This is an archive article published on September 5, 2016
Mother O’ Mine
KA Abbas had gone in search of Bharat Mata and found her in five common women. On the 30th death anniversary of the Bollywood filmmaker and writer, Delhi-based director Lokesh Jain adapts his work Bharat Mata Kay Paanch Roop for the stage.
Contemporary politics and social injustices drive the theatre of Lokesh Jain, ranging from the searing Akarmashi, based on an important work in Dalit literature, to Pratibadhh Hoon, a poetic incision of prevailing discriminations. He was working on another play when the nationalistic debate started to rage through India and Bharat Mata returned to the centre stage. With actors who were grappling with questions on Indian identity and “femalehood”, Jain created a play titled Bharat Mata Ki Jai, based on Khwaja Ahmad Abbas’s famous book Bharat Mata Kay Paanch Roop. Abbas, famous for films such as Saat Hindustani, Do Boond Paani and Neecha Nagar, told the stories of the spirited common man around the time of Independence and evoked the complex emotions of the Partition. Excerpts from an interview with Jain:
How did you come across KA Abbas’s book, Bharat Mata Kay Paanch Roop?
I was feeling bad. Main khoj mein tha (I was searching) for Bharat Mata. Issues surrounding love jhaad and beef were erupting around us. That’s when Syeda Hamid (writer, activist and former member of the Planning Commission) gave me KA Abbas’s Bharat Mata Kay Paanch Roop. I remember that the first time I read it out to my actors, they had tears in their eyes. Abbas found Bharat Mata in five old women, and I knew I had to create this play.
Who is Bharat Mata according to the book, and your play?
In the first story, titled Hindustan Hamara, she is a Tamil Brahmin woman who is learned, a participant of the Azaadi movement and free of religious biases. In Manu Maharaj ki Jai, Bharat Mata is an old grandmother who doesn’t let caste come in the way of protecting the young freedom fighters who set up their headquarters in her house. Bharat Mata is a poor, blind woman in Khaddar ka Kafan, who gives away her life’s savings to Mahatma Gandhi’s freedom movement. It is important that, in the story Sharanarthi, Bharat Mata is a woman from Rawalpindi who continued to pine for Pakistan after she moved to India during the Partition. Abbas writes about his own mother in Nafrat Ki Maut. She, a Muslim who loved India, died on a visit to her daughter in Pakistan and was buried there, ensuring that a patch of land in that country would forever be India.
What is the significance of the song, Sabarmati ke sant from the film Jagriti, that opens the play?
Jagriti was one of the important nationalistic films of post-Independence India. I discovered that it was remade in Pakistan in 1959 as a nationalistic film and called Bedari. The song on Gandhi was replicated to eulogise Jinnah. Another famous song from the film, Aao bachchon tumhe dikhayen jhaanki Hindustan ki has become Aao bachchon saer karayen tumko Pakistan ki. That wasn’t the strange bit. The boy in Jagriti, known as Ratan Kumar, was actually named Nazir Rizvi. He migrated to Pakistan during the Partition and acted in Bedari. I want to have video clippings of both films during the play to add a layerof irony.
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The play also has another song, as well as a poem. Why did you include these?
We have added Kabir’s Aman hai in the play as well as a segment in which a young refugee boy recites the poem of Munawwar Rana. He captures the dard or pain of the era when he says Buzurgo ki kabra ko dhasta chood aaye/marte hue logo ko tanha chhod aaye.
Why did you choose the form of a dramatic reading of the works?
I saw the form as I read the works. There were many ways in which we could have depicted this story, as a conventional play of many scenes or through an exchange of dialogues. For me, it was important what not to do with this play. I did not want to disturb Abbas’s language. I wanted the form to be minimal in order to highlight the emotional content that Abbas was concerned with.
Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life.
Professional Background
Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint.
Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series).
Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators.
Recent Notable Articles (December 2025)
Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season:
1. Climate & Environment
"Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week.
"How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site.
"Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner.
2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage
"Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle.
"Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport.
"The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle.
3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc"
"Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema.
"Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups.
"How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor.
Signature Style
Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune.
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Lokesh Jain
