Experiencing the Traditional Indian Middle-Class Family in Mahesh Dattani's Dance Like a Man

Abstract: Mahesh Dattani’s Dance Like a Man (1989) explores the conflict between tradition and modernity, reflecting a critical viewpoint on the concept of an Indian middle-class family. This idea will also be explored through a theoretical and intertextual approach to underline the subtle and universal familial nature. The study highlights how Dattani critiques the concept of family within a political and cultural context, where tradition may conflict with individual aspirations, desires, and identities. Dattani also explores the multifaceted nature of gender, power, and generational conflict within contemporary Indian society and family culture. This analysis provides an exploration of tradition along with cultural negotiation within Indian middle-class family households. Dattani, here, not only presents the idea of the Indian family in a domestic setting but also attempts to humanize its experience.