Page 222 - DENG203_ELECTIVE_ENGLISH_IV

Unit 12: The Big Brother by Munshi Premchand

India around that time. These social evils included: poverty, dowry, corruption, colonialism, Notes
Zamindari, etc. His stories were set up in simple environment and portrayed simple and honest
human emotions. His work is translated into several languages other than Urdu and Hindi, such
as: Chinese, Russian, English, etc.

Task Write an essay about your relationship with your sibling.

12.2.1 Adaptations of Premchand’s Works

Satyajit Ray filmed two of Premchand’s works– Sadgati and Shatranj Ke Khiladi. Sadgati
(Salvation) is a short story focussing on poor Dukhi, who dies of exhaustion while hewing wood
for a paltry favour. Shatranj ke Khiladi (The Chess Players) is based on the decadence
of nawabi Lucknow, where the obsession with a game consumes the players, making them
unaware of their responsibilities in the middle of a crisis.
Sevasadan (first published in 1918) was made into a film with M.S. Subbulakshmi in the lead
role. The novel is set in Varanasi, the holy city of Hindus. Sevasadan (“House of Service”) is an
institute built for the daughters of courtesans. The lead of the novel is a beautiful, brainy and
talented girl called Suman. She belongs to a high caste. She is married to a much older, cruel
man. She then understands that a loveless marriage is just like prostitution except that there is
only one client. Bholi, a courtesan, lives opposite Suman. Suman realises that Bholi is
“outside purdah”, while she is “inside it”. Suman then leaves her husband and becomes a
successful entertainer of gentlemen. But after a brief period of success, she ends up as a victim of
a political drama played out by self-righteous Hindu social moralists and reformers.

The Actor Factor Theatre Company, a young Delhi based theatre group, staged Kafan in 2010 in
New Delhi. It is an original stage adaptation of Premchand’s short story Kafan. Kafan is a dark
comedy. In the play, puppetry is explored to depict the tussle between two classes and the plight
of Budhia, who is caught in the crossfire. Bleakness of hope in the story and unpleasantness of
the father-son duo find a delicate balance. Sometimes the situations break into morbid humour.
In the end a wine-house becomes the stage for Madhav’s (son) and Ghisu (father) rebellious
dance, defying not only the laws of the land but also that of the Gods.
A 1977 Telugu film, Oka Oori Katha (English title: The Marginal Ones) directed by Mrinal Sen is
based on the story Kafan written by Munshi Premchand. It is amongst the few Art films made in
Telugu language.
Dramatech, a 28-year old amateur theatre group in Delhi, staged Premchand: Three Comedies
for Families and Children, at Sri Ram Centre, Delhi in August, September and October 2012. The
stories by Premchand included Shatranj ke khiladi, Do bailon ki katha and Nimantran. The
stories were dramatised and directed by Ravi Raj Sagar.

Notes Gaban, one of the most celebrate d novels of Munshi Premchand, was first published
in 1931. It tells the story of Ramanath, a charming but morally weak young man, who in
order to fulfil his beautiful wife’s Jalpa excessive craving for jewellery involves himself in
complex economic and personal relationships, which eventually leads to his apparent
ignominy, and his escape from home. He doesn’t even bother to realise that by doing so
he brings disgrace to his family honour and leaves his dear wife alone. However, Jalpa’s
brave attitude brings a sense of redemption in Ramanath and they unite again. One of the
Contd....

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 217