Safdar Hashmi (1954–1989) became a national icon of resistance after his death on 2 January 1989, following a brutal attack while performing a street play. The firebrand artist, actor, playwright, poet, and activist embodied a dynamic turning point for street theatre, and his group, Jana Natya Manch (Janam), is still considered a leader in the genre of political theatre. Examining the cultural and political environment of the time, Anjum Katyal situates Safdar and Janam within the larger history of Indian political theatre. The book discusses Safdar’s career, from his early life and the influences that formed him; to his first forays into theatre in Delhi in the 1970s; to the mature work he produced in the 1980s until his life was cruelly cut short; and finally, the legacy he left behind. The author brings together sources ranging from detailed interviews, to writings by and on Safdar, as well as critical pieces on Janam’s theatre. The study is supplemented by her masterful English translations of three of Janam’s most popular plays: Machine, Hatyare, and Aurat. This comprehensive study of Safdar Hashmi’s legacy will be invaluable to theatre institutions, students, scholars and researchers of performance studies, culture studies, and sociology, and those interested in a cultural history of Indian theatre.