Feminist theatre in India: How it evolved through the years 

The concept of feminist theatre arose in the 1970s in the West in response to the marginalisation and objectification of women in plays. Its goal was to disrupt the male gaze and provide alternatives to the continually clichéd image of women. Theatre was being utilised aggressively at the time to question the form and content of plays. A creative women's movement in the theatrical world meant that the medium was being used effectively to portray feminist beliefs. Similarly, in India too, feminist theatre is a product of both political and theatrical movements, as well as a confluence of art and activism.  

How did feminist theatre begin in India? 
During India’s freedom struggle, Savarna reformers employed mythology and classical literature-based theatre to raise nationalist consciousness. On the other hand, as a response to male-centric discourses and traditions in rural theatre, feminist theatre narratives arose in the 1970s in several towns and cities across India. As a result, Indian feminist theatre is defined by its subversion of male-dominated narratives and focus on concerns of female and other marginalised identities, rather than by a specific language or theatrical history. The idea behind bringing up feminist theatre in a big way was to not only bring down the masculine gaze, but also the normative gaze.  

During the 1970s, when socially relevant themes, including women's struggles, grew popular among the masses, feminist thought entered Indian theatre. This isn't to say that there weren't any plays written by women or about women until the 1970s. In fact, Swarnakumari Devi, Rabindranath Tagore's sister, wrote The Wedding Tangle (1904), which looked at a woman's autonomy in the light of wider problems like class struggle and widow marriage. The drama explores intersectional topics, such as how some identities are privileged over others. Similarly, in 1979, Jan Natya Manch (People's Theatre Front) staged Aurat (Women), a street drama that addressed topics like as dowry harassment and domestic violence. It also aided the Indian feminist movement, which had gained traction in the 1980s. 

How did the feminist theatre movement evolve in India? 

The feminist theatre movement in India was about encouraging more women to enter the world of theatre as creators, authors, and artists, not merely expressing women's issues. Women's voices became a vital part of mainstream Indian theatre throughout the next two decades. Several theatre companies held festivals and workshops to encourage and promote women's participation in the arts. Manjula Padmanabhan's play, Lights Out (1986) that examines male and female viewpoints on violence against women is a fitting example of theatre based on female characters. It dealt with underlying themes such as relationships, sisterhood, sexuality, and female autonomy. The play highlights questions concerning domestic violence (Can crime be classified as private or public?) and violence against sex workers (Can a sex worker not seek justice against sexual violation?) 

Female playwrights who gained prominence during the 1980s-90s period include Pole Sengupta (English), Gitanjali Shree (Hindi), Irpinder Bhatia (Hindi), Neelam Mansingh Chaudhury (Punjabi), Binodini (Telugu), B. Jyashree (Kannada), Shanoli Mitra (Bengali), Usha Ganguli (Hindi) and Sushma Deshpande (Marathi). While not all female writers were feminists, they began writing plays that focussed on women, which encouraged more female actors to enter the business. For example, Rangkarmee's Beti Aayee (A Girl is Born), a film about gender discrimination, featured an all-female cast.  

What is the status of feminist theatre in modern India? 
The values of the feminist movement are increasingly visible in the works of modern artists. Theatre artist, Mallika Taneja's play 'Thoda Dhyaan Se' takes on the patriarchal gaze with nudity. Kalyanee Mulay's performance 'UnSeen' is a response to historical sexism. Faezeh Jalali's ‘Shikhandi: The Story of the In-Betweens’ explores gender fluidity and trans identities through a mythological trans character, Shikhandi. Thus, it can be said that female-centric storytelling through theatre has provided not just a different perspective on women's issues, but also a more authentic portrayal of women, their daily lives, sexuality and desire, and interactions with other women. Consequently, a new type of audience arose, one that has been interested in women's issues and is frequently made up of women.