Theatre has been thriving in India for a long time, but it hasn't always been fair to women. Until recently, women never received opportunities to act in plays, and their problems weren't talked about much. Even the work of women writers and artistes wasn't taken seriously. They were simply seen as singers from marginalised communities.
But things started to change a few decades ago with something called feminist theatre, a type of art that focuses on women's issues and features bold stories with progressive ideas.
Indian feminist theatre mixes art with activism. It started in the 1970s because people wanted to tell stories that weren't just about men.
(Photo: Scene from Usha Ganguly’s play Chandalika)
The goal was to create a shift by showing women in a different light. Theatre was used frequently to question how plays were made and what they were about. There was a growing movement of women in theatre who wanted to showcase feminist ideas. In India, feminist theatre also grew from movements in politics and theatre, blending art with activism.
It was not limited to one language or style, but known for challenging stories that put women and other marginalised groups at the centre.
A few women playwrights who gained recognition during the times were Pole Sengupta (English), Gitanjali Shree (Hindi), Irpinder Bhatia (Hindi), Neelam Mansingh Chaudhury (Punjabi), Binodini (Telegu), B Jyashree (Kannada), Shanoli Mitra (Bengali), Usha Ganguli (Hindi), Sushma Deshpande (Marathi), and Qudsia Zadie (Urdu).
These women wrote plays that brought attention to women's issues in a big way, and blended experimentation in theatre with the bigger focus to bring about change in society.
Groups like Jan Natya Manch started performing plays on the streets. One famous play called ’Aurat‘ (Woman) talked about issues like dowry harassment and domestic violence. This helped the feminist movement grow stronger.
(Photo: Google Arts and Culture)
Feminist theatre also encouraged more women to join the theatre world as writers and artistes, and over time, women became a huge part of it.
Today, feminist theatre in India is a recognised as a type of theatre that tells stories about women's relationships, their struggles, and their fight for freedom. Some plays even retell old stories with a modern twist to show women in a different light.
It helps communities share stories about tough topics like abuse and discrimination. It is also influenced by the queer movement, demonstrating that gender and sexuality can be more fluid.
Even though there's still work to be done for women's rights in society, feminist theatre keeps pushing for change. It might be a small part of the bigger picture, but it's a powerful way to make sure women's voices are heard. And in telling their stories on stage, these women are making a big impact on the world around them.
(Photo: Sheba Chhachhi Archive, Asia Art Archive in India)