Final Solution Summary by Mahesh Dattani

This article will examine one of Mahesh Dattani's best narratives, Final Solution. Using various character depictions, the dramatist conveys his emotions-the riot, where the actual offender and religious extremists are essential players in sustaining the situation.

The situation has deteriorated and in the name of "Dharma," Karma has changed. To preserve and uphold the sanctity of religion, they have engaged in violence without pausing to consider that they are also "humans" with the same rights as everyone else, without distinction based on their way of life or customs.

Through this play, Dattani seeks to promote community harmony and understanding; however, there are disparities, whether they be between tradition and modernity.

Summary

Act First

In the first scene of the play Final Solutions, a newlywed named Daksha (or Hardika) writes in her journal (March 31, 1948). She records her experiences in her new home in the journal. She has negative views about her in-laws. India remains confined within the house's four walls despite having achieved freedom.

She enjoys the music of Shamshad Begum, Noor Jahan, and other artists. She even wished to pursue a career as a singer like them, but she could not because of family obligations. She had the opportunity to meet a Muslim girl Zarine, who shared her love of Noor Jahan and Shamshad Begum's music. They eventually became a close friendship.

The action now occurs in the present (in a Gujarati town), and she is an elderly woman. A Hindu god's idol is broken. According to rumors, Muslims intentionally damage it, and as a result, Hindu and Muslim crowds alternately chant their respective slogans, causing conflict between the two populations.

Smita, the granddaughter of Hardika, is on the phone with Tasneem's family after Tasneem just informed her (Smita), possibly her own family as well, that a bomb was set off in her hostel. Ramanik, Smita's father and Hardika's son takes the phone from her daughter and tells Tasneem's family that she is safe and disconnecting up.

Since the dogs have been set loose and there is a lot of anxiety outside, Hardika instructs her daughter-in-law Aruna (Smita's mother), to inspect all doors and windows thoroughly.

In the meantime, two Muslim lads named Javed and Bobby are fighting by the roadside. Suddenly, some Hindu guys appear and begin asking and searching for them. After discovering a scull cap in Bobby's pocket, they immediately recognize them as Muslims. The crowd is following Javed and Bobby as they flee as they are being killed.

When they go to Ramanik's front door, they begin to knock. Finally, Ramanik unlocks the door. They immediately rush in and close the door. Ramanik must save their lives, they beg. The crowd comes to Ramanik's door. They warn Ramanik to turn over Javed and Bobby to them, or they will break down the door and enter. Ramanik, however, rejects this.

Ramanik gets assaulted by the mob, throwing rocks and sticks at the home. Muslims are not welcome at Aruna's home, so she makes her husband remove them. Ramanik declines strongly.

Ramanik starts a conversation with Bobby and Javed. Bobby is excellent; however, Javed is highly aggressive throughout the talk. When Ramanik inquires about their academic progress and learns that Javed is a school dropout, he immediately criticizes him. When Smita arrives, she recognizes them both.

Act Second

Aruna queries Smita about her connection to both of them. Smita reveals that Bobby is her fiance and that Javed is Tasneem's brother. Smita forcefully defends herself when Ramanik and Aruna criticize her for knowing them by stating, "There's no harm in that."

Javed does not reside with his parents, and it is also made clear. Then Ramanik inquires as to how he may meet his sister. In contrast to them (the Hindus), according to Javed, he loves the members of his community. Javed apologizes when Aruna expresses her outrage.

Ramanik's home is attacked with stones by the mob. Ramanik gets warned by Javed, who says, "Those are your people." Ramanik makes an effort to protect himself. He also describes how a Muslim mob murdered his grandpa shortly after the split.

Ramanik gives them milk. Javed shouts, "It must feel good to be the majority. They have complete freedom to do whatever they like with them (Javed and Bobby)," as he thinks.

Ramanik, who is still sympathetic, describes the origins of the conflict. There were rumors that some Muslims stoned the chariots during the Hindus' Rath Yatra, causing the god idols to crash and break into pieces and even killing Pujari.

Curfew was imposed in their town as a result of the incident. Bobby and Javed receive pillows from Smita. Javed responds, "I'm used to it," to her request that they sleep on the floor because they have no other space. At this point, Smita begins questioning his true reason for visiting Amargaon. Bobby claims that he arrived in quest of employment.

Smita forbids her father from accepting Ramanik's offer of employment at his clothing store. She explains to Ramanik that Javed was fired from home because he was working for a terrorist organization.

She further claims that Tasneem is who informed her of this. Since she promised Tasneem that she wouldn't reveal Javed's true identity, Javed accuses her of breaking her friendship. Smita confesses her error and flees after becoming mute.

Act Third

Ramanik begins by inquiring about Javed's participation in terrorism. Javed shouts expletives in a rage. Javed receives an angry slap from Ramanik, and Bobby calms them.

Bobby then recalls how Javed accidentally touched a letter belonging to his Hindu neighbor, who had severely mistreated Bobby when they were children. After a few days, Javed flung bits of cow meat into his home out of rage. Javed was brutally abused by the person when they went to his home.

Bobby continues the tale by stating that Ramanik's community helped to make him famous because, before that occurred, Javed was regarded as the local hero. Javed and Bobby choose to go.

Ramanik threatens them by stating he will contact the police because he wants Javed to take his job at all costs. Javed laughs loudly at first before explaining that he was given the go-ahead to murder the Pujari in the name of jihad. As soon as he got to the chariot, he attempted to stab Pujari, but the latter pleaded for forgiveness, causing him to give up.

He let go of all his desires and tossed the knife aside, but someone else picked it up and killed the Pujari. Ramanik, touched, praises Javed's bravery. Smita appears and expresses regret for revealing him. After some time passes, Aruna also arrives and considers carrying water after making sure it is safe to walk outside. Smita advises enlisting the assistance of Bobby.

Smita's idea is rejected by Aruna, who is rigid about holy things, leading to a fight between the two women. Smita encounters Aruna's unquestioning beliefs after exposing them. Aruna is somewhat disturbed by her daughter's strange behavior. She enters the bathroom amid the commotion. Smita, Bobby, and Javed go outside to bring water.

Through their conversation, it becomes clear that Smita and Bobby had a romantic relationship but were forced to part ways because of issues in the neighborhood. Tasneem, the sister of Javed, later became engaged to Bobby. All three pals open up and start making jokes, even throwing out one another with water.

As tensions between the two families develop, Hardika (Daksha), who remembers how her husband had physically and verbally abused her for visiting Zarine's home, reprimands Javed and wishes that his sister will also have hardships like her father (who was murdered by Muslims). Ramanik begs her mother not to hold them accountable.

After Aruna exits the bathroom, Bobby enters the little temple suddenly. Despite Aruna's protests, he gently takes the idol in his hands, speaks about developing community harmony, and then places it back correctly.

Then, they both go. Later, Ramanik confesses to Hardika how he, his father, and his grandpa set fire to the father of Zarine's store to get it at a bargain (out of racial hatred) and how he is now repentant for his actions. He is unwilling to move back to his shop. Thus, no answers are offered in the play's conclusion to these societal problems that have persisted for a long time.