Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

The dramas of William Shakespeare have been one of the potential sources for adaptation and appropriation. He dramatized basic issues like love, marriage, familial relationships, race, class, humor, betrayal, evil, revenge, murder and death. He crafted unforgettable characters, from lowly thieves to lofty kings, who have become archetypes of modern drama, but still remain people with whom we can relate. These basic concepts and eternal characters provide filmmakers with the finest raw material to create great visual treats. The notable director Vishal Bhardwaj received much critical acclaim for his trilogy, Maqbool inspired by Macbeth, Omkara by Othello, and Haider adapted from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. However, Bhardwaj has taken certain liberties to mold the story according to his cinematic demands. The present article analyzes Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool and Shakespeare’s Macbeth in the light of comparative analysis. It begins by defining comparative literature in brief and moves on to discuss the opening scenes, the art of characterization, the different dramatic devices that are being employed, the setting and the ending. It also explores the points of contact and departure between the adaptation (Maqbool) and the original source text (Macbeth).