ABSTRACT

The region of South Asia itself provides myriad examples of literature, drama or art getting labelled 'obscene', 'immoral' or 'blasphemous' and being implicated in controversy. Consequently, literary and artistic exposures of moral hypocrisy are invariably targeted and labelled 'immoral', and also anti-national in recent times in the national context of India, whereas the torch bearers of freedom of speech, as well as progressive thoughts and critical/radical thinking, would claim to pursue a more rational version of morality. The idea of conflicting moralities invariably assumes a performative undertone as controversies surrounding contentious plays, books or films often have a dramatic tinge. An analysis of the performative politics of conflicting moralities with respect to Vijay Tendulkar's theatre requires deliberation on the category of morality. The phenomenon of conflicting moralities seems explicable in the thesis of moral relativism which holds that there are deep moral disagreements and there is no absolute truth, as moral judgements are relative to different groups.