Lack of Familial Gusto in Mahesh Dattani's Where There's A Will

Mahesh Dattani is one of the distinguished Indian English playwrights whose penetrating insight into Indian urban society is widely extolled. His play Where There’s a Will is based on an upper-middle class industrial Gujarati family and its relation to individuals. Hasmukh Mehta is the protagonist of the play who had overriding in uence over his family members until his mistress Kiran overrode his unpleasant and annoying attempts to destroy lial harmony. Hasmukh’s dominance over his family members compelled him to believe that he is superior to all and he considered his son as dull as ditch water. He also feared that his son would override him. So he created rifts in the family to exercise his patriarchal dominance over others. After the death of Hasmukh, he ruled over his family through his ‘will’ that denied property rights to his family members. He made Kiran as his trustee who was a victim of circumstances but she rose to the occasions and created successfully a peaceful space in the ‘unhomely home’ of Hasmukh. Because of the nature of Hasmukh, there was no happiness, emotional attachment, enjoyment and understanding among the family members