Urdu Fiction ka Irtiqa: Haqiqat Nigari aur Samaji Tanazur Mein

Abstract

This research article delves into the evolutionary trajectory of Urdu fiction, tracing its origins from traditional storytelling to modern fictional forms enriched with social realism. It discusses how fiction emerged as a literary response to human curiosity, emotional introspection, and socio-cultural circumstances. The paper explores the post-1857 shift in narrative consciousness, highlighting the contributions of Deputy Nazir Ahmad, Ratan Nath Sarshar, and Mirza Hadi Ruswa, who brought realism and reformist ideology into Urdu fiction. Further, it examines the significant role played by Premchand in introducing short fiction grounded in rural life, economic injustice, and class disparity. The article also investigates the literary dichotomy of realism and romanticism, as reflected in the works of early 20th-century writers like Niaz Fatehpuri and Sajad Haidar Yildirim. Lastly, it analyzes how Progressive Writers like Saadat Hasan Manto, Ismat Chughtai, Rajinder Singh Bedi, and others infused Urdu fiction with internal realism, psychological depth, and social critique—transforming fiction into a powerful mirror of evolving human and societal dynamics.