Representing the Economically Marginalized: Badal Sircar, Manjula Padmanabhan, and Asif Currimbhoy in Modern Indian English Drama

This chapter examines the representation of economically marginalised and subaltern classes in Modern Indian English drama through a critical study of three significant plays: Evam Indrajit by Badal Sircar, Harvest by Manjula Padmanabhan, and Refugee by Asif Currimbhoy. Indian English drama, especially in the post-independence period, has emerged as a powerful medium to articulate the lived realities of those pushed to the margins by economic deprivation, political displacement, and global capitalist forces. These plays foreground voices that are often ignored in mainstream historical and literary narratives—urban individuals trapped in economic monotony, impoverished bodies exploited by transnational markets, and refugees rendered voiceless by political upheavals. Badal Sircar’s Evam Indrajit presents a nuanced portrayal of the urban middle-class individual who, despite apparent material stability, remains economically and psychologically marginalised within a mechanised capitalist system. Manjula Padmanabhan’s Harvest exposes the brutal commodification of the poor under global capitalism, where human bodies become marketable resources for the affluent First World. Asif Currimbhoy’s Refugee dramatizes the economic and existential suffering of displaced populations, particularly refugees whose lives are shattered by political decisions beyond their control. Through close textual analysis and a socio-economic lens, this chapter argues that Modern Indian English drama redefines the concept of subalternity by extending it beyond traditional notions of poverty to include alienation, displacement, and exploitation. The selected plays collectively challenge dominant power structures and compel readers to confront uncomfortable truths about inequality, dehumanisation, and social injustice. By foregrounding marginalised experiences, these dramatists transform the stage into a site of resistance and social critique, thereby contributing significantly to postcolonial and subaltern literary discourse.