Resistance in the Work of Safdar Hashmi and Jan Natya Manch
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53032/tvcr/2025.v7n1.20Keywords:
Safdar Hashmi, Jan Natya Manch, Street Theatre, Political Resistance, Nukkad Natak, Protest ArtAbstract
The topic of resistance in the work of Safdar Hashmi and the street theater ensemble Jan Natya Manch (Janam) is examined in this article. Safdar Hashmi, a trailblazer in political theater, used street plays, or nukkad natak, as a platform to protest against governmental tyranny, capitalism, communalism, and structural inequities. His view that art must inspire collective action and serve the people was informed by his intellectual devotion to Marxism. Plays by Janam, such Halla Bol! and Machine, were effective political protest tools that reached Indian laborers, slum dwellers, students, and the general public. The notion that theater is a tool for resistance was furthered by Janam’s continuous public performances after Hashmi’s 1989 murder during a performance. In addition to engaging audiences, their collaborative, minimalist performances liberate public discourse from institutional and elite control. This article highlights the lasting significance of art as a means of protest and a voice for the oppressed, arguing that Janam’s unwavering struggle against injustice carries on Safdar Hashmi’s legacy.
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