Negotiating Inclusivity: Sexual Minorities in Vasudhendra and Mahesh Dattani’s Selected Works

Abstract

Contemporary Indian literature and theatre increasingly scrutinize the marginalization of sexual minorities, employing frameworks of queer theory and intersectionality to challenge social norms. By analyzing Vasudhendra’s Mohanaswamyand Mahesh Dattani’s On a Muggy Night in Mumbai and Bravely Fought the Queen, this study juxtaposes regional prose with urban drama. Vasudhendra’s work foregrounds the friction between rural roots and urban queer existence, influenced by caste and linguistic politics. In contrast, Dattani’s plays utilize symbolism to unmask the hypocrisy within urban, upper-middle-class families. Collectively, these works dismantle heteronormative silences, establishing that true inclusivity requires navigating complex socio-cultural terrains to foster empathy and social justice.