Tara by Mahesh Dattani detailed summary

 

 

Characters: Tara Tara is the central character of the play who is the victim of Indian social problem of Gender Discrimination. Chandan Chandan is a conjoined boy child of Mr. Patel and Bharti who has given importance in a surgery. Mr. Patel Mr. Patel is the father of Tara who always shows unnecessary intervention in all decision – making. He was a patriarch. Bharti Bharti is the wife of Mr. Patel and the mother of Tara who cares Tara a lot. As she wants to expiate for something. Roopa Roopa is the neighbor of Tara who gave accompany Tara but till she receive lipsticks and magazines from Tara. Dr. Thakkar Act I  Dan is sitting at his writing table and typing furiously in the suburb of London. He is writing a drama in two acts entitled ‘Twinkle Tara’, however Dan (Chandan Patel changed his name to Dan) feels that no progress is being made 'nothing changes except the name’. He is a depressed and frustrated artist. Dan says he is a little insecure and allows memories to flood in. His dilemma is presented when he says "I had even forgotten I had a twin sister. (Music fades in slowly) Until I thought of her as subject matter for my next literary attempt. Or maybe I didn't forget her. She was lying deep inside, out of reach." Dan reminiscences about the time when they came to Bombay. Tara and Chandan are playing the game of cards in Patel's living room. Bharati forces Tara to drink milk and gain some weight. She was over concerned about her, Bharati and Patel's conversation clears that doctors are surprised at the children's progress. Patel refers that the doctor wants to mention the children in a medical journal to which Bharti objects. Bharati says 'I just don't, that's all. I don't want all that publicity to start again.  Patel asks Chandan to come to the office with him, however Chandan is not interested and says he should take Tara with him, she will make a great business woman. Meanwhile Roopa - a neighbour comes to meet Tara and Chandan, it is revealed that Chandan is interested in writing.  Dan comes back to the present and complains that Tara never got a fair deal in her life as she had to experience injustice. Dan starts his play through the interview with Dr. Thakkar, who has performed the complex and unique surgery on Siamese twins in India. Dan asks Dr. Thakkar's view regarding the Patel twins. He replies that they are very rare, generally Siamese twins are of same sex, but these twins are of different sex. Dan says 'A freak among freaks'. Dan reminiscences how Tara lifted the leg of her trousers to show the artificial limb and he (Chandan) lies on the floor listening to music. Tara says 'women mature fast: Tara voices Chandan's importance in her life and tells him about her interface (artificial leg) with Prema and Nalini. They reacted in a weird manner and made fun of Tara's artificial leg.  Roopa enters, Tara and Chandan welcome her and the three gets engaged in a conversation. Roopa says Tara and Chandan doesn't resemble each other even though they are twins. Chandan says 'Not all twins are peas in pods. Tara tells Roopa that her father is a Gujarati and mother is Kannadiga. Bharati asks Roopa to befriend Tara and become her best friend. In a way she bribes Roopa and even allows her to watch movies anytime on the VCR.  Tara and Chandan both have one kidney and doctors have suggested a kidney transplant for Tara. Bharati wants to give one of her kidneys to Tara, however Patel does not want her to donate as they have found a donor. Bharti is so much obsessed with the issue that Patel wants her to consult a psychiatrist. He even adds 'Because I do not want you to have the satisfaction of doing it.' As things were going out of control, Patel slaps Bharati.  Bharati feels that Tara should opt for a career. Bharati is worried about Tara's future. She says "It's all right while she is young. It's all very cute and comfortable when she makes witty remarks. But let her grow up. Yes Chandan. The world will tolerate you. The world will accept you but not her! Oh, the pain she is going to feel.(she had an unspeakable pain in her heart)" Bharati is ready to do anything for Tara's happiness. Later Bharati and Chandan are busy unravelling the knitting, Patel enters and asks Chandan. what is he doing? Chandan replies that he is helping his mother to keep the wool in order. Patel says:  PATEL. Let Tara do it…  CHANDAN. It's okay.  PATEL. Give it to her.  CHANDAN. I will just roll all this and...  PATEL. Chandan, Leave that damn thing alone!   Mr. Patel shouts at Bharati for turning his son into a sissy - teaching him to knit. He even said that Chandan has disappointed him. He can't see Chandan rotting at home. Bharati and Patel argue on the fostering of Tara and Chandan. Patel says Bharati treats Tara as if she is made of glass and she does not need anyone apart from Bharati. Patel decides that Chandan will go abroad for higher studies and blames Bharati that she has not given him any freedom to plan his future. He also blames her for ruining Tara's life and turning the children against him.   Act II  Bharati tells Tara to remember that she loves her the most. She even consoles Tara and says after the operation everything will be okay. She was always very much concerned about the happiness of Tara. Tara says that she is very much happy in the world because she has got the love and support of her mother.  Tara undergoes a surgery and when she returns home, she was welcomed by Chandan and Roopa. Tara asks for her mother, but Patel changes the topic and asks her to take some rest. Chandan tells Roopa that they have not told Tara about their mother as she has undergone a crucial surgery.  Chandan tries his best to keep Tara happy and cracks jokes, but Tara was depressed. She became silent and later said "I don't want to go to college. I don't want to listen to your wise cracks. And I don't want to eat dinner. All I want is to stay with Mummy at the hospital. Patel rejects Tara's request and tells her to go for physiotherapy, tomorrow. Patel asks Chandan, has he filled the form? Chandan points to Tara and she replies that there is no point of dropping college halfway. Patel tells Tara that the problem is Chandan has also refused to join college without her. Tara and Chandan get engaged into a conversation. Patel asks them to settle the matter between themselves, but it is for sure that Chandan has to go abroad(England) for higher studies. Patel has made arrangements so that he can get a scholarship. He even tells Chandan that his grandfather has left an ample amount of money for him. Chandan questions nothing for Tara? Patel remains silent. Chandan asks why? Patel says it was his money; he was free to give it to anyone.  Tara questions Chandan why is he not willing to join the college? Chandan says he is not going to join college without her. Tara says it seems he is afraid. "Afraid of meeting new people. People who don't know you. " Chandan replies that's not the truth. Tara says 'You. Me. there is no difference', Chandan says that is the nicest thing she has ever said. Tara and Chandan stands near the street and Tara wishes for the two real legs.  'Cross-fade to Chandan listening to music'. Roopa sneaks up behind him. As they were talking Chandan asks Roopa 'what would you do if you had to choose between a boy and a girl?. Roopa says A boy definitely'. Roopa asks for Tara. Chandan replies that she has gone for her physiotherapy. Roopa asks why he has not gone for it, Chandan says hospital depresses him. "Roopa slowly comes to him and lies down or sits beside him. He cannot ignore her now. He slowly puts his hand on her shoulder. She freezes..." Roopa shouts at Chandan 'Stay away from me. By that time Tara comes in and Roopa says that Chandan tried to rape her. 'He's a raper' Tara decides to teach Roopa a lesson.  Crossfade to Dr. Thakkar [Dr. Thakkar, a God like figure keeps informing the audience about the medical status of Chandan and Tara. They were born as Siamese twins and later through an operation they were separated. They had one liver and one kidney.] Cross fade Tara and Chandan  Tara says it does not matter whether she lives or die. She will sacrifice her life for a great cause. Tara even says she does not care for anyone except her mother. Tara feels 'women mature faster... And we are more sensitive, more intelligent, more compassionate human beings than creeps like you and... and... Daddy! 'Cross fade to Dan who was on the telephone'. From the flashback, he comes to the present. Dan is talking to his father on telephone and tells him that he has received his letter and asks about Bharati's well being. Then he comes to know about the demise of his mother. Dan (Chandan) asks his father to come to London as now he is all alone. He even tells his father not to expect his visit to Bombay rather he should come and settle down in London. 'Cross fade to Tara and Chandan'. Dan again starts writing and reminiscences the past. Chandan and Tara are talking about their mother's health. Tara says she wants to visit her mother often in the hospital, but father is stopping her. She even thinks that her father hates her, but Chandan argues and made her believe that nobody hates her. Tara replies 'I hate him. She tells Chandan that today instead of going for physiotherapy; she went to the hospital to meet her mother. There she was asked to wait by the hospital staff at the reception. Later she heard a nurse talking to the receptionist that "she had received strict instructions tara is not allowed to see her mom at the hospital”. Chandan defends that there must be some valid reason behind it.  Tara, thus asks Chandan's help to meet their mother all alone, then she might disclose some secrets, but Chandan urges that if father doesn't want us to know something 'may be it's not good for us to hear it.' Patel enters and inquires that whether they have gone for physiotherapy. Tara says she didn't instead she went to the hospital. Patel says 'Don't ever go there without my permission. Tara then asks his permission. Patel denies. Tara says she would go alone in any case. A very low light on Dr. Thakkar, which remains till the end. DR. THAKKAR. Our greatest challenge would be to keep the girl alive. Nature wanted to kill her." Mr. Patel reveals the secret at last in front of Tara and Chandan. He tells them that initially their marriage was a happy marriage. Bharati's father was a wealthy man, an industrialist and a powerful MLA. They were overjoyed with the news of twins, but some tests revealed. the complication when born, they looked like two babies. hugging each other. They discussed the case with a specialist Dr. Thakkar in Bombay. The separation of the twins was to be done in Bombay. At the time of operation one complication aroused that there were three legs. According to the scan the major part of the blood supply to the third leg "was provided by the girl... the chances were slightly better that the leg would survive...that same evening, your mother told me her decision... that they would risk giving both legs to the boy." Later they realized their mistake as leg didn't suit Chandan and was amputated. Patel said he wanted to tell them this truth after they have grown up. Tara was shocked, in a daze, Chandan holds her hand, but she turns away. Chandan is crushed, Tara utters "And she called me her star. Tara suffers a setback and dies out of shock. Light off on Tara, Patel and Chandan.. In a voice over Chandan pours out his heart 'I forget Tara. I forget that I had a sister with whom I had shared a body. In one comfortable womb. Till we were forced out...and separated... forgive me Tara…