MADAM IDOL is the love story about a powerful woman who is torn between her love and obsession for her father, and her husband who loves her fatally.
On one level, it's on the universal theme about a father/daughter relationship. Many women are greatly influenced by the relationship with a charismatic father figure in their lives. At first she's submissive, and he moulds and creates her like a Svengali. But then she becomes the Frankenstein, filled with her own power
The other theme of the play is about the corrupting nature of both power and love. We have many examples of women in power from Mrs Thatcher, Golda Meir, and Indira Gandhi to Benazir Bhutto and others.
The story is set in the Present.

SCENE TWO

(Kumar enters as they exit. The light dim, he moves to sit on the steps. Her mother enters from the house to sit by him. She's wearing a saffron sari and carrying a glass and bottle. Pours out a slug, knocks it back.)
KUMAR (gentle scold) You shouldn't be drinking ma'am.
MOTHER (defiant) What should I be doing then? Look at it, smell it, admire it. Of course I should be drinking. It passes the time. (waving him away) Why don't you find yourself a pretty girl and go dancing? I envy the young who can be so easily enchanted by music. You should be with someone your age, instead of an old woman like me.
KUMAR I have found my pretty girl, except she's away.
MOTHER (urgent) Don't wait for her. She won't return, she's gone too far away to come back to you.
KUMAR (laughs) She's only gone with her father.
MOTHER (mocking) One day you could be a great director, but don't make a film on women when you don't understand even your childhood sweetheart. Some women can love only once, like some men.
KUMAR (smiles) I could be the lucky man then.
MOTHER Or the unlucky one. You'll find lots of beautiful women for your films. Fall in love with them and don't remain faithful to one.
KUMAR: Like a Casanova.
MOTHER Yes, but if women pursue men with the same passion they're called whores. My husband's a Casanova, he seduces power. Daughters worship their fathers and he deserves the worship as he's worshipped by the state. So, why should she be different? Wives aren't that fortunate. They see their husbands in the slackness of night when they grow shallow and weak in their sleep. He's everything a girl dreams of about in a heroic father - he's handsome, charismatic and powerful. I've long paled to a shadow in their eyes. (takes another slug)
KUMAR Is that why you went to the ashram?
MOTHER Yes. I wanted to rest my eyes, they were exhausted from seeing too much. If I donated them to a blind person would they see and suffer as much as I have? The ashram promised I'd find love there. It's not the love I was looking for. God can be a solace but a poor companion. He doesn't answer when you talk to him, he doesn't caress your cheek, you can't rest your head on his shoulder. He never says 'I love you.' He should be capable of such simple pleasures. Otherwise, he's as useless as an indifferent husband. So, I returned to the empty house.
(Holds up the empty bottle, rises. She exits. Kumar remains sitting. A moment later we hear a crash from inside the house. He rushes in and comes out shaken, sits and starts crying. Behind we see the shadow of her hanging body, swinging)
(Father enters, sits alone a long time, face in his hands. Avanthi comes out of the house, crying.)
AVANTHI How did she die so suddenly?
FATHER (long pause, a deliberate lie) It was her weak heart. She was drinking too. (He tries to stroke her head, she pulls away.)
FATHER (continuing; quizzical) You think it's my fault?
AVANTHI (after a beat, angry) You were her husband. She didn't expect to be abandoned in her marriage.
FATHER (defensive) Duty can only be carried so far. She was a kind, good woman, wanting too much love and attention. She couldn't adjust herself to the demands made on me. I tried in the early years before you were born. She resented my absences, my late night meetings, the confusion of political power. (angry) She wanted an ordinary life. I couldn't give her that, without destroying myself.
AVANTHI (mocks) And I was meant to compensate for her?
FATHER If we're to proportion blame, we're both guilty. You begrudged her your love. We grew too close, forgetting all about her with our obsession. (beat, mocks back) Except you too didn't want that ordinary life she yearned for.
AVANTHI (a rush) You took me away from her.
FATHER (gently, seductive) It was your choice. I needed you more than I needed her. I thought you understood that.