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Though India declared itself a sovereign nation only in 1947, after two hundred years of British rule, its people had unleashed the processes of ‘Indianization’ well before independence. While addressing the transition from colonial subjecthood to independent citizenship is intricately linked to efforts of decolonization, the role of English-medium education in the creation of a new emergent class of independent Indian citizens often gets overlooked. This essay analyses the immediate impact of independence (1947–50), and locates the educational spaces where Indians (predominantly elite Bengalis) were struggling to unlink citizenship from nationalism and exploring inter-community relationships such as those between the Bengali elite and the micro-minority Jews, Parsis, Armenians and Anglo-Indians. I show how theatre activities by the students of St Xavier's Collegiate School and College, their new roles as potential public intellectuals and citizens of post-independent India and their theatre constituted an important intervention in the new democratic processes. I examine the duality of a Bengali elite who acquired an English-medium education and performed English-style Shakespeare while trying to construct a political dramaturgy as an ensemble or collective. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Examines the difficulties of establishing a pure space for political theater in contemporary India. Difficulties faced by playwrights who have turned toward so-called indigenous or folk models of theatre to voice their critiques; Origins of political theater in India; Details of the life and work of Thoppil Bhasi.

Reports on images of ritual and political liberation in Tamil theatre as presented by the play `Pancali Capatam' or The Vow of Draupadi. Includes characteristics of folk performances of the Tirunelveli; C. Subramania Bharati; Use of symbolizations; Verse excerpts; Terminologies; Political aspects of play.