Mahesh Dattani's play "Final Solutions" explores the central theme of communal riots through the complex characters of three generations of a Hindu family caught in religious and communal tensions. The play highlights the deep-rooted issues that lead to communal violence between Hindus and Muslims in India, portraying the prejudices, tensions, and impact of riots on individuals and society. It examines the religious intolerance and hatred that fuel conflicts while also urging readers to promote greater understanding, empathy, and communal harmony.

1. Exploring the
Central Theme of
Communal Riots
in
'Final Solutions'

2. Name: Drashti Joshi
Roll No: 05 Enrolment Number:
4069206420220016
Sem: 3 [M.A.] Batch: 2022-
2024
Paper Number: 202 Paper Code: 22407
Paper Name: Indian English Literature Post-Independence
submitted To: Smt S.B.Gardi, Department of English,
M.K.B.U.

3. Points to Ponder
-Introduction of Author and Play
- Central Theme of Play
- Historical Background of Play
- Communal Riots in “Final Solution”
- Will There ever be a ‘Final Solution’?
- Conclusion
- References

4. Introduction of Author and Play
- According to M. SHEYAMALA,
Mahesh Dattani(1958) is the most influential and impressive dramatist in the contemporary
Indian English dramatic arena. The scenario of Indian drama has transformed with his skills
and innovative technique. He has penned several dramas which point out diverse social
controversies. Final Solutions is the fifth play of Mahesh Dattani. It was staged after the
Mumbai riot. The play draws to light the communal riot between the Hindus and
Muslims.(SHEYAMALA)
- According to Uma Devi,
Dattani’s Final Solutions is a three-act play which handles the theme of communal riots and
forced resentments. It was first performed at Guru Nanak Bhavan, Bangalore on 10 July
1993. In India, the co-existence of multi-religions and multi-cultures has been a curious
topic for the world. But the confrontations of Hindus and Muslims has been a dynamic issue
more than the other religions to each other. Hindus and Muslims depict their own statement
to prove their superiority and Dattani depicts this in Final Solutions. (Devi)

5. The play opens with two Muslim young boys Bobby and Javed seeking shelter in the house of the
Hindu family of Ramnik Gandhi, from the chasing mob, during a hostile atmosphere and curfew
followed by Hindu- Muslim riot in the city. With the entry of two Muslim young boys within the
house, the familial drama begins. Here, the different religions, cultures, food habits, attitudes,
resentments to each other, personal whims and psyches confront each other. Dattani takes the
opportunity to move free into the time and closely scrutinize all such riots in the past and their
influences to shape the characters and communities. He tear opens the tapestries of illusions of
the characters and exposes the truth behind their social, cultural and religious patterns. The
present study aims at the study of the problem of communal divide and communal riot in the
Indian society through the play Final Solutions.(Devi)
The play unfolds itself with Daksha, a fifteen year old young bride reading her diary. Daksha
transforms to Hardika in her old age. It is through her consciousness the major dramatic event is
exposed. Daksha/ Hardika may be conat the hands of Muslim majority. She is the grandmother of
the Gandhis. Daksha is hostile towards Muslims because her father was killed in a communal riot
and because of her overtures of friendship with Zarine, a young muslim girl. Her family comprises
of Ramnik Gandhi, her son, a liberal; Aruna, her daughter-in-law, a devout Hindu, who is highly
superstitious and her granddaughter, Smita is tolerant and represents the dynamic of new
generation.(SHEYAMALA)

6. Central Theme of Play
According to Dr. Rameshchandra F. Agrawal
The theme of Hindu-Muslim hostility is introduced as the
background of the play through the device of chorus. The men in the
chorus put on Hindu masks and Muslim masks alternatively. They
reveal the set view of Hindu and the Muslim towards one
another.(Agrawal)
Mahesh Dattani explores some possibilities for solution to the
problem of communal separation in his play Final Solutions and
ultimately suggests some remedies in this regard. The dramatist
feels that liberal outlook with a pacifying approach and respect for
one-another’s beliefs, mutual trust and sharing of pleasures and
pains can help in overcoming the man-made separation where
individual will be treated as a human being and not as a Hindu or
Muslim.(SAINI)

7. Historical Background of Play
March 12, 1993 changed India and Mumbai (then Bombay) forever. 12 bomb blasts
across the financial capital left 257 dead and over 700 injured. But its long term impact
was the communal fault lines it created in cosmopolitan Mumbai. Since then Mumbai
has seen many more terror attacks. And every time an attack has taken place the
notions of division have only been reinforced.(Gupta)
Among the targets were places like Bombay Stock Exchange, Air India Building
Century Bazaar and Sea Rock Hotel in Bandra. Today there is a permanent state of
alert at the stock exchange and Air India building. Some other places, like the Sea
Rock Hotel did not survive the aftermath of the blasts.Today the building itself has
been razed to the ground.
Even before the blasts, Hindus and Muslims in Mumbai lived in different parts of city. It
wasn't about a communal divide but more on grounds of bonding within one's own
community.But then the blasts seem to have changed the communal fabric of the city
for worse. Well known Islamic scholar, Zeenat Shaukat Ali points out, "The outcome of
the blast was the ghettoization and marginalisation of Muslims. There was a division of
hearts in this city after those bombings. Development of islamophobia started after 93
blasts and Muslims began to be looked upon with suspicion which continues even
today after every terror attack on the city." (Gupta)

8. Communal Riots in “Final Solution”
- Bhagyashree Varma she Observes in her article,
The play successfully highlights human limitations, egocentricity, covetousness
and opportunist inclinations. The issues of class, communities and the clashes
between traditional and modern life style and value systems along with the
complexes about minorities are not restricted to only Hindus and Muslims, but
these are in fact the issues of the humanity in different contexts and situations. It
talks of the problems of cultural supremacy, how Hindus had to undergo
traumatic experiences at the hands of Muslim majority like the characters of
Hardika and Daksha in Hussainabad. Muslim youth like Javed experience
discrimination in the set up of the majority Hindu community. (Varma)
- According Dr. R. Devanand
The role of chorus is quite significant here. Chorus changes their masks
whenever the occasion demands. But ironically the actors of the chorus remain
the same. The chorus links the play with the idea of dramatic development, the
notions of collective identity and manufacturing of collective consent. (Devanand)

9. Mahesh Dattani portrays such incidents show Hindu and Muslim bias. When Hindu
mob discussed against Muslim Mob that:(Dattani #)
Hindu Mob Chorus Chorus 1,2,3: This is our land! How dare they?
Chorus 1: It is in their blood!
Chorus 2,3: It is in their blood To destroy
Final Solutions, refers to the “rath yatra” which promotes communal riots and violence
between the two religious groups. While conducting ‘rath yatra” festival, the idol of God
travelled on Chariot. Rumors create gossips against Muslims. Muslim Chorus
discussed how they confront the Hindu rioters: Muslim mob chorus (Dattani #)
Chorus 1: Their chariot fell in our street!... Was the chariot built by us?
Chorus 4: Manufacturing defect?
Chorus all: we are neither idol makers nor breakers!
Chorus 5: But they blamed us?
Chorus 3: They say we razed their temples yesterday.

10. According to S.T.SHUNMUGA PRIYA,
The play shows that the cause of two castes hatred is not only due to disbelief: but also it is
related to economy. Zarine’s father collects his community people only when his shop was
burnt. In the beginning he wants the real price of his shop. When he fails in the act he
realizes in the fanatic way. All the male members of Daksha’s family know this. As Daksha
writes: ‚Kanta told me he (Zarine’s father) is actually telling people that his shop was burnt
down purposely.‛ Most of the people think that it was burnt by the mob but the conspirators
knew the fact which Hardika faces reality at the last when Ramnik tells: ‚And we burnt it . . .
They had burnt in the name of communal hatred.‛ It shows the mentality that the eyes are
somewhere different but the mob in ignorance, do the work differently.(PRIYA)
Hindu Muslim chorus depicts the reality . The violence made by the devout religious people,
but violence affected ordinary people’s life . Most of them feel that their religion is superior
to the other religion. This narrow point of view instigate them to participate into violence.
They do not think of their family situation and loss of human life. Without conscious thought,
their mind is occupied fully to hunt people to maintain their religion’s purity and uniqueness.

11. - Abhijeet Pawar Rightly observes that,
Final Solutions has a powerful contemporary resonance as it addresses as issue of utmost
concern to our society the issue of communalism. The play presents different shades of the
communist’s attitude prevalent among Hindus and Muslim in its attempt to underline the
stereotypes and clichés influencing the collective sensibility of one community against other.
What distinguishes this work from other plays written on the subject is that it is neither
sentimental in its appeal for simplified in its approach. It advances the objective of social
scientist while presenting a mosaic of diverse attitudes towards religious identity that offer
phages the country in to human strife yet the issue is not moralized a the demons of
communal hatred are located not out on the street but deep within us. (Pawar)
Thus, Final Solutions highlights on the problem of communal violence, communal tension
between the Hindus and Muslims in India, prominently during the time of the after partition
riots. The mental disorder that arise among the Hindus as well as Muslims in India, after the
event of the partition of the country, cause a chain of neurotic reactions to even the most
inconsequential of happenings. The play moves from the partition to the present day
communal riots; probes into the religious bigotry by examining the attitudes of three
generations of a middle-class family of Ramnik Gandhi.

12. Will There ever be a ‘Final Solution’?
- According to Dashrath Gatt he explain how this can be questioned in today’s time as
well.
Now the question that stares at us is can there be a solution to this larger than life problem
of communal divide and hostility which we are facing till today? (Gatt)
One reality cannot accept another reality’ will remain pointless. Smita, Bobby, and Ramnik
make the plea that we need to belong to all the creations of the Almighty and be
concerned about the pains and pleasures, trials and tribulations, aims and aspirations of
all the mankind without any selectivity on racial or communal grounds. When we are able
to assimilate all the diverse forces running through our social fabric, Hardika, Aruna or
Javed; then we hope a new pattern based on humane qualities will emerge and this will as
Bobby suggests pave the way for the final solution :
“The tragedy is that there is too much that is sacred. But if we understand and believe in
one another, nothing can be destroyed. (Puts on his footwear and looks at Hardika). And if
you are willing to forget, I am willing to tolerate”

13. filmmaker Rakesh Sharma released his award-winning
documentary Final Solution (2004) on Vimeo. Originally
released in 2004, the film documents the communal
violence that broke out in Gujarat during 2002-2003,
specifically the pogrom against Muslims. Shot in two parts,
the film follows the aftermath of the carnage and records in
great detail, the exploitation of the Godhra incident during
the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s electoral campaign.
The movie was initially banned in India in 2004 for fear that
it might provoke communalism and radicalism. The ban was
lifted in October 2004 after a sustained campaign which
included, an online petition, hundreds of protest screenings
countrywide, multi-city signature campaigns and dozens of
letters to the Government sent by audiences directly.(Sharma)
Final Solution Documentary

14. - Manipur Riots:
On 3 May 2023, ethnic violence erupted in India's north-eastern state of Manipur between the Meitei people, a
majority that lives in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo tribal community from the surrounding hills.
- Gujarat riots:
The 2002 Gujarat riots, also known as the 2002 Gujarat violence, was a three-day period of inter-communal
violence in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The burning of a train in Godhra on 27 February 2002, which
caused the deaths of 58 Hindu pilgrims and karsevaks returning from Ayodhya, is cited as having instigated the
violence.
- Nua Riots of Haryana:
. On 31 July 2023, communal violence erupted in the Nuh district of Haryana between Muslims and Hindus during
an annual Brajmandal Yatra pilgrimage organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu nationalist
organization
- Bombay Riots:
In the Bombay riots in December 1992 and January 1993, an estimated 900 people died. The riots were mainly
due to escalations of hostilities after large scale protests by Muslims in reaction to the 1992 Babri Masjid
Demolition by Hindu Karsevaks in Ayodhya; and by Hindu mobs in regards with the Ram Temple issue.

15. In conclusion, 'Final Solutions' by Mahesh Dattani is a thought-provoking
theatrical work that effectively shines a spotlight on the central theme of
communal riots. The play's portrayal of complex characters caught in the web of
religious and communal tensions serves as a compelling mirror to the real-world
struggles faced by many. It offers an unsettling but necessary examination of the
deep-rooted issues that lead to communal violence and the profound impact it
has on both individuals and society.
As we reflect on the central theme of communal riots in 'Final Solutions,' we are
reminded of the enduring relevance of addressing such conflicts in our society.
The play encourages us to confront the challenges of religious intolerance,
prejudice, and hatred, urging us to strive for greater understanding and unity. In
this context, 'Final Solutions' stands as a powerful testament to the importance of
promoting peace, empathy, and communal harmony in our diverse and
multicultural world, emphasizing that the ultimate solution lies in fostering a more
inclusive and harmonious society.
Conclusion

16. Agrawal, Dr. Rameshchandra F. “Communal Conflicts in Mahesh Dattani's Final Solutions.” 9 March 2019,
https://knowledgeresonance.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/SP3-1-23.pdf. Accessed 17 October 2023.
Dattani, Mahesh. Collected Plays. Penguin Books, 2000. Accessed 17 October 2023.
Devanand, R. “Resonance of Communal dis/harmony in Mahesh Dattani's Final Solutions – Drishti.” Drishti – The Sight,
https://www.drishtithesight.com/volume-ix/resonance-of-communal-dis-harmony-in-mahesh-dattanis-final-
solutions/.Accessed 17 October 2023.
Devi, Uma. “Problem of Communal Divide and Communal Tension in Mahesh Dattani's Final Solutions.” Ashvamegh Indian
Journal of English Literature, https://ashvamegh.net/problems-of-communal-divide-and-communal-tension-in-mahesh-
dattanis-final-solutions/. Accessed 17 October 2023.
References

17. Gatt, Dashrath. “Will there ever be a final solution? Mahesh Dattani's final solutions revisited in the light of communal divide.”
Academic Journals, https://www.academicjournals.org/app/webroot/article/article1379517182_Gatt.pdf. Accessed 17 October 2023.
Gupta, Saurabh. “Blog: 1993 blasts changed Mumbai forever in all sorts of ways.” NDTV, 22 March 2013,
https://www.ndtv.com/mumbai-news/blog-1993-blasts-changed-mumbai-forever-in-all-sorts-of-ways-516992. Accessed 17
October 2023.
Pawar, Abhijeet. “Delineation of Communal Violence in Mahesh Dattani's Play Final Solution.” Academia.edu,
https://www.academia.edu/42687732/Delineation_of_Communal_Violence_in_Mahesh_Dattani_s_Play_Final_Solution.
Accessed 17 October 2023.
PRIYA, S.T.SHUNMUGA. “Religious bias concluded with Racial discrimination in Mahesh Dattani'sFinal Solutions.” Journal of
Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research, https://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRAG06009.pdf. Accessed 17 October
2023.

18. SAINI, RAJNI. “MAHESH DATTANI’S FINAL SOLUTIONS: A STUDY OF HARSH SOCIAL REALITY.” RESEARCH JOURNAL OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, http://www.rjelal.com/. Accessed 17 October 2023.
Sharma, Rakesh. “Final Solution.” IFFR, https://iffr.com/en/iffr/2023/films/final-solution. Accessed 17 October 2023.
SHEYAMALA, M. “Communal Disharmony in Mahesh Dattani’s Final Solution.” IQAC – Kamaraj College,
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Varma, Bhagyashree. “Critiquing Communal Violence without any FINAL SOLUTIONS : Mahesh Dattani's Domestic Realism.”
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