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Five Plays: Kamala / Silence! The Court is in Session/ Sakharam Binder / The Vultures / Encounter in Umbugland
Vijay Tendulkar has been in the vanguard of Indian theater for almost forty years. These five plays, Silence! , Vultures , Sakharam , Encounter , and Kamala are some of his best-known, most socially relevant, and also most controversial work. Tendulkar's plays will interest anyone concerned with
Indian theater and writing, as well as literature and drama students.
Indian theater and writing, as well as literature and drama students.
- GenresPlays
376 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
23 people are currently reading
481 people want to read
About the author
Vijay Tendulkar
98 books68 followersVijay Tendulkar (Marathi: विजय तेंडुलकर) (7 January 1928 – 19 May 2008) was a leading Indian playwright, movie and television writer, literary essayist, political journalist, and social commentator primarily in Marāthi. He is best known for his plays, Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe (1967), Ghāshirām Kotwāl (1972), and Sakhārām Binder (1972).Many of Tendulkar’s plays derived inspiration from real-life incidents or social upheavals, which provides clear light on harsh realities. He provided his guidance to students studying “Playwright writing” in US universities. For over five decades, Tendulkar had been a highly influential dramatist and theater personality in Mahārāshtra.
Early life
Vijay Dhondopant Tendulkar was born on 7 January 1928 in a Bhalavalikar Saraswat brahmin family in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, where his father held a clerical job and ran a small publishing business. The literary environment at home prompted young Vijay to take up writing. He wrote his first story at age six.
He grew up watching western plays, and felt inspired to write plays himself. At age eleven, he wrote, directed, and acted in his first play.
At age 14, he participated in the 1942 Indian freedom movement , leaving his studies. The latter alienated him from his family and friends. Writing then became his outlet, though most of his early writings were of a personal nature, and not intended for publication.
Early career
Tendulkar began his career writing for newspapers. He had already written a play, “Āmchyāvar Kon Prem Karnār” (Who will Love us?), and he wrote the play, “Gruhastha” (The Householder), in his early 20s. The latter did not receive much recognition from the audience, and he vowed never to write again . Breaking the vow, in 1956 he wrote “‘Shrimant”, which established him as a good writer. “Shrimant” jolted the conservative audience of the times with its radical storyline, wherein an unmarried young woman decides to keep her unborn child while her rich father tries to “buy” her a husband in an attempt to save his social prestige.
Tendulkar’s early struggle for survival and living for some time in tenements (“chāwls”) in Mumbai provided him first-hand experience about the life of urban lower middle class. He thus brought new authenticity to their depiction in Marathi theater. Tendulkar’s writings rapidly changed the storyline of modern Marathi theater in the 1950s and the 60s, with experimental presentations by theater groups like “Rangāyan”. Actors in these theater groups like Shreerām Lāgoo, Mohan Agāshe, and Sulabhā Deshpānde brought new authenticity and power to Tendulkar’s stories while introducing new sensibilities in Marathi theater.
Tendulkar wrote the play, “Gidhāde” (The Vultures) in 1961, but it was not produced until 1970. The play was set in a morally collapsed family structure and explored the theme of violence. In his following creations, Tendulkar explored violence in its various forms: domestic, sexual, communal, and political. Thus, “Gidhāde” proved to be a turning point in Tendulkar’s writings with regard to establishment of his own unique writing style.
Based on a 1956 short story, “Die Panne” (“Traps”) by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Tendulkar wrote the play, “Shāntatā! Court Chālu Aahe” (“Silence! The Court Is In Session”). It was presented on the stage for the first time in 1967, and proved as one of his finest works. Satyadev Dubey presented it in movie form in 1971 with Tendulkar’s collaboration as the screenplay writer.
1970s and ’80s
In his 1972 play, Sakhārām Binder (Sakhārām, the Binder), Tendulkar dealt with the topic of domination of the male gender over the female gender. The main character, Sakhārām, is a man devoid of ethics and morality, and professes not to believe in “outdated” social codes and conventional marriage. He accordingly uses the society for his own pleasure. He regularly gives “shelter” to abandoned wives, and uses them f
Early life
Vijay Dhondopant Tendulkar was born on 7 January 1928 in a Bhalavalikar Saraswat brahmin family in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, where his father held a clerical job and ran a small publishing business. The literary environment at home prompted young Vijay to take up writing. He wrote his first story at age six.
He grew up watching western plays, and felt inspired to write plays himself. At age eleven, he wrote, directed, and acted in his first play.
At age 14, he participated in the 1942 Indian freedom movement , leaving his studies. The latter alienated him from his family and friends. Writing then became his outlet, though most of his early writings were of a personal nature, and not intended for publication.
Early career
Tendulkar began his career writing for newspapers. He had already written a play, “Āmchyāvar Kon Prem Karnār” (Who will Love us?), and he wrote the play, “Gruhastha” (The Householder), in his early 20s. The latter did not receive much recognition from the audience, and he vowed never to write again . Breaking the vow, in 1956 he wrote “‘Shrimant”, which established him as a good writer. “Shrimant” jolted the conservative audience of the times with its radical storyline, wherein an unmarried young woman decides to keep her unborn child while her rich father tries to “buy” her a husband in an attempt to save his social prestige.
Tendulkar’s early struggle for survival and living for some time in tenements (“chāwls”) in Mumbai provided him first-hand experience about the life of urban lower middle class. He thus brought new authenticity to their depiction in Marathi theater. Tendulkar’s writings rapidly changed the storyline of modern Marathi theater in the 1950s and the 60s, with experimental presentations by theater groups like “Rangāyan”. Actors in these theater groups like Shreerām Lāgoo, Mohan Agāshe, and Sulabhā Deshpānde brought new authenticity and power to Tendulkar’s stories while introducing new sensibilities in Marathi theater.
Tendulkar wrote the play, “Gidhāde” (The Vultures) in 1961, but it was not produced until 1970. The play was set in a morally collapsed family structure and explored the theme of violence. In his following creations, Tendulkar explored violence in its various forms: domestic, sexual, communal, and political. Thus, “Gidhāde” proved to be a turning point in Tendulkar’s writings with regard to establishment of his own unique writing style.
Based on a 1956 short story, “Die Panne” (“Traps”) by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Tendulkar wrote the play, “Shāntatā! Court Chālu Aahe” (“Silence! The Court Is In Session”). It was presented on the stage for the first time in 1967, and proved as one of his finest works. Satyadev Dubey presented it in movie form in 1971 with Tendulkar’s collaboration as the screenplay writer.
1970s and ’80s
In his 1972 play, Sakhārām Binder (Sakhārām, the Binder), Tendulkar dealt with the topic of domination of the male gender over the female gender. The main character, Sakhārām, is a man devoid of ethics and morality, and professes not to believe in “outdated” social codes and conventional marriage. He accordingly uses the society for his own pleasure. He regularly gives “shelter” to abandoned wives, and uses them f
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 18, 2013
I read the book primarily for the play "Kamala". I have been a big fan of Tendulkar and have watched two other plays "Sakharam Binder" and "Silence! the court is in session" sever times in the last couple of years (over DVD).
Kamala is a great play. Its protagonist (Sarita) is an educated woman and a wife of a journalist living in Delhi. Her life changes when her husband brings home a lady (Kamala) from Bihar after buying her in the bazaar. He is trying to prove to the world that flesh trade is real. However, his self-centered attitude wakes Sarita in realizing that she is also a slave, perhaps a little more sophisticated.
Incidentally, the play is made into a Hindi movie (Kamala, 1984) where Shabana Azmi plays Sarita and Deepti Naval plays Kamala. The movie is available free on YouTube. After reading the play, I watched the movie. What I felt was that the end of the play narrative was slightly modified in the movie and appealed to me much more than the book.
I am a native marathi reader/speaker and hence when I started reading "The vultures" in English it didn't appeal to me that much. I would like to read it in Marathi itself.
My favorite play of Tendulkar is Sakharam Binder.
Kamala is a great play. Its protagonist (Sarita) is an educated woman and a wife of a journalist living in Delhi. Her life changes when her husband brings home a lady (Kamala) from Bihar after buying her in the bazaar. He is trying to prove to the world that flesh trade is real. However, his self-centered attitude wakes Sarita in realizing that she is also a slave, perhaps a little more sophisticated.
Incidentally, the play is made into a Hindi movie (Kamala, 1984) where Shabana Azmi plays Sarita and Deepti Naval plays Kamala. The movie is available free on YouTube. After reading the play, I watched the movie. What I felt was that the end of the play narrative was slightly modified in the movie and appealed to me much more than the book.
I am a native marathi reader/speaker and hence when I started reading "The vultures" in English it didn't appeal to me that much. I would like to read it in Marathi itself.
My favorite play of Tendulkar is Sakharam Binder.
April 4, 2021
First time I read plays and enjoyed the process thoroughly. Out of the five plays I had seen 3 but all on Television none at the theatre, my loss surely.
As a writer Vijay Tendulkar was surely way ahead of his times writing about politics, religion, family frauds and most importantly about the power of women.
All the 5 plays depicts how weak and immature men can be and how practical and wise women are.
To start with Kamala, I loved the character of the wife who learns from an illiterate lady that she is a slave in her own house. Many movies have been made on the theme of how men feel that women can be taken for granted.
Silence, the court is going on is another brilliant play which depicts how easily women are made scapegoats by the society. All rules are made for the women and men can move around free continuing their illegal relationships.
Sakharam Binder shows a typical male chauvinist character who wants the lady in his life to provide food,clean his house and be ready whenever he demands for sex. How this guy learns a lesson is beautifully written.
Vultures is a story of how money becomes important and what men or women can do to get their hands on it. Well written and must have been an shocker at the time when it was presented as a play.
The last but not the least is about an imaginary land where the young princess is made a puppet queen post her father's demise by the corrupt ministers. This setup can be thought of in any current political scenario. How the princess learns the tricks and starts working fir the people and also bringing the ministers under her control forms the rest of the plot.
Overall engaging, thought provoking and wonderfully written. It would have been great to read the plays in its original language Marathi, but hats of to the translation it is very appreciable.
Also a note for Arundhati Banerjee for tge excellent introduction.
As a writer Vijay Tendulkar was surely way ahead of his times writing about politics, religion, family frauds and most importantly about the power of women.
All the 5 plays depicts how weak and immature men can be and how practical and wise women are.
To start with Kamala, I loved the character of the wife who learns from an illiterate lady that she is a slave in her own house. Many movies have been made on the theme of how men feel that women can be taken for granted.
Silence, the court is going on is another brilliant play which depicts how easily women are made scapegoats by the society. All rules are made for the women and men can move around free continuing their illegal relationships.
Sakharam Binder shows a typical male chauvinist character who wants the lady in his life to provide food,clean his house and be ready whenever he demands for sex. How this guy learns a lesson is beautifully written.
Vultures is a story of how money becomes important and what men or women can do to get their hands on it. Well written and must have been an shocker at the time when it was presented as a play.
The last but not the least is about an imaginary land where the young princess is made a puppet queen post her father's demise by the corrupt ministers. This setup can be thought of in any current political scenario. How the princess learns the tricks and starts working fir the people and also bringing the ministers under her control forms the rest of the plot.
Overall engaging, thought provoking and wonderfully written. It would have been great to read the plays in its original language Marathi, but hats of to the translation it is very appreciable.
Also a note for Arundhati Banerjee for tge excellent introduction.
April 22, 2023
Five plays is an anthology of Vijay Tendulkar's most significant plays.
"Kamala" explores the character of a wife who comes to terms with her position as a slave in the house.
Tendulkar lends a voice to the agony of the character and highlights the life of house wives in our society.
"Silence! The court is in session" will send chills down your spine as it depicts how women are easily made scapegoats.
"The Vultures" dives deep into human nature and evaluates the life of people associated with money.
"Sakharam Binder" and "Encounter in Umbugland" also hop on the women centric bandwagon and will keep you hooked till the last word.
Dont confuse this as a normal fiction book, its an art brought alive by Vijay Tendulkar's artistry.
"Kamala" explores the character of a wife who comes to terms with her position as a slave in the house.
Tendulkar lends a voice to the agony of the character and highlights the life of house wives in our society.
"Silence! The court is in session" will send chills down your spine as it depicts how women are easily made scapegoats.
"The Vultures" dives deep into human nature and evaluates the life of people associated with money.
"Sakharam Binder" and "Encounter in Umbugland" also hop on the women centric bandwagon and will keep you hooked till the last word.
Dont confuse this as a normal fiction book, its an art brought alive by Vijay Tendulkar's artistry.
February 13, 2024
3.5/5
Kamala was the best out of the five. Tendulkar threads together stories that prompt readers to question authority, gender roles and politics. A great read, all in all. Since I’m not a huge fan of theatre, the format was a little unnerving at points. However, the stories in themselves are brilliant. Tendulkar has perfected the female gaze in his plays and talks of women’s predicaments with grace.
Kamala was the best out of the five. Tendulkar threads together stories that prompt readers to question authority, gender roles and politics. A great read, all in all. Since I’m not a huge fan of theatre, the format was a little unnerving at points. However, the stories in themselves are brilliant. Tendulkar has perfected the female gaze in his plays and talks of women’s predicaments with grace.
May 6, 2020
He didn't pull any punches with this huh?
I had to study Silence! The Court is in Session and by the end of the year I had Leela's monologue memorised and cried everytime I read it
I had to study Silence! The Court is in Session and by the end of the year I had Leela's monologue memorised and cried everytime I read it
August 23, 2017
I looked forward to this book, partly due to a love of plays and partly due to the author, Vijay Tendulkar, who is a revered playwright from Maharashtra. All in all, though, I found this book to be of uneven quality. To me, "Kamala" and "Sakharam Binder" were the standout plays hitting just the right balance of anger at current society and empathy for the victims of said society. The others ranged from puzzling ("Silence!") to uninteresting ("Encounter in Umbugland") to downright screeching ("The Vultures"). The two plays were worth the effort of wading through the rest though.
May 20, 2009
His insight on women is incredible, given he wrote these plays during the sixties.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews