Description

Book Synopsis
Safdar Hashmi (19541989) became a national icon of resistance after his death on 2 January 1989, following a brutal attack while performing a street play. The firebrand artist, actor, playwright, poet, and activist was at the forefront of the development and subsequent popularity of street theatre, and his group, Jana Natya Manch (Janam), is still considered a leader in the genre of political theatre. There is little reliable scholarship on the history of theatre in India and on Safdar Hashmi's contribution to Indian theatre. This book fills both gaps through a close look at Safdar's career, from his early life and the influences that formed him; to his first forays into theatre in Delhi in the 1970s; to the mature work he produced in the 1980s until his life was cruelly cut short; and finally, the legacy he left behind. Examining the cultural and political environment of the time, Anjum Katyal places Safdar and Janam in the context of the larger history of Indian political theatre. She argues that with the development of a powerful, thought-provoking, and effective street theatre, Safdar was moving towards a vision and practice of democratic theatre.

Safdar Hashmi

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    A Paperback by Anjum Katyal

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      Book details

      Publisher Orient BlackSwan
      Published 7 July 2024
      ISBN-13 9789354426193
      978-9354426193
      ISBN-10 9354426190
      Also in:
      Biography: arts and entertainment

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      Safdar Hashmi (19541989) became a national icon of resistance after his death on 2 January 1989, following a brutal attack while performing a street play. The firebrand artist, actor, playwright, poet, and activist was at the forefront of the development and subsequent popularity of street theatre, and his group, Jana Natya Manch (Janam), is still considered a leader in the genre of political theatre. There is little reliable scholarship on the history of theatre in India and on Safdar Hashmi's contribution to Indian theatre. This book fills both gaps through a close look at Safdar's career, from his early life and the influences that formed him; to his first forays into theatre in Delhi in the 1970s; to the mature work he produced in the 1980s until his life was cruelly cut short; and finally, the legacy he left behind. Examining the cultural and political environment of the time, Anjum Katyal places Safdar and Janam in the context of the larger history of Indian political theatre. She argues that with the development of a powerful, thought-provoking, and effective street theatre, Safdar was moving towards a vision and practice of democratic theatre.

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