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Indira Parthasarathy's play Aurangzeb presents the Mughal Emperor from certain chosen perspectives. Like Parthasarathy's other dramatic works, this too is primarily a play of ideas, focusing often on the political and ideological issues that led to the war of succession, which resulted in Aurangzeb's ascension to the throne. He is both the titular hero and the spirit that pervades the play; however, his father Shah Jahan and his brother and major rival Dara Shukoh are key figures in the debates that reflect differing concerns and worldviews: Shah Jahan, already old and living only in his dreams of love for his dead wife and ways of perpetuating that love, Dara with his syncretic faith and vision, Aurangzeb with his religious beliefs sometimes promoting and sometimes conflicting with his political ambition. But this is also a psychological play about the loneliness and regrets of a powerful monarch towards the end of his life. Written in the 1970s, the play remains relevant, especially in the context of the present-day debates about religion, politics, the state and civilizational values.

There have been various works in Indian languages on the changes of values during the post-independence era in socio-political spheres. Indira Parthasarathy, who used to deal with theanxiety of shattered dreams, has made the hard realities of post-independence period as thecentral point of this novel. Indira Parthasarathy, who is adept at portraying the life of urbaneducated, middle-class people with its psychological elements, records the changing socio-political environment of India through the life of a young man. An enjoyable read in a fluentstyle, this novel has a critical view as its undercurrent.