What question did this study set out to answer?

This article investigates how mythological characters in Parsi theatre influenced political decisions in the nineteenth century.

May 14, 2026

Character and Competing Loyalties in Nineteenth-Century Parsi Theatre

Key Points

This article investigates how mythological characters in Parsi theatre influenced political decisions in the nineteenth century.
Examined the defamation case of Farāmjī Kāvasjī Mehtā vs. Kekhuśro Navrojī Kābrājī
Analyzed the role of Gurgīn, a character from the Persian epic Shahnama, in this legal context
Contextualized the significance of Parsi theatre in South Asian cultural history
Identified Gurgīn as a symbol affecting Parsi political identity and support for Indian independence.
Revealed that trivial references to characters held deeper meanings in societal and political discourses.

Abstract

Abstract: On 25 September 1889, Farāmjī Kāvasjī Mehtā, editor and proprietor of the Bombay-based newspaper Kaiser-i-Hind , brought a defamation charge against Kekhuśro Navrojī Kābrājī, the conservative editor of the Gujarati-language Rast Goftar . At the heart of this case was a seemingly trivial reference to Gurgīn, a minor trickster character from the Persian epic Shahnama , popularized by the commercial Parsi theatre. Through the lens of this seemingly petty libel case, which constituted the most sustained analysis of a dramatic character in South Asian cultural history, this article examines how mythological characters on the Parsi stage became touchstones for historically political decision-making, such as Parsi support for Indian independence.

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Cite This Study

Rashna Darius Nicholson (Sun,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a0567fda550a87e60a2045f https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1353/atj.2026.a989962

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