Premchand, the playwright and the drama critic: Evaluating Hindi theatrescape in colonial India.

This article examines the multifaceted engagement of Premchand, a prominent Indian author known primarily for his Urdu and Hindi fiction, with the genre of drama as a playwright, translator, and critic. It highlights Premchand's efforts to institutionalize Hindi drama and theatre as a distinct tradition through his original plays, translations of European works, and critical writings, including prefaces and articles that outline dramaturgy, aesthetics, and the history of Hindi theatre. The analysis reveals Premchand's ambivalent relationship with drama, marked by his preference for closet plays and his evolving perspectives on language, music, and performance within the colonial Indian theatrescape. Additionally, the article explores his advocacy for progressive social themes in drama, his promotion of a shared cultural heritage between Hindu and Muslim communities, and his recognition of the emerging "Naya Drama" (New drama) as a modern, socially engaged theatrical form influenced by both indigenous and European traditions.