Celebrating Mohan Rakesh's Centenary: Revisiting Adhe Adhure in Translation through a Reception Theory Lens

Abstract

Mohan Rakesh is one of the most celebrated and innovative post-independence Hindi litterateurs. In his lifetime, Rakesh authored and translated works across several genres, which have been widely acclaimed. He pioneered the Nai Kahani (‘New Story’) movement of the 1950s and modern theatre, which presented psychological realism depicting societal and cultural struggles of the urban middle class. In modern drama, Rakesh shifted the spotlight from history and mythology to real, dynamic social stories and cultural contexts. The readers’ and audiences’ lived experiences took centre stage in his storytelling. He disrupted the way literature was received, as each of his works showcased an individual’s personal experiences rooted in their contextual settings. Audience interpreted the story based on their own sensitivities. The interpretation and reception of each of his works have been open to deep personal reflection and intellectual exploration. The present study critically analyses the reception and translations of his works as a playwright with particular reference to Adhe Adhure (1969) and its English translation by Bindu Batra titled “Half Way House”. The translator's proximity with the author, who himself was a translator, drives this exploratory analysis from a fidelity perspective. Findings from this study provide a roadmap for the future for translators, academia, and theatre enthusiasts. It is relevant to the NEP2020, which endorses the integration of arts and knowledge dissemination in Indian languages, opening up huge opportunities for translators. In the context of Artificial Humanities, it further opens up avenues for AI-based and Machine Translation of Rakesh’s works.