Seven Rounds Around the Fire

Introduction

• Author: Mahesh Dattani
• Born: 7 August 1958, Bangalore
• Features: Director, Actor, Dramatist, Writer
• Honors: First English playwright to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award

Main Facts

• Title: Seven Rounds Around the Fire
• Genre: Play
• First Broadcast: 9 January 1999, BBC
• First Stage Performance: 6 August 1999, Museum Theatre Chennai
• Published: 2013

Setting

• Office of the Superintendent of Police
• Men's Section of the Central Jail
• Main Setting: Bangalore

Subject

• Status of Transgenders
• Violence related to Class and Gender
• Police Injustice and Oppression

Main Characters

• Uma Rao: Wife of Suresh Rao
• Suresh Rao: Uma's husband, Superintendent of Police
• Champa: Head of the Hijras
• Kamla: Beautiful Hijra, who has been murdered
• Anarkali: Hijra accused of Kamla's murder
• Mr. Sharma: Minister
• Subbu: Mr. Sharma's son
• Salim: Mr. Sharma's driver

Summary

• The play begins in the office of the Superintendent of Police
• Uma Rao conducts research on transgenders
• The story of Kamla's murder investigation
• Anarkali is accused of Kamla's murder
• Uma's meetings with Champa and Anarkali
• Subbu's relationship and marriage with Kamla
• Ultimately, Subbu's suicide and holding Mr. Sharma responsible

Main Points

• The play highlights the issues experienced by transgenders and the violence against them
• It depicts injustice based on social class and gender
• Police are shown as puppets in the hands of powerful people
• Ultimately, Uma recognizes the truth and Mr. Sharma is arrested