Ismat Chugtai
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Ismat Chughtai (21 August 1911 – 24 October 1991) was an Indian Urdu novelist, short story writer, liberal humanist and
filmmaker Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...
. Beginning in the 1930s, she wrote extensively on themes including
female sexuality Human female sexuality encompasses a broad range of behaviors and processes, including female sexual identity and sexual behavior, the physiological, psychological, social, cultural, political, and spiritual or religious aspects of sexual activ ...
and
femininity Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and Gender roles, roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as Social construction of gender, socially constructed, and there is also s ...
,
middle-class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Commo ...
gentility, and
class conflict In political science, the term class conflict, class struggle, or class war refers to the economic antagonism and political tension that exist among social classes because of clashing interests, competition for limited resources, and inequali ...
, often from a Marxist perspective. With a style characterised by
literary realism Literary realism is a movement and genre of literature that attempts to represent mundane and ordinary subject-matter in a faithful and straightforward way, avoiding grandiose or exotic subject-matter, exaggerated portrayals, and speculative ele ...
, Chughtai established herself as a significant voice in the
Urdu literature Urdu literature (, ) comprises the literary works, written in the Urdu language. While it tends to be dominated by poetry, especially the verse forms of the ''ghazal'' () and '' nazm'' (), it has expanded into other styles of writing, includin ...
of the twentieth century, and in 1976 was awarded the
Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
by the
Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
.


Biography


Early life and career beginnings (1911–41)

Ismat Chughtai was born on 21 August 1911 in Badayun,
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
to Nusrat Khanam and Mirza Qaseem Baig Chughtai; she was the ninth of ten children—six brothers and four sisters. The family moved frequently as Chughtai's father was a
civil servant The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...
; she spent her childhood in cities including
Jodhpur Jodhpur () is the second-largest city of the north-western Indian state of Rajasthan, after its capital Jaipur. As of 2023, the city has a population of 1.83 million. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Jodhpur district and ...
,
Agra Agra ( ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is the ...
, and
Aligarh Aligarh (; formerly known as Koil) is a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Aligarh district and lies northwest of state capital Lucknow and approximately southeast of the capital, New Delhi. ...
—mostly in the company of her brothers as her sisters had all got married when she was still very young. Chughtai described her brothers' influence as a key factor that shaped her personality during her formative years. She thought of her second-eldest brother, Mirza Azim Beg Chughtai (also a novelist), as a mentor. The family eventually settled in Agra, after Chughtai's father retired from the Indian Civil Services. Chughtai received her primary education at the
Women's College Women's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations are composed exclusively or almost exclusively of women. Some women's colleges admit male st ...
at the
Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh Muslim University is a Collegiate university, collegiate, Central university (India), central, and Research university, research university located in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India, which was originally established by Sir Syed Ahmad Kh ...
and graduated from Isabella Thoburn College with a
Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
degree in 1940. Despite strong resistance from her family, she completed her
Bachelor of Education A Bachelor of Education (B.Ed. or BEd) is an undergraduate academic degree which prepares students for work as a teacher in schools. A Bachelor of Education program typically lasts three to four years and combines both coursework and practical exp ...
degree from the Aligarh Muslim University the following year. It was during this period that Chughtai became associated with the
Progressive Writers' Association The Progressive Writers' Association or the Progressive Writers' Movement of India or ''Anjuman Tarraqi Pasand Mussanafin-e-Hind'' () or ''Akhil Bhartiya Pragatishil Lekhak Sangh'' (Hindi: अखिल भारतीय प्रगतिश ...
, having attended her first meeting in 1936 where she met Rashid Jahan, one of the leading female writers involved with the movement, who was later credited for inspiring Chughtai to write "realistic, challenging female characters". Chughtai began writing in private around the same time, but did not seek publication of her work until much later. Chughtai wrote a drama entitled ''Fasādī'' (''The Troublemaker'') for the Urdu magazine ''Saqi'' in 1939, which was her first published work. Upon publication, readers mistook it as a play by Chughtai's brother Azeem Beg, written using a
pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...
. Following that, she started writing for other publications and newspapers. Some of her early works included ''Bachpan'' (''Childhood''), an autobiographical piece, ''Kafir'' (''Infidel''), her first short-story, and '' Dheet'' (''Stubborn''), her only
soliloquy A soliloquy (, from Latin 'alone' and 'to speak', ) is a speech in drama in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud, typically while alone on stage. It serves to reveal the character's inner feelings, motivations, or plans directly to ...
, among others. In response to a story that she wrote for a magazine, Chughtai was told that her work was
blasphemous Blasphemy refers to an insult that shows contempt, disrespect or lack of Reverence (emotion), reverence concerning a deity, an object considered sacred, or something considered Sanctity of life, inviolable. Some religions, especially Abrahamic o ...
and insulted the
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
. She, nonetheless, continued writing about "things she would hear of". Chughtai's continued association with the Progressive Writers' Movement had significant bearings on her writing style; she was particularly intrigued by '' Angarey'', a compilation of short-stories written in Urdu by members of the group including Jahan,
Sajjad Zaheer Syed Sajjad Zaheer () (5 November 1905 – 13 September 1973) was a Pakistani-Indian Urdu political writer. He was a Marxist ideologue and a radical revolutionary who worked in both India and Pakistan. In the pre-independence era, he was a me ...
, Sahibzada Mahmuduzaffar and Ahmed Ali. Other early influences included such writers as
William Sydney Porter William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American writer known primarily for his short stories, though he also wrote poetry and non-fiction. His works include "The Gift of the Ma ...
,
George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...
, and
Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; ; 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, widely considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his b ...
. ''Kalyān'' (''Buds'') and ''Cōtēn'' (''Wounds''), two of Chughtai's earliest collections of short stories, were published in 1941 and 1942, respectively. Chughtai's first
novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most novelettes and short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) ...
''Ziddi'', which she had written in her early twenties was first published in 1941. The book chronicles the love affair between a woman, who works as domestic help in an affluent household and her employer's son. Chughtai later discussed the similarity in themes and style of the novel with the works of the romantic novelist Hijab Imtiaz Ali, citing her as another early influence. Commentators have praised the novella, both for its "compelling prose" and for providing " limpsesinto a world where women try to break out of the shackles created by other women, rather than men". Critic and short story writer
Aamer Hussein Aamer Hussein (born 8 April 1955, Karachi) is a Pakistani criticBiography
Aamer Hussein official website. 2 ...
, in a 2015 retrospective review, likened Chughtai's "oracular voice, which didn't comment or explain, but studded the narrative with poetic observations" to that of American author
Toni Morrison Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford; February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019), known as Toni Morrison, was an American novelist and editor. Her first novel, ''The Bluest Eye'', was published in 1970. The critically accl ...
. ''Ziddi'' was later translated into English as ''Wild at Heart'' and adapted into a 1948 feature film of the same name.


Niche appreciation and transition to film (1942–60)

After completing her Bachelor's of Education degree, Chughtai successfully applied for the post of headmistress of an Aligarh-based Girls school. There, she met and developed a close friendship with
Shaheed Latif Shaheed Lateef (11 June 1913 – 16 April 1967) was Hindi film director, writer, and producer. He was the maker of films like '' Ziddi'' (1948) which launched Dev Anand's career and '' Arzoo'' (1950) starring Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal. Ear ...
, who was pursuing a master's degree at the
Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh Muslim University is a Collegiate university, collegiate, Central university (India), central, and Research university, research university located in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India, which was originally established by Sir Syed Ahmad Kh ...
at the time. Chughtai continued to write for various publications during her stay at Aligarh. She found success with such short-stories as ''Gainda'' and ''Khidmatgaar'' and the play ''Intikhab'', all of which were published during the period. She then moved to Bombay in 1942 and began working as an Inspectress of schools. Later that year, she married Latif, who was now working as a dialogue writer in
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
, in a private ceremony.
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (7 June 1914 – 1 June 1987) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, novelist, and journalist in Urdu, Hindi and English. He won four National Film Awards in India. Internationally, his films won the ( Golden Palm Gr ...
was the legal witness to the ceremony. Chughtai garnered widespread attention for her short-story '' Lihaaf'' (''The Quilt''), which appeared in a 1942 issue of ''Adab-i-Latif'', a
Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
-based literary journal. Inspired by the rumoured affair of a ''begum'' and her masseuse in Aligarh, the story chronicles the sexual awakening of Begum Jan following her unhappy marriage with a ''nawab''. Upon release, ''Lihaaf'' attracted criticism for its suggestion of female homosexuality and a subsequent
trial In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, w ...
, with Chughtai being summoned by the
Lahore High Court The Lahore High Court () is a provincial court house based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was established as a high court on 21 March 1882. The Lahore High Court has jurisdiction over the province of Punjab. The High Court's principal seat is ...
to defend herself against the charges of "obscenity". Fellow writer and member of the Progressive Writers' Movement Sadat Hassan Manto was also charged with similar allegations for his short-story ''Bu'' (''Odour'') and accompanied Chughtai to Lahore. Both Chughtai and Manto were exonerated. The trial, which took place in 1945, itself drew much media and public attention and brought notoriety to the duo. Chughtai fared better in the public eye, having garnered support from such fellow members of the Progressive Writers' Movement as
Majnun Gorakhpuri Ahmad Siddiq, better known by his pen name Majnun Gorakhpuri (Urdu:احمد صدیق مجنوں گورکھپوری), (10 May 1904 – 4 June 1988) was an Urdu short story ( Afsana) writer, poet and literary critic. Life Ahmad Siddiq, kn ...
and
Krishan Chander Krishan Chander (23 November 1914 – 8 March 1977) was an Indian Urdu and Hindi writer of short stories and novels. Some of his works have also been translated into English. He was a prolific writer, penning over 20 novels, 30 collections ...
. Regardless, she detested the media coverage of the whole incident, which in her view weighted heavily upon her subsequent work; " 'Lihaaf''brought me so much notoriety that I got sick of life. It became the proverbial stick to beat me with and whatever I wrote afterwards got crushed under its weight." Chughtai, however, is known to have made her peace with the whole fiasco, having met the woman who had inspired Begum Jan a few years after the publication of ''Lihaaf''. The woman told Chughtai that she had since divorced her husband, remarried and was raising a child with her second husband. Chughtai's biographers recall the meeting between the two women in ''Ismat: Her life, Her times'': " hughtaifelt greatly rewarded when the begum told
er that ''Lihaaf'' ER or Er may refer to: People * Er (biblical person), the eldest son of Judah in the biblical book of Genesis * Nie Er (1912–1935), Chinese composer * Elliot Rodger (July 24, 1991 – May 23, 2014), English-American incel mass shooter * ...
had changed her life and it is because of her story now she was blessed with a child". Chughtai, who had been apprehensive about the meeting at first, later expressed her delight in a ''
memoir A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narrative writing based on the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autob ...
'', writing, "flowers can be made to bloom among rocks. The only condition is that one has to water the plant with one's heart's blood". Chughtai's quasi-autobiographical novel ''Tedhi Lakeer'' (''The Crooked Line'') was released in 1943. She was pregnant with her daughter during the time. She recalled the difficult circumstances facing her during her work on the novel, in a 1972 interview with ''Mahfil: Journal of South Asian Literature'': " t wasduring the war that I wrote my novel ''Terhi Lakeer'', a big, thick novel. I was sick then, pregnant with my daughter. But I was always writing that novel". The book chronicles the lives of the Muslim community, women in particular, in the backdrop of the waning
British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...
. Chughtai's exploration of the "inner realms of women's lives" was well received by critics who variously described her work in ''Tedhi Lakeer'' as "probing and pertinent" and "empowering". She herself recalled her creative process in the 1972 interview, saying she found inspiration from the small incidents that she would witness around her and even the personal conversations that took place amongst the women in her family, "I write about people I know or have known. What should a writer write about anyway"? In the years following their wedding, Latif also introduced Chughtai to the Hindi film industry. She began writing scripts in the late 1940s and made her debut as a screenwriter for Latif's drama film '' Ziddi''. Starring
Kamini Kaushal Kamini Kaushal (born as Uma Kashyap; 24 February 1927) is an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films and television. She is regarded as one of the finest actresses of Hindi cinema. She is noted for her roles in films such as (1946), which wo ...
,
Pran PRAN-RFL Group () is a Bangladeshi conglomerate, founded in 1981 by Amjad Khan Chowdhury. It is one of the largest conglomerates in Bangladesh Pran-RFL Group is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and employs over 1,00,000 people worldwide ...
, and
Dev Anand Dev Anand (; born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand; 26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011) was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Indian cinema, Hindi cinema. He is considered as one of the greatest and most succes ...
in his first major film role, ''Ziddi'' became one of the biggest commercial successes of 1948. It was based on the 1941 eponymous short story; Chughtai had rewritten the narrative in form of a screenplay for the production. She then wrote the dialogue and screenplay for the 1950 romance drama film '' Arzoo'', starring Kaushal and
Dilip Kumar Dilip Kumar (born Muhammad Yusuf Khan; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021) was an Indian actor and film producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering method acting in cinema, he dominated Hindi cinema from the 1950s throughout t ...
. Chughtai expanded her career into directing with the 1953 film ''Fareb'', which featured an
ensemble cast In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that comprises many principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17 Structure In contrast to the po ...
of Amar, Maya Daas,
Kishore Kumar Kishore Kumar (born Abhas Kumar Ganguly; ; 4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987) was an Indian playback singer, musician and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of modern India ...
,
Lalita Pawar Lalita Pawar (née Amba Laxmanrao Shagun; 18 April 1916 – 24 February 1998) was a prolific Indian actress, who later became famous as a character actress, appearing in over 700 films in Bollywood, Hindi, Marathi cinema, Marathi and Gujarati c ...
, and
Zohra Sehgal Zohra Mumtaz Sehgal (born Sahibzadi Zohra Mumtazullah Khan Begum; 27 April 1912 – 10 July 2014) was an Indian actress, dancer, and choreographer. Having begun her career as a member of a contemporary dance troupe, she transitioned into acting ...
. Having again written the screenplay based on one of her short stories, Chughtai co-directed the film with Latif. Upon release, both ''Arzoo'' and ''Fareb'' garnered positive response from the audience and performed well at the box-office. Chughtai's association with film solidified when she and Latif co-founded the production company Filmina. Her first project as a filmmaker was the 1958 drama film ''Sone Ki Chidiya'', which she wrote and co-produced. Starring
Nutan Nutan Samarth-Bahl ( Samarth; 4 June 1936 – 21 February 1991), known mononymously as Nutan was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, Nutan was noted for her natu ...
and
Talat Mahmood Talat Mahmood (24 February 1924 – 9 May 1998) was an Indian playback singer who is considered as one of the greatest and most popular Indian male film song and ghazal singers. Although he tried his luck as a film actor, he did not succeed a g ...
in lead roles, it told the story of a
child actor The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage, television, or in film, movies. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associa ...
, who was abused and exploited over the course of her career. The film was well received by audiences and the success translated directly into a rise in Chughtai's popularity, as noted by writer and critic Shams Kanwal. ''Sone Ki Chidiya'' has been described as a significant production for " hroniclinga heady time in Indian cinema" and showcasing the "grime behind the glamour" of the film industry. Nutan, who garnered a good response for her performance in the film, herself described it as one of her favorite projects. Also in 1958, Chughtai produced the Mahmood- Shyama starrer romance drama ''Lala Rukh''. Chughtai continued writing short-stories during the time despite her commitment to film projects. Her fourth collection of short-stories ''Chui Mui'' (''Touch-me-not'') was released in 1952 to an enthusiastic response. The
eponymous An eponym is a noun after which or for which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. Adjectives derived from the word ''eponym'' include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Eponyms are commonly used for time periods, places, innovati ...
short-story has been noted for its "pertinent dissection of our society" and contesting the venerated tradition of
motherhood A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given childbirth, birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case ...
, especially its equation of
womanhood A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl. Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functional uteruses ...
. Rafay Mahmood highlighted, in a 2014 editorial, the relevance of the story in the twenty-first century. ''Chui Mui'' was adapted for stage by
Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah (born 20 July 1950) is an Indian actor. He was notable in Indian parallel cinema and has starred in various international productions. He has won numerous awards in his career, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfa ...
as a part of a commemorative series ''Ismat Apa Kay Naam'', with his daughter Heeba Shah playing the central character in the production.


Success with writing novels (1961–90)

Beginning in the 1960s, Chughtai wrote a total of eight novels, the first of which was ''Masooma'' (''The Innocent Girl''), published in 1962. The film follows the life of a young actress, Nilofar, who is forced to work as
call girl A call girl or female escort is a prostitute who (unlike a street prostitution, street walker) does not display her profession to the general public, nor does she usually work in an institution like a brothel, although she may be employed by ...
to sustain her family once her father abandons them. Set in the Bombay of 1950s, the novel delves into the themes of
sexual exploitation Sexual slavery and sexual exploitation is an attachment of any ownership rights, right over one or more people with the intent of Coercion, coercing or otherwise forcing them to engage in Human sexual activity, sexual activities. This includ ...
and
social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives fro ...
and economic injustice. Her next work, the 1966
novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most novelettes and short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) ...
''Saudai'' (''Obsession'') was based on the screenplay of 1951 film ''Buzdil'', which she co-wrote with Latif. Commentators have noted that ''Saudai'' could never shed its structure and still read like a screenplay despite Chughtai's efforts. Following a lukewarm reception for both ''Masooma'' and ''Saudai'', Chughtai received significant praise for her fifth novel ''Dil ki Duniya'' (''The Heart Breaks Free''). Reviewing the novel, observers have placed it second only to ''Tedhi Lakeer'' in the canon of her work. The novel follows the lives of a varied group of women living in a conservative Muslim household in
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
. ''Dil Ki Duniya'', much like ''Tedhi Lakeer'', is autobiographical in nature as Chughtai drew heavily from her own childhood in
Bahraich Bahraich is a city and a municipal board in Bahraich district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Located on the Saryu River, a tributary of the Ghaghara river, Bahraich is north-east of Lucknow, the state capital. The districts of B ...
, Uttar Pradesh. Comparing the two, Hussein says, "if ''Tedhi Lakeer'' impressed me with its boldness, range and its credentials as a major novel, ''Dil ki Duniya''s influence would linger with me forever, and I'd find its thematic and stylistic echoes in my own stories". In the early 1970s, Chughtai wrote two novels, ''Ajeeb Aadmi'' (''A Very Strange Man'') and ''Jangli Kabootar'' (''Wild Pigeons'') that made use of her knowledge of the
Hindi film industry Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Hollywood". The industry, producing films in th ...
, which she had been a part of for the last couple of decades. ''Jangli Kabootar'', which was first published in 1970, follows the life of an actress and was partially inspired from a real-life incident that had occurred at the time. Chughtai's grandson, filmmaker Aijaz Khan had expressed his interest in a making a feature film based on story in a 2015 interview with the ''
Mumbai Mirror The ''Mumbai Mirror'' is an Indian English-language newspaper published in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Launched in 2005 as a compact daily newspaper, its coverage focused on city specific local news and civic issues concerning education, healthcare an ...
'': "would like to make one of her stories, ''Jangli Kabootar'' s the story hasalways fascinated me." ''Ajeeb Aadmi'' similarly narrates the life of Dharam Dev, a popular
leading man A leading actor, leading actress, or leading man or lady or simply lead (), plays a main role in a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person w ...
in Bollywood and the impact that his extra-marital affair with Zareen Jamal, a fellow actress has on the lives of the people involved. The novel was said to have been based on the affair between frequent co-stars
Guru Dutt Guru Dutt (born Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone; 9 July 1925 – 10 October 1964; also known as Gurudatta Padukone) was an Indian film actor, director, producer, choreographer, and writer.Rajadhyaksha, Ashish, and Paul Willemen. 9941998 ...
and
Waheeda Rehman Waheeda Rehman (born 3 February 1938) is an Indian actress. Regarded among the most accomplished actresses of Hindi cinema, she has worked in more than Waheeda Rehman filmography, 90 feature films, in a career spanning over five decades. Her ac ...
; Dutt was married to
playback singer A playback singer, as they are usually known in South Asian cinema, or ghost singer in Western cinema, is a singer whose performance is pre-recorded for use in films. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and the performers lip-sync the ...
Geeta Dutt Geeta Dutt (born Geeta Ghosh Roy Chowdhuri; 23 November 1930 – 20 July 1972) was an Indian Indian classical music, classical and playback singer. She found particular prominence as a playback singer in Hindi cinema and Bengali cinema (India) ...
and the couple had three children at the time. While there are several allusions to real-life figures including
Meena Kumari Meena Kumari (born Mahjabeen Bano; 1 August 1933 – 31 March 1972) was an Indian actress and poet, who worked in Hindi films. Known as "The Tragedy Queen", she is regarded among the finest and greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinem ...
,
Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar (; born Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. He ...
, and
Mohammed Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and range of voice ...
, members of the Dutt family and Rehman are never explicitly named. Chughtai said of ''Ajeeb Aadmi'': "
n the novel N, or n, is the fourteenth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages, and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...
I go into ..why girls run after him and producers like him, and the hell they make for these men and for their wives. The novel, which was released in the early 1970s, was praised for its bold nature and candour." Mumbai-based writer and journalist, Jerry Pinto noted the impact of ''Ajeeb Aadmi''s initial release saying, "There hadn't been a more dramatic and candid account of the tangled emotional lives of Bollywood before this." Writing for the ''
Khaleej Times ''Khaleej Times'' is a daily English language newspaper published in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Launched on 16 April 1978, ''Khaleej Times'' is the UAE's longest-running English daily newspaper. History and profile A partnership between the U ...
'' in 2019, Khalid Mohamed echoed the sentiment. He called the book a first of a kind tell-all book about the Hindi film industry, one that was "an eye-opener even for the know-alls of Bollywood". Mohamed also made a detailed note of Chughtai's candid style of writing, saying that she had an "instinctive gift for relating stories frankly and fearlessly".


Later years, critical reappraisals and subsequent acclaim (1990s and beyond)

Chughtai was diagnosed with
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
in the late 1980s, which limited her work thereafter. She died at her house in Mumbai on 24 October 1991, following the prolonged illness. Chughtai was known to have been averse of getting a burial, the common funeral practice in Islam. Rakhshanda Jalil quotes one of Chughtai's conversations with Qurratulain Hyder, a friend and contemporary writer in ''An Uncivil Woman: Writings on Ismat Chughtai'', "I am very scared of the grave. They bury you beneath a pile of mud. One would suffocate ..I'd rather be cremated." As per most accounts, Chughtai was cremated at the Chandanwadi crematorium, in accordance with her last wishes. Following the translation of numerous of her works into English, a renewed interest in the Urdu literature of the twentieth century, and subsequent critical reappraisals, Chughtai's status as a writer rose. Critical reappraisals for her works began with rereadings of '' Lihaaf'', which in the intervening years has attached a greater significance; it was noted for its portrayal of the insulated life of a neglected wife in the
feudal society Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of structuring societ ...
and became a landmark for its early depiction of sex, still a taboo in modern
Indian literature Indian literature refers to the literature produced on the Indian subcontinent until 1947 and in the Republic of India thereafter. The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India has 22 officially recognised languages. Sahitya Akadem ...
. ''Lihaaf'' has since been widely anthologised and has become one of Chughtai's most appreciated works. With more of her work being made available for reading to a wider audience over the years, criticism centered around the limited scope of Chughtai's writing has also subsided. In a 1993 retrospective piece, Naqvi also countered the perceived scope of Chughtai's writings, saying that her work was "neither confined to nor exhausted" by the themes central to ''Lihaaf'': "she had much, much more to offer". She separately cited the example of ''Jangli Kabootar'', which was one of the first novels in Chughtai's cannon to explore the theme of
infidelity Infidelity (synonyms include non-consensual non-monogamy, cheating, straying, adultery, being unfaithful, two-timing, or having an affair) is a violation of a couple's emotional or sexual exclusivity that commonly results in feelings of anger, se ...
. Naqvi highlighted how despite having established herself as a significant voice in Urdu literature by this time, Chughtai still remained keen on probing new themes and expand the scope of her work. ''Tedhi Lakeer'', which has come to be regarded as Chughtai's
magnum opus A masterpiece, , or ; ; ) is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, skill, profundity, or workmanship. Historically, ...
is now considered to be one of the most significant works of
Urdu literature Urdu literature (, ) comprises the literary works, written in the Urdu language. While it tends to be dominated by poetry, especially the verse forms of the ''ghazal'' () and '' nazm'' (), it has expanded into other styles of writing, includin ...
by commentators and various media outlets. Critic and dramatist Shamim Hanfi gives it highest praise, saying that the novel, its first half in particular, matches up to the highest standards of
world literature World literature is used to refer to the world's total national literature and the circulation of works into the wider world beyond their country of origin. In the past, it primarily referred to the masterpieces of Western European literature. ...
. Hussein comparably calls it one of the best novels of Urdu language and notes that Chughtai combines all her literary influences and her own lived experiences to create a radical text. He likened the novel's framework to that of a ''
bildungsroman In literary criticism, a bildungsroman () is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth and change of the protagonist from childhood to adulthood (coming of age). The term comes from the German words ('formation' or 'edu ...
'' and praised its examination of the nationalist and feminist issues of the period. Commentators have also compared Chughtai's writing style in the novel to that of French writer and intellectual
Simone de Beauvoir Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir (, ; ; 9 January 1908 – 14 April 1986) was a French existentialist philosopher, writer, social theorist, and feminist activist. Though she did not consider herself a philosopher, nor was she ...
, based on the duo's
existentialist Existentialism is a family of philosophical views and inquiry that explore the human individual's struggle to lead an authentic life despite the apparent absurdity or incomprehensibility of existence. In examining meaning, purpose, and value ...
and
humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humanism" ha ...
affiliations.


Influences and writing style

Chughtai was a liberal Muslim whose daughter, nephew, and niece were married to Hindus. In her own words, Chughtai came from a family of "
Hindus Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
,
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
and Christians who all live peacefully". She said she read not only the
Qur’an The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
, but also the
Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; ), often referred to as the Gita (), is a Hindu scripture, dated to the second or first century BCE, which forms part of the epic poem Mahabharata. The Gita is a synthesis of various strands of Indian religious thought, ...
and the
Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
with openness. Chughtai's short stories reflected the cultural legacy of the region in which she lived. This was well demonstrated in her story "Sacred Duty", where she dealt with social pressures in India, alluding to specific national, religious and cultural traditions. In Chughtai's formative years, Nazar Sajjad Hyder had established herself an independent feminist voice, and the short stories of two very different women, Hijab Imtiaz Ali and Rashid Jehan, were also a significant early influence. Many of her writings, including ''Angarey'' and ''Lihaaf'', were
banned A ban is a formal or informal prohibition of something. Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some bans in commerce are referred to as embargoes. ''Ban'' is also used as a verb similar in meaning ...
in South Asia because their
reformist Reformism is a political tendency advocating the reform of an existing system or institution – often a political or religious establishment – as opposed to its abolition and replacement via revolution. Within the socialist movement, ref ...
and
feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...
content offended conservatives (for example, her view that the
Niqab A niqāb, niqab, or niqaab (; ), also known as a ruband () or rubandah (), is a long garment worn by some Muslim women in order to cover their entire body and face, excluding their eyes. It is an interpretation in Islam of the concept of ...
, the veil worn by women in Muslim societies, should be discouraged for Muslim women because it is
oppressive Oppression is malicious or unjust treatment of, or exercise of power over, a group of individuals, often in the form of governmental authority. Oppression may be overt or covert, depending on how it is practiced. No universally accepted model ...
and
feudal Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...
).


In popular culture

* In the 2018 biopic of
Saadat Hasan Manto Saadat Hasan Manto (; Punjabi, , , ; 11 May 1912 – 18 January 1955) was a Pakistani writer, playwright and author who was active in British India and later, after the 1947 partition of India, in Pakistan. Writing mainly in Urdu, he produc ...
titled, Manto, her character is portrayed by Rajshri Deshpande. * A 2019 Indian Hindi-language period drama film, Lihaaf: The Quilt is based on the story and stars
Anushka Sen Anushka Sen (born 4 August 2002) is an Indian actress. She is well-known for her work in ''Baalveer'', ''Jhansi Ki Rani (2019 TV series), Jhansi Ki Rani'', ''Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 11'', and ''Dil Dosti Dilemma''. Early life Anushka ...
, Tannishtha Chatterjee,
Mir Sarwar Mohammad Sarwar Mir is an Indian actor, who has appeared in Hindi films including '' Kesari'', '' Bajrangi Bhaijaan'', and '' Jolly LLB 2''. Career Born in a Kashmiri family, Sarwar started his career with renowned directors M. K. Raina and ...
,
Sonal Sehgal Sonal Sehgal (born 13 July 1981) is an Indian actress who debuted on the silver screen with the critically acclaimed ''Aashayein (film)'' directed by the national award-winning director Nagesh Kukunoor where she was cast opposite John Abraham ...
, Shoib Nikash Shah, Namita Lal, and
Virendra Saxena Virendra Saxena (born 23 November 1961) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi theatre, film, and television. He is an alumnus of the National School of Drama. Saxena is known for his character roles as well as his unique voice. He has acted i ...
. It was directed by Rahat Kazmi.


Publications on Ismat Chughtai

* ''Ismat: Her Life, Her Times''. Sukrita Paul Kumar, Katha, New Delhi, 2000. . * ''Ismat Chughtai, A Fearless Voice''. Manjulaa Negi, Rupa and Co, 2003.81-29101-53-X. * "Torchbearer of a literary revolution". The Hindu, Sunday, 21 May 2000. * Kashmir Uzma Urdu weekly, Srinagar, 27 December 2004, 2 January 2005.
/sup> * "Ismat Chughtai – Pakistan-India (1915–1991)", World People, 5 May 2006.
/sup>
Eyad N. Al-Samman, "Ismat Chughtai: An Iconoclast Muslim Dame of Urdu Fiction", ''Yemen Times'', 13 April 2009


Tribute

On 21 August 2018,
Google Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...
celebrated her 107th birthday with a
Google Doodle Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and historical figures. The first Google Doodle honored the 1998 edition of the long-running annual Bu ...
.


Bibliography


Filmography


Awards and honours


See also

*
List of Indian writers This is a list of notable writers who come from India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by ...


References


Notes


Citations


External links

*
Ismat Chughtai (1915–1991), resource page
Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

Biography and bibliography



Ismat Chughtai's account of the Lihaaf Trial
Journal of Urdu Studies {{DEFAULTSORT:Chughtai, Ismat 1915 births 1991 deaths Indian women screenwriters 20th-century memoirists Filmfare Awards winners 20th-century Indian Muslims People from Budaun Urdu-language short story writers Urdu-language writers from India Indian memoirists Indian women memoirists Indian feminist writers 20th-century Indian women writers 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Aligarh Muslim University alumni Urdu-language women writers 20th-century Indian novelists 20th-century Urdu-language writers Urdu-language novelists Women writers from Uttar Pradesh People from Jodhpur Novelists from Uttar Pradesh Screenwriters from Uttar Pradesh 20th-century Indian short story writers Indian women novelists Indian women short story writers Indian women essayists 20th-century Indian essayists Best Story National Film Award winners 20th-century Indian screenwriters Recipients of Ghalib Award