney to Tara to atone for her guilt, when
arrangement of alternate kidney has been found. Tara does not like her
father. She is annoyed with herself and middle class society introduced in
the play by the character of Roopa and other girls. Prema, Nalini and Patel's
brother Praful in London, who is entrusted with the care of Chandan. These
characters do not come on the stage, but represent the society outside
Tara's family. Though the action takes place in family, yet the family in the
play is the battlefield of middleclass morality and its power - politics. Tara
is a rebellious victim, who is angry with her misfortune, middle class society
with its corruption and moral values, but she cannot escape.
Tara in the play is the victim of gender - prejudice and patriarchy. She has
been made a handicapped child by the gender conscious society. Dattani
explains his role in the play as a fighting rebellious character. In several
scenes in the play she is shown as an angry person and how she fights her
battles, " ... when she talks about how she blackmailed her classmate into
doing her homework for her ... shows up Rupa for her malapropism, her
lack of usage of certain idioms ... and then when she finally confronts Rupa
and says: how it feels having one bit smaller than the other and let me see
how it feels, you know when other people stare at you. You know the way
they stare at my leg.” So these are the places where we get some insight into
Tara's inner life and her anger. This generates sympathy for her. Sympathy
is another way of polarizing as well.
Tara is depressed by her handicapped condition and is indifferent to her
well - being. She refuses to go for kidney transplant or is not even willing to
pursue her studies in college. However she loves Chandan and is furious
with middle class society.
She finds no solace in the society for a disabled person. Nature is also not
helpful. She is unhealthy and suffers another set - back when her kidneys
are damaged. She likes her mother, Bharati's concern for her health. But
she is completely destroyed when her father, Patel tells her how her mother
and grandfather took the wrong decision to give the third leg to the male -
child and they prevailed upon Dr. Thakkar to commit a professional and
unethical act to ruin the life of the Siamese twins. Patel could not change
their decision because of his father - in - law. He was the real patriarch
because his family had disowned him because of inter caste and inter -
regional marriage. He had to fall back on his father - in - law's support. The
revelation shatters Tara's spirit. Her mother's donation of kidney to revive
her fails, and the poor girl dies an unfortunate victim of gender - prejudice,
patriarchy and immoral decision of Dr. Thakkar. She is alone in middle
class society longing for her security. However the end of the play shows
Dan and Tara hugging each other with normal legs showing Dattani's
pessimistic view that the middle class is not going to change and the poor
victims unite in love after their death in spirits.

Bharati:

Bharati is other Kannada female character representing a middle class

house - wife. She is introduced worshipping “Tulsi” and attending to house
hold duties: She is a traditional middle class woman with gender - prejudice
and takes decision in the family on account of her father's position. Patel is
unhappy with her for her father's dominating position, but he is helpless.
Bharati under her father's influence is instrumental in making Dr.
Thakkarto take a wrong decision to give the leg to male child, thereby
wrecking the life of her daughter. Tara and also her son, Chandan, who, too,
becomes handicapped for the leg does not survive. Chandan is a boy and
looked after by his father and grandfather. Bharati feels pity for her
children, but she feels guilty on looking at her daughter, Tara. She is
conscious that her decision has ruined her daughter's life . The leg could
survive with her, and she could lead a healthy beautiful life. Her suffering
makes are sick and over - careful for her daughter's health. She is unhappy
with her husband for his indifference to a girl - child, knowing well that the
Patels have a tradition of killing their girls in infancy in milk. She threatens
her husband that she will reveal the secret to the children. However Patel
would like the secret to be revealed to the children himself.
Bharati is anxious to make Tara a healthy child with happy life in spite of
her handicap. She requests Roopa to be more considerate towards Tara,
thereby trying to assure her unfortunate daughter from the indifference of
middle class society. She is badly moved by her guilt and is out to reform.
All along she is acting in the play as a character nervous, sick and
compassionate. Her decision to donate her kidney for Tara is her greatest
act of compassion to atone for her guilt, even though alternate kidney has
been arranged. But nature is equally cruel to her daughter Tara who dies in
the process. Six years after Bharati also passes away. Dan receives a phone
call from Patel and a request to come to India. He refuses and asks his
father to come to London when Bharati and Tara are no more in this world.
Dattani again impresses the viewers that as far as the middle class is
concerned, there is no hope that it can reform and can give freedom to the
individuals to develop according to their instinct , nature or inclination .

Patel:

Patel is a Guajarati, married to Bharati, a Karnataka girl. His parents

disapprove of his inter - caste and inter - regional marriage, so they disown
their son. Patel is forced to fall back upon the goodwill of his influential
politician father - in - law from Bangalore. His wife, Bharati becomes the
decision - maker in the family. Patel resents her importance on account of
her father's position but accepts his fate with no resistance. His character is
like other middle class patriarch interested in sons following father's
profession. So he brings up his son, Chandan and sends him to London for
higher education. He knows how the gender - conscious mother and her
father have bribed Dr. Thakkar to perform an unethical operation in
separating his Siamese twins, a male - Chandan and a female - Tara and
thereby ruined the life of the poor female child for no fault of her. However
he is a traditional father, a Guajarati, who have a tradition of killing their
daughters in infancy. Bharati knows this secret and so is quite unhappy
with Patel's indifference towards Tara. The relation between the husband
and wife become cool. The tension in the two affects the children too. Tara
equates Chandan with his father and feels that the major decisions in the
family depend on patriarchs. Patel is normal and considers it a right of the
father to guide the children in carving out their lives. In the play, he
represents middle class morality and prejudices.

1.
"Tara" by Mahesh Dattani is a poignant play that delves deep into the themes of gender
discrimination and the attitudes of Indian parents, highlighting the societal norms and biases that
shape the identities and destinies of individuals, particularly women.

At the heart of the play is the story of Tara and her brother Chandan, who are born conjoined
twins. The play contrasts their experiences and the stark differences in how their parents,
particularly their father, perceive and value them based on their gender. Tara, as a female, faces
significant discrimination and is often seen as a burden in a patriarchal society. In contrast,
Chandan, as a male, is afforded privilege and rights that Tara is denied. This difference in
treatment illustrates the ingrained gender biases that influence familial relationships and
decision-making.

Dattani effectively uses the character of Mr. Mehta, Tara's father, to represent the societal norms
that prioritize male heirs over female ones. He embodies the traditional mindset that views
daughters as less valuable, reflecting a broader societal attitude that devalues women. This is
most evident when he makes decisions that ultimately affect Tara's future, often prioritizing
Chandan’s needs and aspirations over hers. The father's lack of advocacy for Tara's rights
showcases how deeply rooted gender discrimination affects family dynamics and reinforces
societal norms.

Moreover, the play explores how parents' attitudes shape their children's identities and self-
worth. The emotional turmoil that Tara endures as a result of her father's favoritism and the
societal expectations placed upon her illustrates the internalized sexism that many women
experience. Her struggle for identity and agency becomes a powerful commentary on the
limitations imposed by gender discrimination.

The play also addresses the broader implications of gender discrimination in society. Through its
narrative, it critiques the cultural practices and beliefs that perpetuate inequality. Dattani’s work
encourages audiences to reflect on the impact of gender bias not only within families but also in
society at large, challenging them to reconsider and question their own beliefs and practices.

In conclusion, "Tara" serves as a poignant exploration of gender discrimination and the attitudes
of Indian parents, illustrating how societal norms influence familial relationships. The play
poignantly highlights the struggles faced by women in a male-dominated society, urging the
audience to confront the realities of gender bias and advocate for change. Through characters
and their interactions, Dattani effectively shines a light on the injustices faced by women,
positioning the play as an essential commentary on gender and family dynamics in contemporary
Indian society.