Introduction
Silence The Court is in Session is Vijay Tendulkar’s most celebrated play, offering a brutal critique of middle-class societal norms. It was first performed in 1967 and later translated from Marathi for a wider Indian and global audience. At first glance, it seems like a simple and playful drama. A small travelling theatre group arrives in a town to rehearse a mock court case as part of their social‑awareness programme. The mood remains light, the banter is casual, and the “trial” seems nothing more than a rehearsal or time‑pass before the actual performance begins.
However, as the mock trial unfolds, the tone changes sharply from humorous to serious. What begins as a game turns into a cruel psychological attack on one woman, Leela Benare. She is a schoolteacher and the group’s most vibrant member. Through the structure of a courtroom drama, Tendulkar gradually exposes how the group uses the “rehearsal” to judge and punish her private life under the guise of justice and morality.
This chilling shift from light entertainment to emotional violence makes Silence! The Court is in Session a powerful and unforgettable work in modern Indian theatre. The play not only entertains but also compels readers to question social hypocrisy, gendered double standards, and the way ordinary people become agents of oppression.
Quick Summary: Silence! The Court is in Session
Silence! The Court is in Session (1967) is a celebrated play by Vijay Tendulkar (originally written in Marathi as Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe). The story begins as a harmless rehearsal for a mock trial by a theatre troupe in a village hall. However, the game quickly turns into a brutal witch-hunt against the central female character, Miss Leela Benare. The “court” exposes her secret pregnancy and illicit relationship, using the guise of a trial to attack her morality. It is a powerful critique of middle-class hypocrisy, gender discrimination, and the suppression of women in Indian society.
Silence The Court is in Session: Detailed Summary (Act-wise)
The Setup (Act I):
The arrival of the troupe in the village hall. The locking of the door. The casual banter that hints at underlying tensions.
Vijay Tendulkar’s Silence The Court is in Session opens with a small theatre group arriving at a village hall. They are preparing to rehearse a mock trial for their social awareness campaign. The troupe includes the self-important chairman Kashikar, his wife Mrs. Kashikar, the lawyer Sukhatme, the science student Ponkshe, the young helper Rokde, and the lively schoolteacher Leela Benare.
As they settle in, the door to the hall accidentally locks, trapping them inside. This moment of confinement quietly mirrors the emotional and psychological entrapment that unfolds as the play moves forward. The group exchanges light-hearted banter, yet tension brews beneath the surface. Gradually, gossip about Benare’s personal life begins to emerge, revealing the undercurrents of judgment and cruelty that drive the drama.
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The Mock Trial Begins (Act II):
They decide to prosecute Miss Benare. The charge: Infanticide (killing an unborn child). What starts as a joke begins to reveal real secrets about her affair with Professor Damle.
With some time to spare, the troupe decides to stage a mock trial. In a moment of dark humour, they pick Leela Benare as the accused, charged with infanticide—killing an unborn child. At first, Benare laughs it off and treats the charge as a joke. However, as the trial continues, it becomes clear that the accusation is far from playful.
The group begins to dig into her private life and expose painful truths. They reveal her affair with Professor Damle, a respected intellectual who refuses to take responsibility for her pregnancy. The mock trial soon turns into a brutal tool for humiliation. It exposes not only Benare’s vulnerability but also the group’s hypocrisy and their eagerness to control a woman’s morality.
The Verdict (Act III):
The witnesses (her colleagues) turn against her. Benare’s famous monologue (her defence of her life). The mock judge pronounces a savage verdict, but the trial ends abruptly when the door is unlocked.
In the final act, Benare’s colleagues, once her friends, turn into hostile witnesses. They condemn her for crossing the limits of social morality. Benare responds with a powerful monologue, defending her choices and exposing the injustices she has suffered. She recalls childhood abuse, betrayal, and the pain caused by the men in her life.
Her emotional outburst becomes both a defence and a desperate plea for understanding. Yet the mock judge delivers a cruel verdict—her unborn child must be taken from her. The trial ends abruptly when the door finally unlocks, but the damage is done. Benare stands emotionally broken, silenced by the very people who once called themselves her friends.
Silence The Court is in Session: Character Analysis
Leela Benare:
The independent, spirited career woman who is crushed by society. She represents the “New Woman” who threatens traditional norms.
Leela Benare is the heart and soul of Silence! The Court is in Session. She represents the spirit of the “New Woman”—independent, ambitious, and unafraid to challenge traditional norms. As a schoolteacher and a member of the theatre troupe, she is vibrant, witty, and full of life. Her confidence and refusal to conform make her stand out, but they also make her a target for judgment and ridicule in a society bound by rigid gender roles.
When her pregnancy and affair with Professor Damle come to light, the group uses the mock trial to strip away her dignity. Their actions expose the deep-rooted hostility toward women who dare to live freely. In her final monologue, Benare asserts her right to love, choose, and become a mother. Yet her defeat at the hands of her colleagues highlights the crushing pressure faced by women who challenge patriarchal expectations.
Mr. & Mrs. Kashikar:
They represent the barren, judgmental traditional couple.
Chairman Kashikar and his wife represent the traditional, conservative couple in Indian society. Kashikar is obsessed with authority and the idea of having a “Prime Objective.” He uses the mock trial to display his dominance and moral superiority. His childless marriage deepens his bitterness, making him harsh in judging Benare and projecting his insecurities onto her.
Mrs. Kashikar is equally judgemental and rigid. She channels her personal dissatisfaction into harsh criticism of Benare’s independent choices. Together, they embody the oppressive force of tradition and the moral policing that often arises from people who feel threatened by change.
Sukhatme:
The lawyer who manipulates the law to serve patriarchy, not justice.
Sukhatme, the lawyer in the mock trial, is a satirical figure who uses his knowledge of law to defend patriarchy rather than justice. He loves legal jargon and grand speeches, but beneath his showmanship lies deep insecurity and a need to control Benare. By twisting the law to mirror the group’s biases, Sukhatme turns into a tool of oppression. His actions expose how legal systems can be distorted to maintain social hierarchies and silence opposing voices. Through him, Tendulkar highlights how institutions often fail to protect the vulnerable and instead reinforce patriarchal power.
If you are interested in how Indian drama critiques society, read our analysis of [Mahesh Dattani’s Final Solutions]
Silence The Court is in Session: Key Themes
Middle-Class Hypocrisy:
How “respectable” people enjoy destroying someone else’s reputation.
Silence! The Court is in Session exposes the deep hypocrisy of the Indian middle class, where so-called “respectable” individuals take pleasure in destroying someone else’s reputation under the guise of morality or social duty. The theatre troupe, who claim to be educating the public, use the mock trial as a platform to humiliate Leela Benare, revealing their own insecurities, jealousy, and hidden agendas. Their actions demonstrate how easily people can turn from allies into persecutors when given the chance to police someone’s private life, especially if it involves a woman who defies social expectations.
Gender & Patriarchy:
The double standard—Professor Damle (the man) is absent and safe, while Benare (the woman) faces the trial alone.
The play clearly exposes the gendered double standard that dominates patriarchal societies. While Professor Damle, the man involved in Benare’s affair, stays absent and free from consequences, Benare faces public scrutiny, judgment, and punishment. This contrast highlights how society easily forgives men for moral lapses yet harshly condemns women for the same actions.
Moreover, Benare’s isolation in the courtroom becomes a powerful symbol of this injustice. It shows how women are often left to bear the weight of social and moral blame, while men walk away untouched. Through this contrast, Tendulkar forces the audience to confront the cruelty of societal hypocrisy.
The Significance of “Silence”:
How the legal system and society silence women’s voices.
The title Silence! The Court is in Session acts as a direct command, symbolising how both the legal system and society often silencing women’s voices. Throughout the play, Benare gets only a brief chance to speak her truth. However, her words are quickly dismissed or distorted to suit the group’s biased narrative. As a result, the courtroom—supposed to represent justice—turns into a space where dissent is crushed and uncomfortable truths are hidden.
Ultimately, this idea strongly resonates within the Indian context. Women’s voices continue to be marginalised in both public and private life. Through this symbolism, Tendulkar critiques the deep-rooted silencing of women and exposes the moral failures of a patriarchal society. EXPLORE OTHER WRITERS
Conclusion
Vijay Tendulkar’s Silence! The Court is in Session delivers a powerful and unsettling message. The “court” in the play is not a symbol of justice but a tool of social control, used to silence and punish those who question the status quo. Through the mock trial, Tendulkar exposes how institutions meant to protect fairness can instead reflect society’s deep prejudices and double standards.
Moreover, the play highlights how genuine justice often disappears when women step beyond traditional roles. By silencing Leela Benare and turning her peers into instruments of cruelty, Tendulkar lays bare the hypocrisy buried within both social and legal systems. His portrayal forces audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about gender discrimination and moral hypocrisy.
Ultimately, Silence! The Court is in Session is not just about one woman’s suffering but a reflection on collective guilt. It challenges readers and viewers to ask who truly benefits from such systems of “justice.” More importantly, it urges society to listen to those voices that are too often suppressed in the name of law, morality, or tradition.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the main message of Silence! The Court is in Session?
The play exposes how the court, instead of being a place of justice, becomes a tool for social control, especially against women who challenge traditional norms.
Who is Leela Benare in the play?
Leela Benare is the central character, a schoolteacher and independent woman who becomes the target of a mock trial that reveals her affair and pregnancy, symbolising the struggle of the “New Woman” against societal judgement.
What are the major themes of the play?
Key themes include middle-class hypocrisy, gender and patriarchy and the way legal systems silence women’s voices.
