Contesting Identities and Textured Aftertastes

Reinterpreting the Prem Akhyaan Trope: a Retelling of Abhijnanasakuntalam

When the movie Padmavat was released in 2018, it became the centre of a media maelstrom. I, being both, a student of history as well as a theatre enthusiast, was fascinated by the ordeal. Padmavat, written during the 16th century by Malik Muhammad Jayasi in the Awadhi language is classified by historians as a prem akhyaan; a medium of metaphorical storytelling which represents man's struggle for enlightenment where his object of affections, the "ideal" woman, (in this case Padmaavati) is a metaphor for enlightenment and wisdom, to gain which the hero must undergo a difficult journey (as does Rawal Ratan Sen).

Though it is Padmavat which is widely recognized, there are also other prem akhyaans written during that period of time that follow the same theme, like Mrigavati and Chitai Charita.

I now offer humbly, reader, being neither an expert in history nor literature, my perspective on this narrative. Whatever I offer comes from my passion, and pre-established respect for the historical romance genre. Prem akhyaans, in their metaphorical subtext, reduce their "ideal women" to less than ideal roles. They exist simply as plot devices in a man's journey to enlightenment which they physically represent (so I hope professionals will forgive me for wanting to disregard their opinion when I watch the movie). This does not imply that such a subtextual reading is redundant, especially when we attempt to apply the same lens to other stories irrespective of what period they belong to. In fact, it can add another layer of meaning to characters and give depth to storytelling.

Historical romance in theatre was by no means a new concept in the 16th century. Let me demonstrate through the analysis of Abhijnanasakuntalam, a play written by Kaalidasa in the 5th century, widely regarded as the first Sanskrit playwright of India.

At first glance Kaalidas' magnum opus is a story of love; Love between King Dushyant and Shakuntala, the daughter of Sage Vishwamitra and the Apsara, Menaka. The story follows thus, that the king sees the beautiful Shakuntala one day in the forest, falls in love with her, and they promptly get married. He leaves for his capital eventually and in his absence, the Sage Durvasa curses Shakuntala to be forgotten by him when she goes remiss in her hospitality towards the Rishi. Shakuntala tries to remind Dushyant, but he does not remember her, and when he does, filled with regret and longing, he embarks on a journey to find her and make her his queen. The story ends with a joyful reunion and the birth of their son, Bharat. Applying the subtextual metaphor of the prem akhyaan genre here would give a fresh spin to the story.

Shakuntala, the daughter of a sage, raised in a hermitage, renowned for her beauty and purity can easily fit into the mould of the "ideal woman". Dushyant, the King of Hastinapur, brave and adventurous, is fit to be the hero. What makes such a reading unique from the 16th century trope is the fleshing out of Shakuntala's identity.

When Rishi Durvasa curses her, she herself also undergoes a difficult journey, travelling from the shelter of her girlhood to the home of her husband seeking acceptance, only to face rejection. But, one must question that if the "ideal" Shakuntala represents enlightenment, then what does Dushyant, the King of Hastinapur (and the cause for which she was cursed) represent? What happens when we reverse the metaphorical dynamic?

I present to you, reader, that Abhijnanasakuntalam may also be interpreted as a play about a woman's fall from sanctity for the sake of what she wants - the love of a husband, the title of a wife and queen, and the respect afforded by this recognition. All material desires that she is punished for when she is cursed and cruelly rejected. The story, despite being named after her, pitches the readers' lot with Dushyant's victory, irrespective of what this implies for Shakuntala's spiritual journey. On the face of it, being reunited with her husband is the happy climax of a story about strife. She gets what she rightfully deserved in the first place and Durvasa's curse is lifted. But on the subtextual level, Shakuntala is ideal no more, further away from her "pure" identity as she had ever been. Dushyant achieved spiritual wisdom when he was reunited with Shakuntala while she, herself, lost her last chance at escaping the trappings of the material world.

Naturally, such an interpretation was not Kaalidas' intention, who wrote his story hundreds of years before either the prem akhyaan trope or Malik Muhammad Jayasi was conceived. But this being an article in a theatre journal (Rangmunch) affords me the creative liberty that history will not grant. At this point I should reiterate that Jayasi's Padmavat too was a semi-historical, fictional piece of work, and if he dared to risk being taken literally or to be misinterpreted, then so shall I. (God forbid, somebody accuses me of idealism.)

By Ameya Bathla Sharma

B.A History Honours

Batch of 2022