Author(s): Heemal Pandey

Abstract: Trauma has been a recurring theme in global storytelling, reflecting not only individual suffering but also societal complicity. Drawing upon Indian aesthetic principles such as Rasa (emotional resonance), Vakrokti (indirection), Auchitya (propriety), Dhvani (suggestive meaning), and Anubhava (emotional realization), this paper explores how Mahesh Dattani’s Thirty Days in September, Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, Tumbbad (2018), and Inception (2010) evoke and navigate complex emotional landscapes.

Dattani’s Thirty Days in September explores intergenerational trauma caused by child sexual abuse, employing Karuna (compassion) and Bhayanaka (fear) to confront cycles of silence in Indian families. Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire critiques societal hypocrisy and emotional disintegration through Blanche DuBois, emphasizing Shoka (sorrow) and Adbhuta (wonder). Tumbbad allegorically portrays greed as a destructive force, while Inception examines the fragility of reality, using Adbhuta as its dominant emotional thread.

By analyzing these works, this study highlights how Indian aesthetic principles transcend cultural and temporal boundaries, offering tools to analyze trauma, survival, and societal judgment in contemporary narratives. The paper integrates scene analyses, dialogues, and symbolic elements, demonstrating the universality of Indian aesthetics in shaping impactful storytelling across media.

DOI:10.61165/sk.publisher.script.writing.2024.37

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Aesthetics of Trauma- A Comparative Study of Indian and Western Dramas Mahesh Dattani Thirty Days in September, Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, Tumbbad, and Inception

Pages:171-174