Dance Like a Man: Character Mind Map & Summary
The key characters of Mahesh Dattani's Dance Like a Man (1989), grouped into branches, with the key episodes, a quick summary and the exam facts that come up again and again in UGC NET.
Watch the Animated Summary
Short on time? Watch the whole story of Dance Like a Man in a few minutes, then revise the characters below.
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The Character Mind Map
Tap any name to open the details.
Jairaj Parekh
A man who wanted to be a Bharatanatyam dancer. His father thought dancing was not "manly", and Jairaj's whole life with his wife Ratna has been marked by failure and bitterness.
Ending: the young Jairaj and Ratna dance in harmony👑 The Parekhs
Two generationsRatnaJairaj's wife
Role: A talented dancer, ambitious; she learned from an old devadasi.
Amritlal ParekhJairaj's father
Role: A freedom fighter and reformer who opposes his son's dancing.
LataTheir daughter
Role: A young dancer about to marry.
Outcome: Will dance in a festivalViswasLata's fiancé
Role: Son of a rich sweet-shop owner.
🏠 The Past
LossShankarJairaj and Ratna's baby son
Role: Dies after the ayah gives him opium.
Outcome: DiesChenni AmmaRatna's teacher
Role: An old devadasi.
Memory Hook
One simple pattern to remember the whole work.
Key Episodes
The turning points examiners love to ask about.
Quick Summary
The story, stage by stage.
Act 1The Present
- Lata and Viswas.
- Old quarrels.
Act 1 (cont.)The Past
- Amritlal and the young couple.
- The father's control.
Act 2Failure
- Ratna's ambition and Jairaj's failure.
- Shankar's death.
Act 2 (cont.)Dance
- Lata's performance.
- The final dance.
Must-Know Exam Facts
Quick points for UGC NET, SET and PGT.
Theme
Gender roles, art, patriarchy, family.
Structure
Two acts; the same actors play the old and young.
Film
Film by Pamela Rooks (2004).
Dattani
First English-language playwright to win the Sahitya Akademi Award (1998).
Title
"Dance like a man": a man's pride and a woman's art.
Indian Literature
100+ Key Works of Indian Literature
All these character mind maps in one printed book.
