Chapter 12 – Tara Act – II Solutions

Content Structure

1. About the author – Mahesh Dattani
2. Summary of the Tara
3. Word meanings
4. Exercises solutions
5. Additional questions and Answers

1. About the author – Mahesh Dattani

Mahesh Dattani was a famous Indian playwright, actor and director who wrote family dramas in English. He was born on 7th August 1958 in Bangalore. In 1998 he became the first Indian playwright writing in English to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award for his book Final Solutions and other plays. In his writing he focused on real-life issues such as gender, discrimination, family problems and identity. His most famous plays include Tara, Final Solutions, Dance Like a Man and Bravely Fought the Queen. His works are often studied in schools and colleges because he presents important social topics in a simple and powerful way.

2. Summary of the Tara

Mahesh Dattani’s Tara is a deeply emotional and tragic play that explores themes of gender discrimination, family injustice, disability, and emotional suffering. The play begins with a warm exchange between Bharati, the twins’ mother, and Tara, showing their strong bond. Tara has suffered through several surgeries, including a prosthetic leg fitting and a kidney transplant, but she remains brave and cheerful. Her strength comes from the strong emotional connection she shares with her mother. Tara returns home from the hospital and is happily welcomed by Chandan and Roopa. She pretends to be an Oscar winner, bringing a moment of joy. However, this cheerful mood fades after she learns that her mother has been suffering in a mental hospital. The news upsets Tara, who had always depended emotionally on her mother. Mr. Patel later informs the twins that their Uncle Praful has arranged for Chandan to study in England, creating a sense of inequality. He also explains that their grandfather left all his property to Chandan and nothing to Tara, highlighting Tara’s unfair treatment. The twins have a serious argument about college and responsibilities, which highlights the deep bond, care, and emotional dependence. Tara is heartbroken as she slowly begins to understand how much her mother had hidden from her. The most powerful moment of the play comes when Mr. Patel reveals a painful truth: the twins were born with three legs, and medical tests showed that the third leg had a better chance of survival on Tara. However, Bharati and her father secretly chose to give both legs to Chandan simply because he was a boy. This unfair decision destroyed Tara’s future and left emotional damage that never fully faded. In the final scenes, Chandan, now living abroad under the name Dan, speaks to Mr. Patel on the phone after Bharati’s death. He refuses to return to India, unable to face the painful memories of the past. Meanwhile, Tara remembers how her father once stopped her from visiting her mother alone in the hospital. This memory brings a small sense of closure, though the pain of the past still remains.

3. Word meanings

Word	Meaning
Twinkling	Shining
Prosthesis	An artificial body part like a leg or arm
Jovial	Cheerful
Indisposed	Feeling sick
Intestinal tissues	Soft parts in the body that help digest food
Magnitude	Size
Glorious presence	A powerful appearance
Terminated	Stopped
Socialite	A rich person who attends many social events
Mobility-impaired	Can not move well
Bodysnatchers	People who steal dead bodies
Invade	Enter forcefully
Bile ducts	Tubes that carry fluid from the liver
Combatible	Can work or stay well together
Provocation	Cause of anger
Imbecile	Fool
Bribed	Gave money or gifts to do something wrong
Conjoinment	Joining
Defending	Protecting
Grotesque	Ugly and strange
Amputated	A body part that has been removed
Anguish	Deep pain
Harmony	Peace

4. Exercises solutions

1. Who is the protagonist of the play Tara? Why do you consider so? (1+5)
Ans: Tara is the protagonist of the play Tara by Mahesh Dattani.
She is at the centre of the story, and the main events focus on her life, struggles, and emotions. The play shows how she is treated unfairly due to her gender, especially when her leg was given to her brother during surgery. Tara’s experiences highlight issues like gender inequality, emotional pain, and family injustice. Her actions and suffering shape the course of the narrative, making her the central character who represents both personal and social injustice.

2. Justify the title of the play Tara…. (6)
Ans: The title Tara is appropriate because the entire play focuses on the character Tara and the injustice she faces due to her gender. Although she is physically weaker, Tara shows great mental strength, courage, and emotional depth. Her life is marked by pain, unfair treatment, and neglect, especially in the decision to give both legs to her brother. The name “Tara,” which means “star” or “brilliance,” reflects her inner strength and potential, which society fails to recognise. The title clearly shows the theme of gender discrimination and highlights how girls like Tara are denied equal opportunities.

5. Additional questions and Answers

1. Who is the author of the play Tara? What type of plays does he write?
Ans: The author of the play Tara is Mahesh Dattani, one of India’s most famous modern playwrights. He writes plays that focus on social issues of urban life, such as gender inequality, identity, family conflicts, and hypocrisy in modern society. His characters struggle between tradition and freedom and fight to find their own identity in a world full of social rules and expectations.

2. Why is the Patel family in news?
Ans: The Patel family was in the news because their children, Tara and Chandan, were conjoined twins of different genders—a very rare medical case. The operation to separate them attracted a lot of attention from both the media and the medical world. Normally, such twins do not survive, but the Patel twins lived for some years, making their case even more unusual and noteworthy.

3. How does Chandan react to Tara’s operation?
Ans: Chandan’s reaction to Tara’s surgery is filled with fear and disapproval. He worries that another surgery will cause Tara more pain instead of helping her. He feels the doctors and parents are making decisions without thinking about Tara’s emotions or comfort. His love for his sister makes him question whether these operations are truly necessary or just experiments to gain medical fame.

4. What emotional changes do we find in the characters of the play?
Ans: In the beginning, the Patel family is hopeful about Tara’s surgeries. Bharati dreams of seeing Tara healthy and beautiful, and Chandan encourages her with love. But as surgeries fail, Tara becomes frustrated and angry, Bharati becomes mentally weak, and Mr. Patel grows silent and guilty. By the end, the whole family is emotionally broken. The hope and love of the beginning turn into guilt, sadness, and regret.

5. What is the condition of Tara as Act 2 opens?
Ans: When Act 2 begins, Tara is preparing for another major surgery. Bharati, her mother, hopes that the operation will make Tara’s life easier and healthier. But the surgery only worsens Tara’s condition, leaving her body more deformed and weak. This moment marks the beginning of her final decline and symbolizes how human efforts fail to challenge nature.

6. What is your opinion of Dr. Thakkar as a medical practitioner?
Ans: Dr. Thakkar is a skilled surgeon but not an ethical or compassionate doctor. He lets social and gender biases influence his medical decisions. By giving the “third leg” to Chandan instead of Tara, he supports discrimination. He values fame more than fairness and becomes a symbol of how even science can be corrupted by social prejudice.

7. What was the condition of Bharati in Act 2?
Ans: In Act 2, Bharati is deeply affected by Tara’s suffering. Her constant guilt, stress, and grief cause her to lose her mental balance. She cannot handle the pain of watching her daughter’s condition worsen, and she finally breaks down completely, ending up in the hospital.

8. Why does only Chandan inherit the money of his grandfather?
Ans: Chandan inherits the property because of gender discrimination. His grandfather believed only boys should receive wealth and family status. This unfair belief made him choose Chandan over Tara, even before they were born, showing the deep roots of patriarchy in Indian society.

9. Why does Chandan refuse to join college?
Ans: Chandan refuses to go to college because he does not want to leave Tara alone. They have always been together, and he cannot imagine life without her. He also fears people’s rude behavior toward her and feels guilty for being physically better off than her.

10. How did Tara react to her mother’s absence?
Ans: Tara felt lonely, sad, and restless when her mother was away in the hospital. She missed her mother’s love and believed her mother wanted to tell her something important before she got sick.

11. Why does Tara feel it is a complete waste of money to save her?
Ans: Tara feels hopeless because she knows the surgeries are not improving her condition. She believes the money spent on her treatment could be used to help poor and needy people instead.

12. How does Chandan react to the news of his mother’s death?
Ans: Chandan reacts with cold silence. He feels no strong emotions because his heart is already full of guilt and pain. He avoids facing his father and his past.

13. What changes do we see in the relation between Tara and Chandan in course of the play?
Ans: At first, Tara and Chandan are inseparable and loving. But as Tara’s condition worsens, she becomes bitter and jealous of Chandan’s better health. Still, deep down, both continue to love and care for each other.

14. Why does Dr. Thakkar say, “Nature wanted to kill her”?
Ans: Dr. Thakkar says this to justify his failed surgery. Instead of accepting his mistake, he blames nature, saying Tara was not meant to survive. This statement shows his insensitivity and lack of responsibility.

15. Why did Bharati and her father decide to give the “third leg” to the boy child?
Ans: They gave it to the boy because of patriarchal thinking. Bharati’s father believed that boys deserve better treatment and opportunities. This act of bias ruined Tara’s life and shows how deeply gender discrimination affects families.

16. Why does Chandan ask for Tara’s forgiveness at the end of the play?
Ans: Chandan asks for forgiveness because he blames himself for Tara’s death. He feels guilty for being silent when she suffered and for surviving while she didn’t. Writing the play is his way of asking for her forgiveness.

17. What type of language is used by the author?
Ans: Mahesh Dattani uses simple and realistic language that reflects the thoughts and feelings of modern people. His dialogues sound natural and emotional, showing the clash between traditional and modern values.

18. What is the setting of Act 2?
Ans: Act 2 moves between past and present. It shows Tara’s final days at home, Bharati’s illness, and Chandan’s lonely life in London. The urban setting reflects modern society and its inner conflicts.

19. What is your opinion about the ending of the play?
Ans: The ending is tragic but meaningful. Tara dies, Bharati loses her mind, and Chandan lives in guilt. The play shows how gender bias destroys happiness for everyone in the family. It ends with a strong message against discrimination.

20. Explain the aptness of the title Tara.
Ans: The title Tara is very suitable because the whole play revolves around Tara’s life, suffering, and dreams. Tara, which means “star,” shines brightly for a short time and then fades away — just like her life, full of light and pain.