Volume : 3, Issue : 3, MAR 2017

REINVENTING SHAKESPEARE’S MACBETH IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT: MAQOOL IN TIMES OF MUMBAI MAFIA

DR. RAMNIK KOHLI

Abstract

This paper seeks to examine Vishal Bhardwaj's Maqbool as a Hindi film adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, exploring how it translates the classic tragedy in modern Mumbai underworld context.

The study intends to highlight the film’s innovative use of local settings, language, and cultural references, such as the role of astrology and the recasting of Shakespeare’s characters with Muslim names. The comparison between Macbeth’s relationship with Lady Macbeth and Maqbool’s relationship with Nimmi is explored, focusing on themes of ambition, guilt, and the moral implications of 'pure' and 'impure' love in the Indian context. The paper will also try to examine the film’s structural fidelity to the original play, particularly in the depiction of key scenes such as the banquet scene and the hallucination of the dagger. Maqbool serves as a reflection on the inherent violence and corruption within the underworld and its ties to larger societal structures, offering a nuanced commentary on power and betrayal in contemporary India.

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