Parental Desire and Expectations in Mahesh Dattani’s Dance Like a Man: A Study of Desire and Identity Formation

Abstract

Mahesh Dattani’s play Dance Like a Man skilfully depicts the intricate relationships between parents and children, emphasising how personal goals are influenced by parental expectations and desire. This study intends to explore how parental expectations and desire impact individual desire and identity formation with an emphasis on the complex relationships between parents and children through a critical analysis of the play’s characters and their relationships. The effects of parental expectations on the relationships between parents and children are examined in this research paper, with a focus on how it affects and influences the children’s sense of self. It also looks at how parental expectations and desire are portrayed in the play in an effort to better understand the intricacies of the human condition and the never-ending search for self-definition. The play portrays two generations of a Bharatnatyam dancer family, highlighting the change of parental expectations carried on by time. Jairaj and Ratna were the first generation of Bharatanatyam dancers from the family. Their daughter Lata belongs to the second generation. Jairaj’s story highlights the ways in which gender expectations and lack of parental support influence personal desire and aspirations. Lata’s story, on the other hand, reflects how parents try to fulfil personal desires through their children’s success. This research examines the impact that tradition and legacy have on people’s lives, posing issues regarding how to strike a balance between personal preferences and family expectations.