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Bravely Fought the Queen [Apr 01, 2006] Dattani, Mahesh
First staged in Mumbai in 1991, Bravely Fought the Queen juggles between two spaces: A centre stage where an empirical drama removes the mask of hypocrisy from a seemingly "normal" urban household; and a small, rear backdrop from where emerges the raison d'etre of each protagonist.
The family in focus is that of two brothers, Jiten and Nitin, who run an advertising agency and are married to sisters: Dolly and Alka. Their mother, Baa, moves between the two households, attached more to her memories of the past than to any present reality.
Marital friction, sibling rivalry, the traditional tension between mother-in-law and daughters-in-law, the darker moments of business and personal dealings, the play takes us through the entire gamut of emotional experience as it winds to a climactic finish. With its relentless pace, crisp idiom and unflinching insight into the urban milieu, this is a play that confirms Mahesh Dattani's reputation as India's most influential playwright.
The family in focus is that of two brothers, Jiten and Nitin, who run an advertising agency and are married to sisters: Dolly and Alka. Their mother, Baa, moves between the two households, attached more to her memories of the past than to any present reality.
Marital friction, sibling rivalry, the traditional tension between mother-in-law and daughters-in-law, the darker moments of business and personal dealings, the play takes us through the entire gamut of emotional experience as it winds to a climactic finish. With its relentless pace, crisp idiom and unflinching insight into the urban milieu, this is a play that confirms Mahesh Dattani's reputation as India's most influential playwright.
100 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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354 people want to read
About the author
Mahesh Dattani
35 books36 followersMahesh Dattani is an Indian director, actor, playwright and writer. He wrote such plays as Final Solutions, Dance Like a Man, Bravely Fought the Queen, On a Muggy Night in Mumbai, Tara,Thirty Days in September and'The murder that never was', starring Dheiraj Kapoor. He is the first playwright in English to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi award. His plays have been directed by eminent directors like Arvind Gaur, Alyque Padamsee and Lillete Dubey. Dattani is also a film director. His debut film is Mango Souffle, adapted from one of his plays. He also wrote and directed the movie Morning Raaga.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 2, 2023
This vivacious and confrontational drama courses through the poignant, pecuniary and sexual intricacies of a contemporary Indian middle-class family in Bangalore. A cry for the acceptance of shifting Indian values, the play portrays the clash between traditional and contemporary cultures that has created a new social landscape.
The narrative is centred round the Trivedi family. Jiten and Nitin jointly run an advertising agency, and are married to the two sisters Dolly and Alka. The women remain at home most of the time, where they look after the ailing and cantankerous motheri n-law Baa. Baa, who has had a stroke, wanders constantly through the space, her presence undercutting the apparent naturalism and upsetting the fragile frictions which they characters have created.
Dattani works within a reasonably conformist society and tells an audacious and dominant tale. He mirrors the question of heterosexuality as well as homosexuality in this plays. In one of his interviews, he says: “You can talk bout feminism, because in a way that is accepted. But you can’t talk about gay issues because that’s not Indian (that) doesn’t happen here.”
Having tackled homosexuality in two of his earlier plays — ‘On a Muggy Night in Mumbai’ and ‘Do the Needful’ — Dattani takes up the problem of gays in Bravely Fought the Queen. This is very much in tune with Oscar Wilde’s depiction of the barren actuality of homosexuality in his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray that reveals the homoerotic bonds between Basil Hallward and Dorian Gray.
The narrative is centred round the Trivedi family. Jiten and Nitin jointly run an advertising agency, and are married to the two sisters Dolly and Alka. The women remain at home most of the time, where they look after the ailing and cantankerous motheri n-law Baa. Baa, who has had a stroke, wanders constantly through the space, her presence undercutting the apparent naturalism and upsetting the fragile frictions which they characters have created.
Dattani works within a reasonably conformist society and tells an audacious and dominant tale. He mirrors the question of heterosexuality as well as homosexuality in this plays. In one of his interviews, he says: “You can talk bout feminism, because in a way that is accepted. But you can’t talk about gay issues because that’s not Indian (that) doesn’t happen here.”
Having tackled homosexuality in two of his earlier plays — ‘On a Muggy Night in Mumbai’ and ‘Do the Needful’ — Dattani takes up the problem of gays in Bravely Fought the Queen. This is very much in tune with Oscar Wilde’s depiction of the barren actuality of homosexuality in his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray that reveals the homoerotic bonds between Basil Hallward and Dorian Gray.
May 4, 2023
What if your husband was GAY and your brother was GAY and they were FUCKING and you were an ALCOHOLIC and you FELL DOWN
October 3, 2021
I read this book for the first time in 2015 during my +2 days. When I joined Goodreads, I rated this book 2 stars. Today I re-read this play once again as I picked this play as a part of a readathon. The more I read books throughout the past few years, the more I managed to understand what I felt about a certain book when I first read that book, it was completely wrong and useless. This play has everything which many books can't fulfill many times. Give this play a read, it has bashed and tried to demolish the hypocrisy on everything of our oppressive society.
September 21, 2020
Welcome to Dolly and Alka's world. Waiting for you is a world of 'cracked masks' and long lost pain. 'The Men' of this play, too, are confined to the constraints of what we call Patriarchy. One of Dattani's brilliant plays, "Bravely Fought the Queen" may or may not remind you of Rani Lakshmibai, but will definitely enthuse you with Naina Devi's thumri. What if you smell of homosexuality at the end of the play or somewhat in between? Keep your answers ready as you un(read )the play.
January 15, 2023
The portrayal of homosexuality is embarrassingly misleading.
July 4, 2021
'Bravely fought the queen' by Mahesh Dattani is a three act play- 'Women', 'Men' & 'Free for all'.
In Act-I : Women; we come across daughters-in-law of Trivedi household - Dolly, Alka (who are own siblings too) & Baa, their bed ridden widowed mother-in-law. Curtains open to Lalitha, the family run company's trusted employee Sridhar's wife entering the Trivedi's house to discuss about an event of a product launch. With the casual pleasantries & conversations between Dolly & Lalitha the play starts off & eventually with the entry of Alka unfurls various dimensions to the quirks of both sisters cum daughters in law. We observe an uneasy air between them unfolding creased relationship of the two couples of the household within & between themselves.
Act-II: Men; is about the sons - Nitin & Jiten who are ill tempered , hypocrite, misogynic & extremely stupified with patriarchy. Their lewd attitude towards women could be discerned in every inch of their action. Dolly & Alka seems puppets in the marionette play by their husbands. But In both the acts we stumble upon many questions waiting to be answered & a few confusions to be cleared.
Act-III : Free for all; gradually starts connceting many ends left loose hanging right from the beginning thus leading to some unexpected and unforeseen revelations. But still there are a couple of things to which I tried but couldn’t seek answers.
This is my second play by Mahesh Dattani and he is such an intellectual playwright that he writes grippingly and intriguingly discussing dogmatic social taboos prevailing in the soceity taking a simple family set up as a banckdrop. He has boldly putforth all aspects of patriarchy which are often muffled & unreached closed between the four walls; or else which were quite often nullified by feigned happiness.
I was left awestruck by the way Dattani has designed the structure of the play. The parallel conversations from two different places & at times two different timelines which we often watch in movies , were executed cleverly without confusing a reader. This is the most brilliant & applaudable concept.
This play with many metaphorical descriptions & insights potraying the plight of two women in a pretentious marriage life leaves a pithole of emotions by the time the unpleated curtain takes off their images from our sight.
In Act-I : Women; we come across daughters-in-law of Trivedi household - Dolly, Alka (who are own siblings too) & Baa, their bed ridden widowed mother-in-law. Curtains open to Lalitha, the family run company's trusted employee Sridhar's wife entering the Trivedi's house to discuss about an event of a product launch. With the casual pleasantries & conversations between Dolly & Lalitha the play starts off & eventually with the entry of Alka unfurls various dimensions to the quirks of both sisters cum daughters in law. We observe an uneasy air between them unfolding creased relationship of the two couples of the household within & between themselves.
Act-II: Men; is about the sons - Nitin & Jiten who are ill tempered , hypocrite, misogynic & extremely stupified with patriarchy. Their lewd attitude towards women could be discerned in every inch of their action. Dolly & Alka seems puppets in the marionette play by their husbands. But In both the acts we stumble upon many questions waiting to be answered & a few confusions to be cleared.
Act-III : Free for all; gradually starts connceting many ends left loose hanging right from the beginning thus leading to some unexpected and unforeseen revelations. But still there are a couple of things to which I tried but couldn’t seek answers.
This is my second play by Mahesh Dattani and he is such an intellectual playwright that he writes grippingly and intriguingly discussing dogmatic social taboos prevailing in the soceity taking a simple family set up as a banckdrop. He has boldly putforth all aspects of patriarchy which are often muffled & unreached closed between the four walls; or else which were quite often nullified by feigned happiness.
I was left awestruck by the way Dattani has designed the structure of the play. The parallel conversations from two different places & at times two different timelines which we often watch in movies , were executed cleverly without confusing a reader. This is the most brilliant & applaudable concept.
This play with many metaphorical descriptions & insights potraying the plight of two women in a pretentious marriage life leaves a pithole of emotions by the time the unpleated curtain takes off their images from our sight.
January 1, 2020
With the central theme of opression of the fairer sex by a patriarchal society, bravely fought the queen dwells on the unsaid desires, coping mechanisms as well as secrets that befall a family.
The symbolism of the bonsai plants plays out with each character being compared to a plant who's been shaped and pruned to have a certain appearance and fitment in society. The roles assigned to each of the individuals in the play shows the disconnect between these well accepted stereotypes and the actual quest for happiness
Promiscuity, secrets and homosexuality are well explored in 3 acts through dattani's indeliable writing. Recommend to anyone looking to read a semi complex drama
The symbolism of the bonsai plants plays out with each character being compared to a plant who's been shaped and pruned to have a certain appearance and fitment in society. The roles assigned to each of the individuals in the play shows the disconnect between these well accepted stereotypes and the actual quest for happiness
Promiscuity, secrets and homosexuality are well explored in 3 acts through dattani's indeliable writing. Recommend to anyone looking to read a semi complex drama
October 29, 2024
This book has left me speechless; I’m not sure how to articulate my thoughts about it. It’s the first Indian play I’ve ever read, and it has made quite an impact on me. I finished the entire play in just a few hours because it kept me thoroughly engaged the whole time.
It's challenging to describe—it really makes you think. The plot, the ending, and the characters were all amazing! Honestly, I’m torn between giving it a 3 or a 4-star rating because I’m completely astonished by the experience.
It's challenging to describe—it really makes you think. The plot, the ending, and the characters were all amazing! Honestly, I’m torn between giving it a 3 or a 4-star rating because I’m completely astonished by the experience.
August 18, 2017
yes it is surely a part of my curriculum but it lingers in your mind. The play is short and direct and places you amidst of a family drama. You feel like the Shridhar or Lalitha among them and you feel pity for the wives. you also get to see how advertising has been provoked by the lives of the male characters and what women have become to them.
September 6, 2021
While this isn't the type of play I'd usually read, it's interesting how it brings all the characters together. The stage-craft is vivid just to read, and I really hope to watch this play some day. This was my first exposure to Dattani, and I'm not at all disappointed!
September 28, 2017
Unveils the hypocritical Indian self(not everyone.....no offense intended☺)....Dattani, as in all his works,dares to talk about the 'taboo subjects' in Indian context.
July 21, 2020
An amazin story of the women of that time in Indian Society.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2020
A short play throwing light on the patriarchal society staying in urban part of India.
May 28, 2021
Makes me doubt a lot of things. Very much thought invoking.
August 14, 2021
Act III was something else.
June 15, 2023
I read this book because it's in my academic course, not out of my own will :)
The ending was shocking though as everything was making sense finally!
The ending was shocking though as everything was making sense finally!
August 17, 2023
read this for my paper 👍🏽
March 31, 2025
It's been a long time since I read a play. And Mahesh Dattani writes brilliantly. There are so many layers. Nothing is at it seems. You just read on and unravel the story a little at a time.
Read
August 24, 2023Such a freaking brilliant novel, I'm just at a lost of words. My respect to Mahesh Dattani for framing such an intricately woven play with so many brilliant but taboo topics of our society. The only reason I am not giving this a 5☆ is because I hated 80 % of the characters, they were so annoying, I really did hate them with every fibre of my being, which is also just the brilliance of the author who was successful in creating such characters. But really, the comparisons, the position of the society, the women of the book and most importantly the symbolisms, everything was so brilliant!
September 19, 2022
" "So bravely fought the Rani of Jhansi
So bravely fought the manly queen..."
... Dolly: Why manly?
Alka: Because she was brave."
Dolly, Alka, Lalitha, Baa & Daksha — are fighting as the representatives of all the women who are trapped in the world of men. Their growing loss of freedom everyday and claustrophobic spaces make them an object for men, like a bonsai tree, where the men stunt their growth. When things go beyond tolerance, some of them fight back, like Rani Lakshmibai fought against the British colonizers. But no matter what, at the end, the society of men makes them cripple anyway.
But does the patriarchy only oppress women? It oppresses men too. It creates stereotype standards which every male has to qualify to become a 'man'. From physical to financial, those who have power are 'men'. Like Jatin, the boss of Sridhar, is more a 'man' in the eyes of the patriarchal social system than Sridhar, because he has power. It also shows how a son who worships his mother for being a victim of the male oppression & hates his father for being an oppressor, ultimately becomes like him in his youth. Also it shows how a brother of a typical Indian family, who obeys whatever his elder brother says, becomes an object of his brother's patriarchy, he is not even free to take his own decisions. These various social standards decide who is a 'man' in the eyes of the patriarchal social system.
Besides patriarchy, the play also highlights some other evils like prostitution, domestic violence, consumerism, upper-class culture etc. It deals with multiple layers of emotional, financial and sexual complexities & hypocrisies of Indian urban family.
So bravely fought the manly queen..."
... Dolly: Why manly?
Alka: Because she was brave."
Dolly, Alka, Lalitha, Baa & Daksha — are fighting as the representatives of all the women who are trapped in the world of men. Their growing loss of freedom everyday and claustrophobic spaces make them an object for men, like a bonsai tree, where the men stunt their growth. When things go beyond tolerance, some of them fight back, like Rani Lakshmibai fought against the British colonizers. But no matter what, at the end, the society of men makes them cripple anyway.
But does the patriarchy only oppress women? It oppresses men too. It creates stereotype standards which every male has to qualify to become a 'man'. From physical to financial, those who have power are 'men'. Like Jatin, the boss of Sridhar, is more a 'man' in the eyes of the patriarchal social system than Sridhar, because he has power. It also shows how a son who worships his mother for being a victim of the male oppression & hates his father for being an oppressor, ultimately becomes like him in his youth. Also it shows how a brother of a typical Indian family, who obeys whatever his elder brother says, becomes an object of his brother's patriarchy, he is not even free to take his own decisions. These various social standards decide who is a 'man' in the eyes of the patriarchal social system.
Besides patriarchy, the play also highlights some other evils like prostitution, domestic violence, consumerism, upper-class culture etc. It deals with multiple layers of emotional, financial and sexual complexities & hypocrisies of Indian urban family.
December 28, 2019
It is a feminist play , portraying the hypocrisy of society very well . The sybolism and imagery of the play is amazing and there are many layers added to the play , providing it with the required depth . The comparison of the characters with the Bonsai tree is something that really touched me.
Want to read
July 2, 2013i want to read this book
March 3, 2024
By fighting against the patriarchal oppression that has held them captive for a long time, Alka and Dolly reinstitute their own identity and break free from the social and physical chains.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews