Boiled Beans on Toast: A Play

by Girish Karnad

One of the finest playwrights of our time, Girish Karnad's plays present a critical sense of history, myth, and time. This new play by Karnad has a reference to the founding lore of Bangalore, in which an 11th century king was saved by an old woman who offered him boiled beans. The grateful king desired to name the spot 'Bendakalooru', the place of boiled beans, which would symbolize hospitality and welcome for a weary traveller. However, over the period of time the place has emerged as Bangalore, India's 'Silicon Valley'. The play makes this impersonal city and its humongous growth in the last two decades its subject. Portraying the story of a cross section of those who live in the city-well-off housewives and their maid servants with hidden and complicated lives; lower middle class strugglers desperate to climb the corporate ladder; privileged rich kids rebelling against their fathers' money-this play is a direct and realistic gaze at contemporary India.

Genres: Plays

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Girish Raghunath Karnad (Konkani : गिरीश रघुनाथ कार्नाड, Kannada : ಗಿರೀಶ್ ರಘುನಾಥ್ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡ್) (born 19 May 1938) is a contemporary writer, playwright, screenwriter, actor and movie director in Kannada language. His rise as a prominent playwright in 1960s, marked the coming of age of Modern Indian playwriting in Kannada, just as Badal Sarkar did it in Bengali, Vijay Tendulkar in Marathi, and Mohan Rakesh in Hindi. He is a recipient of the 1998 Jnanpith Award for Kannada, the highest literary honour conferred in India.
For four decades Karnad has been composing plays, often using history and mythology to tackle contemporary issues. He has translated his major plays into English, and has received critical acclaim across India. His plays have been translated into several Indian languages and directed by eminent directors like Ebrahim Alkazi, B. V. Karanth, Alyque Padamsee, Prasanna, Arvind Gaur, Satyadev Dubey, Vijaya Mehta, Shyamanand Jalan and Amal Allana. He is also active in the world of Indian cinema working as an actor, director, and screenwriter, both in Hindi and Kannada cinema, earning numerous awards along the way. He was conferred Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.

Reviews

[Soumya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

ನಾಟಕನೇ ನೋಡಿದ್ರೆ ಇನ್ನೂ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಇರತ್ತೆ ಅನ್ನಿಸ್ತು.
Timepass read.

[Raksha Bhat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book deals with the different layers of the city of Bangalore, similar to that of a hot Variar Bakery Veg Puff fresh out of the oven. The fun is in the dalda laden crisp in between!

Most people in Bangalore live every day wanting more than space and identity, the protagonist of the book however is the city itself. There is no one who is a hero or a heroine or a villain. While on one side there is someone who looks at the city like Alice in Wonderland on the other side there is someone who thinks of it as a Big Black Hole. Fractured lives of people from different backgrounds, no matter if he or she is a new entrant to the city or an old existent one is portrayed as it is. The acts have the right dose of humour, more so satire. This is one of the plays which portrays the pros and cons of the city through its characters, scenes, and dialogues through and through.

The play deals with the realities of the present- from axing trees to building flyovers, from stealing maids to running horse races, from aspiring for new job roles to making a music band, from celebrating occasions with families to lamenting over lost opportunities; things you would find in any metropolitan household. There is no tinge of nostalgia or a bright hope of the future. Also the title is quirky enough to catch a Bangalorean’s attention-with the Kagakka Gubakka story of the origin of the name 'Benda kaalu ooru ', Boiled Beans on a ‘Toast’ is served quite well like an English breakfast, unlike the way they granted us independence.

[Swathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Meghna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of the play is showcasing life of a housewife Anjana Padabidri and a few people who live in the modern city Banglore. Although living in the same house, lives of her family members spread out in different ways. Karnad has exceptionally portrayed drama, aspirations, betrayal and sophistry of urban lives. All the characters of play are brilliantly intertwined with one another.

It is a toast of high society housewives, a music lover rich yet a rebellious son (Kunal), a grand mom who is fond of betting in race course, lower middle class people dreaming for urban life and volatile house maids. Sharp lines are written with a sarcastic humor. Each character has its concealed side which timely comes to the light and brings the play to the stupefaction which is Karnad's forte.

Role play of Vimla, a house maid is a dazzling part of the plot. Various mindsets together somehow gives a sense that boiled beans goes well with a toast. This play was originally published in 2014 and was performed by a queue of veteran actors later on.

It is a book with modern urban society concept and runs fast. A one time quick read book.

[Shashank · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of a mess but like ghachar ghochar - weaves together themes into a montage of the living organism that eats you up - the city where you live, work and die in.

I've always been a fan of Girish Karnad and while this may not pass the muster for critics after the succinct beauty of Yayati or Tughlaq, it builds its own case by bringing across four divergent stories that are a consequence of the city.

Recommend to anyone looking to sample on the more off-beat works of Karnad

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful play. Easy and quick read. The present day changing scenario. Dealing with human relations, changing landscapes.

[Bharath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its a light read, lasting not more than a couple of hours. Too many conflicts introduced but most of them were left unresolved, I find that a bit problematic.

[Akhila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bangalore originating from Bendakaluru was a find for me in this play. My first of Girish Karnad, the play was indeed a disheartening reality of Bangalore. Me being a resident of the city, adds to the same manifold. Distrustful people, growing constructions, lessening greenery and the mad rush of money. Each one of us are equally guilty of it. There is a dire need of more thoughtfulness.
Anjana Padabhidri is a singer who loses her voice for the success of her husband and finds it again at Karunashraya.
Her son Kunaal, a budding Guitarist well versed in veena who dreams to perform with the band.
His grandmother(grandmother!) a better at the race course.
Dolly cheats people promising them jobs. One such victim is Prabhakar.
Vimala is a cunning cook at the Padabhidri household. Mittu a good one.

[Nishi Doshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Boiled Beans On Toast” is basically a play written by Girish Karnad and later adapted to the book version. Girish Karnad is famous for his works in South Indian cinema and bollywood. Toast is referred as a western import into Indian cuisine and so is the play about. Set in the backdrop of Banglore, the play revolves around the multiple misalignments.

The play revolves around Anjana’s life and people associated with her. The personal life of individuals in the play linked to Anjana is described and the affect of modernity in the individual’s life is told very articulately. Anjana is a housewife and has lost her singing talent due to some situations she faced. Her son addicted to Western Music discovers this from his grandmother and urges his mother to pursue her dream result of which leads to revelation of the reason of Anjana; losing her passion.

The side by side incidents occurring in other character’s life adds to the real taste of the play. The situations that take place in life of servants Muttu and Vimala and their families are described. Anajana’s friend Dolly and her actions to ruin life of Prabhakar, a middle class person living in Banglore clearly depict the fact that people are so deeply interested to change to modern world and earn success in less time trusting a person met only few days ago.

All the different stories revolve around the city of Banglore. The book leads to a main fact that the city has different gifts to offer to everyone at different intervals. Hence all in all it is a book to read about the modernity’s effect on life of people. The book also describes that how a well known place has shown its different shades in people from different background which adds to the author’s creativity. In a nutshell, “Boiled Beans On Toast” is a notable and appreciative work of Girish Karnad.

[Kanav · Rating 4 out of 5]

The light-hearted play gives us a glimpse of life and relations in a metropolitan. Moreover, takes us through the transformation of rural-souls who make Bengaluru their new home.

[Sameeksha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading it. The characters were very clear.
The ending disappointed me tho. It was like a normal ending. An expected ending. Still very good

[Nomad nimrod · Rating 3 out of 5]

these are fun and quick read.

[Suhasini Srihari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved Karnad for his peculiar witty remarks; and this time too, he has made a good deal sarcasm on 'Bengaluru' or rarely called as 'Bendakaalooru'. The rural lot dream of living in a concrete jungle, while the urban lot detest this nuclear life and merely exist all through their lives. "Boiled Beans on Toast" also emphasizes on the phony society which is truly meaningless, yet it is above par in attracting people. Karnad notes on many families that have been broken or, with further emphasis, destroyed, just because of their puerile decisions. The life choices of several characters leaves them disillusioned and they have nothing to do but at least wear a mask and present themselves as a better lot. Karnad has weaved in characters who belong to different stratas of the society, and how they yearn to make a living in this hotchpotch culture of Bangalore. He has also cleverly involved characters belonging to different age groups to indicate how lonely each one is and what he/she does to evade this loneliness. Overall, the play was a nice read.

[Namitha Varma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girish Karnad is one of my most favourite playwrights. But I did not enjoy Boiled Beans on Toast as much as I did his historical and folk retellings. There was something missing, though I fully appreciated the satire on the city’s reckless growth, growing apathy among its citizenry, lives that look rich but are not necessarily meaningful, and the lengths the “lower class” has to go to to ensure their financial and social security. What I did not quite like are the loose ends at the end of the play – what was Vimala up to? was Shankar really in hospital? is Dolly suffering from some mental illness that is making her make grandiose promises to others or was she just mocking the less fortunate? But maybe the loose ends too signify Bangalore in a way. We don't always know everyone's story in full, do we?