Mahesh Dattani’s *Tara* resists a singular interpretive centre, and its emotional and structural complexity allows it to be read simultaneously as the tragedy of Tara and the psychological journey of Chandan towards atonement. However, a closer critical examination suggests that while Tara’s suffering forms the ethical core of the play, it is Chandan’s retrospective narration that frames and mediates that suffering, thereby shifting the dramatic emphasis toward his guilt and search for redemption. Tara’s tragedy is immediate, corporeal, and deeply rooted in the socio-cultural matrix of gender discrimination. As a conjoined twin denied a fair surgical chance due to patriarchal bias, Tara becomes the victim of a calculated familial decision that privileges the male child. The revelation that her own mother colluded in this injustice intensifies the tragic dimension, exposing the internalisation of patriarchy. Tara’s physical disability, emotional sensitivity, and gradual awareness of her marginalisation culminate in a poignant portrayal of a life constrained by both bodily limitations and social prejudice. Her sharp intellect and emotional depth further heighten the sense of loss, as the audience perceives the potential that remains unfulfilled. In this sense, the play undeniably foregrounds Tara’s tragedy as