Twin Melodies | CBSE Class 9 English Notes

This note covers the play "Twin Melodies" by Mitra Phukan: a scene-by-scene summary, the characters, the themes, key quotations and answers to the textbook questions.

Who wrote the play and what is it about?

"Twin Melodies" is a play written by Mitra Phukan. It is built around a young violinist, Shruti Sharma, who secretly practises Indo-Western fusion music with three friends even though her father, a respected classical violinist, disapproves of fusion.

The play explores how she finally finds the courage to tell her parents the truth, and how her father comes to accept her choice.

The play is set across three acts. Act I takes place in Iqbal's room, where the fusion group rehearses. Act II takes place at Shruti's home during and after dinner.

Act III takes place again at Iqbal's house, where Shruti's parents unexpectedly watch the group perform. The play's central idea, as the book's own introduction puts it, is that music "transcends boundaries—of genre, generation, and emotion."

The title "Twin Melodies" points to two kinds of music existing side by side: the classical Hindustani tradition that Nabin represents and the newer Indo-Western fusion that Shruti and her friends play.

The play suggests that these two melodies need not be in conflict, and that one can respect tradition while also exploring something new.

What happens in the play, scene by scene?

Act I: The secret rehearsal

The play opens with four children, Iqbal (flute), Avinash (tabla), Peter (keyboard) and Shruti (violin), finishing a rehearsal of an Indo-Western fusion piece in Iqbal's room.

The room has a small rack, a wooden table stacked with books, and posters of flute players Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shashank Subramanyam on the wall.

Iqbal reads out a newspaper line praising Shruti: "Melody runs in the veins of Miss Shruti Sharma, daughter of the master violinist Nabin Sharma!" The boys tease her about her fame, but Shruti remains distracted, "lost in her thoughts." When the boys call her name loudly, she is startled, and they realise she has still not told her father about the fusion concert or the practice sessions.

Shruti explains her fear: her father believes classical Hindustani music, "with its ragas and aalaaps," is the only music worth an artist's time, and he would see fusion as a "desecration of the violin." Iqbal and Avinash encourage her, saying he will eventually "come round." Shruti finally agrees it is time to "bite the bullet" and promises to raise the matter at dinner that night.

Act II: The confrontation at dinner

At home, Shruti sits distracted over her dinner. Her mother, Leela, notices and jokes gently with her, but Shruti musters courage and tells her father about an upcoming concert.

Nabin reacts calmly at first, reminding her of his rule of "one performance in every six months," saying "familiarity breeds contempt."

When Shruti reveals it is an Indo-Western fusion concert, Nabin's tone changes completely. He says he never thought any of his students, "let alone my own child," would lose their sense of musicality so far, and that his views on fusion music have already been made clear in the house.

He mockingly refers to it as "'phoo' music." Shruti begs him to attend just one practice before deciding, but he refuses and leaves.

Left alone with her mother, Shruti admits she should have asked permission first. Leela scolds her gently for hiding the "practice classes," and Shruti promises never to hide things again. The act ends with the tension between tradition (Nabin's position) and contemporary musical preference (Shruti's) left unresolved.

Act III: Discovery and reconciliation

Back at Iqbal's house, the group prepares to rehearse again. Shruti privately plans, in an aside, to practise "one last time" and then tell her friends she cannot join the performance after all.

Mid-rehearsal, her parents unexpectedly enter and stand in a corner. As the music continues, they become absorbed in it; Nabin "taps his feet" and is visibly enjoying the performance.

When the piece ends, Nabin claps furiously, wearing "an expression of pride," and praises the children, telling Shruti she never lost sight of the raga's notes even within the fusion piece.

Leela jokes that their secret practice sessions clearly paid off. Nabin even offers the group his music room for future rehearsals.

Shruti then speaks privately with her parents. She thanks them and promises always to take her art seriously, "no matter what I do." Nabin reveals it was Leela who made him see things differently, reminding him of his own past: his father and uncles were classical vocalists who saw his choice to play the violin (then not yet part of classical Indian music) as "a kind of betrayal of family values and tradition." Yet he "worked his fingers to the bone" and succeeded.

Nabin admits, "I underestimated the power of our own music... my fears were baseless," and tells Shruti, using a proverb, "After all each bay, its own wind," promising to support her group at the concert. Shruti hugs both her parents as the curtain falls.

Who are the characters?

Shruti Sharma

Shruti is "a young aspiring violinist" and the daughter of Nabin Sharma. She secretly rehearses fusion music with her friends because she fears her father's disapproval.

She is caught in a genuine dilemma, torn between loyalty to her father's values and her own wish to "give this a try too." Her journey across the three acts moves from hiding and anxiety to honesty and relief, showing growth in courage and openness.

Guru Nabin Sharma

Nabin is Shruti's father, "a violinist, and the Principal of Sangeetika Music School." He is strict about classical discipline, following a rule of only "one performance in every six months," and initially dismisses fusion music mockingly as "'phoo' music." However, his character is not rigid without reason: he himself once defied his own vocalist family to play the violin.

Hearing Shruti's group reminds him of this, and he evolves into an understanding father who admits his fears "were baseless" and offers his support.

Leela Devi

Leela is Shruti's mother. She is warm and observant, noticing Shruti's distress at dinner before anyone else, and gently scolding her for hiding the truth about her practice sessions.

Crucially, it is Leela who, offstage, persuades Nabin to reconsider his opposition, as Nabin himself admits: "it was Leela who opened my eyes."

Iqbal

Iqbal plays the flute and his room is the venue for the group's secret rehearsals. He is encouraging and optimistic, telling Shruti "All ways are right ways, Shruti. He is your father, he will understand," and reassures her with humour about handling his own family's scolding.

Avinash

Avinash plays the tabla. He is direct and a little blunt, bluntly asking Shruti whether she has told her father yet, and encouraging her not to delay further, saying the worst that can happen is "he will scold you a little."

Peter

Peter plays the keyboard and often takes a lighter, more casual tone in the group, for instance joking, "Shruti Sharma for the win, sweating on the vi-o-lin!" He is practical, suggesting Shruti simply tell her parents she is practising "from 4 to 5."

What themes does the play explore?

Tradition versus modernity

The central conflict is between Nabin's devotion to classical Hindustani music, "with its ragas and aalaaps," and Shruti's interest in Indo-Western fusion.

The play does not resolve this by rejecting tradition; instead, it shows that the two can coexist, since Shruti performs the raga's notes "to excellence" even within a fusion piece.

Courage to speak the truth

Shruti's struggle to tell her father about the concert, captured in her line "I just don't know how to tell him in the right way!", drives much of the play's tension.

Her eventual honesty, and her mother's role in encouraging reconciliation, show that open communication resolves conflicts that silence only deepens.

Generational understanding and empathy

Nabin's change of heart depends on remembering his own youthful rebellion against his vocalist family. This generational parallel, highlighted by Leela's account of his past, suggests that parents can understand their children better once they recall their own younger selves.

Individual passion within family duty

Shruti cares deeply about her father's opinions, saying "I don't want papa to feel that I don't care about his opinions, because I do," yet she also wants to pursue her own interest.

The play balances respect for family with the right to one's own artistic path, captured in Nabin's closing proverb that each person follows their "own wind."

What poetic devices and dramatic techniques does the playwright use?

Although this is a play rather than a poem, the playwright uses several dramatic devices to build meaning and emotion.

The aside is used when Shruti, alone on one side of the stage, speaks her private thoughts about enjoying the performance and wanting to leave the group, letting the audience know her true feelings while other characters remain unaware.

Stage directions in brackets guide how lines are delivered, such as "(a little loudly)" or "(calmly but firmly)," replacing a reporting verb and helping actors convey tone without extra narration.

Non-lexical fillers such as "Ahem ahem" and "er" show hesitation and realism in speech, particularly when characters are nervous, as Shruti is when confessing to her father.

Idiomatic and figurative expressions recur throughout, such as "bite the bullet," "come round," "worked his fingers to the bone" and "go down the drain," giving the dialogue natural, everyday colour while conveying emotional weight.

The proverb "each bay, its own wind," spoken by Nabin at the close, functions almost like a moral, summing up the play's message about individuality in a single figurative line.

Together these devices work like the imagery and figures of speech found in poetry, shaping how the audience feels about each character at each turn of the plot.

What are the key quotations from the play?

The quotations below capture key turning points in the play, from Shruti's fear of confiding in her father to Nabin's final acceptance of her fusion group.

"There is need to worry Iqbal! You don't know papa." — Shruti, explaining her fear in Act I.

"No is the answer... familiarity breeds contempt." — Nabin, refusing Shruti's request in Act II.

"I never thought any of my students, let alone my own child, would lose their sense of musicality to such an extent." — Nabin, reacting to the word "fusion."

"You did not lose sight of the notes of the raga even once." — Nabin, praising Shruti's performance in Act III.

"I underestimated the power of our own music... I will root for your group at the concert!" — Nabin, reconciling with Shruti.

"After all each bay, its own wind." — Nabin's closing proverb to Shruti.

Read together, these lines trace the shift from secrecy and refusal to open pride and support between father and daughter, showing how the family's conflict is resolved through honesty and music.

What are the answers to the textbook questions?

Will Shruti's father go for the rehearsal, and why?

Based on the chapter, Nabin does not plan to attend deliberately; instead, he and Leela enter the rehearsal room unexpectedly in Act III and happen to witness the performance, which is what changes his mind, rather than a planned visit arranged by Shruti.

Will Shruti and her parents understand one another?

Yes. By the end of the play they do understand each other: Shruti explains that she values her father's opinions even while wanting to explore fusion music, and Nabin comes to trust her and support her group after hearing them perform and recalling his own past.

What does Shruti mean by "the right way" to tell her father?

She means finding a sensitive, honest manner of raising the subject of the concert without upsetting her father, given how strongly he feels about classical music and the "desecration" he associates with fusion.

Why does the extract reflect a generational gap?

Because Shruti's wish to try fusion music directly conflicts with her father's belief that "Classical Hindustani music... is the only kind of music that an artist of any worth should play," showing two generations valuing music differently.

How does Iqbal's response assure Shruti?

Iqbal tells her "All ways are right ways, Shruti. He is your father, he will understand," reassuring her that honesty, delivered in any sincere manner, will ultimately be accepted by a parent who loves her.

How does the play justify its title, "Twin Melodies"?

The title reflects the two musical traditions, classical Hindustani music and Indo-Western fusion, running alongside each other through the play, both performed by Shruti, and both eventually respected by Nabin by the end.

How does Nabin's attitude towards music evolve?

He begins rigidly opposed to fusion, mocking it as "'phoo' music," but after secretly watching the rehearsal and recalling his own defiance of family tradition to play the violin, he admits his fears "were baseless" and offers full support.

What do the vocabulary and language sections teach?

The chapter's language-focused sections draw attention to several dramatic writing techniques. An aside is described as a device that lets a character speak directly to the audience, "the other characters on stage" being understood as unaware of it, used when Shruti privately admits she enjoys performing but plans to leave the group.

Non-lexical fillers like "uh" or "um" (here, "Ahem ahem" and "er") are explained as sounds used "to fill pauses while a speaker gathers their thoughts or transitions between ideas," appearing when characters are nervous or searching for words.

The text also explains that brackets in a play script convey "the manner in which to deliver the words," functioning like a reporting verb (for example, "very loudly") without being spoken aloud by the actor, helping performers understand tone and action.

Music vocabulary introduced includes terms such as crescendo ("a gradual increase in the volume or intensity of sound"), rhythm, tempo, bass, baritone, cacophony, pitch and scale, each matched with its own precise musical meaning in the chapter's matching exercise.

What can be learnt beyond the text?

The chapter's extension material connects the play's themes to the wider world of music. It mentions the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay, "formed in 2012," whose children play instruments "made from scrap materials collected from landfills," illustrating resourcefulness and the universal appeal of music regardless of means.

It also notes that indigenous musical instruments are often "crafted from natural materials like bamboo, gourds, animal hides, and shells," reflecting "a deep connection to the environment and cultural heritage," ranging from percussion instruments to wind instruments such as flutes.

The chapter further recommends reading Rigmarole and Other Plays by Sai Paranjpye, describing the title play as following "a silly King, his Council of nine Ministers, and a bed bug," and mentioning another play in the collection, "The Boy Who Wrote a Constitution," which aims to educate while entertaining children.

Together, these sections widen the play's core idea, that music carries cultural meaning and can bring generations and communities together, beyond the Sharma family's personal story into a broader appreciation of musical traditions worldwide.

Glossary

• Crescendo — a piece of music that gets louder and louder, or a gradual increase in the volume or intensity of sound.
• Desecration — disrespect towards something considered sacred, used by Shruti to describe how her father views fusion played on the violin.
• Ragas and aalaaps — melodic elements of Hindustani classical music; ragas are melodic frameworks, and aalaaps are the slow, unmetered opening passages introducing a raga.
• Bite the bullet — to deal with an unpleasant or difficult situation in a courageous and determined way, as Shruti finally decides to do.
• Contempt — a strong feeling of dislike and disrespect, used in Nabin's warning that too much familiarity with one's art can breed contempt.
• Hubbub — a loud, confused noise, used by Nabin to dismiss the idea of many instruments playing together as mere noise rather than art.
• Iterated — said or repeated more than once, used when Nabin states that his views on fusion music have already been made clear at home.
• Painstakingly — done with great care, effort and attention to detail, used to describe how Nabin's vocalist family nurtured their musical heritage across generations.
• Worked his fingers to the bone — worked extremely hard over a long period, describing how Nabin laboured to succeed as a violinist despite family opposition.
• Root (for someone) — to show enthusiastic support for a person or group, used when Nabin promises to root for Shruti's fusion group at the concert.
• Aside — a theatrical device where a character speaks thoughts directly to the audience, while other characters on stage remain unaware of what is said.
• Non-lexical filler — a sound such as "uh" or "um" used to fill pauses while a speaker gathers their thoughts or searches for the right words.
• Cacophony — a harsh, jarring mixture of loud and unpleasant sounds, taught in the chapter as one of several music-related vocabulary terms to be matched with its meaning.

Common errors and misconceptions

• Misconception: Nabin never changes his mind about fusion music. Correct: He strongly opposes it at first but changes his mind after overhearing the rehearsal and recalling his own past.
• Misconception: Shruti openly asks her father to attend a rehearsal and he agrees. Correct: He refuses her request to attend; her parents only discover the practice accidentally in Act III.
• Misconception: Nabin's family were always violinists. Correct: Nabin's family were vocalists; he himself broke tradition by choosing the violin.
• Misconception: Leela is unaware of the family conflict. Correct: Leela actively persuades Nabin to reconsider, as he himself credits her with "opening his eyes."
• Misconception: The play ends with the conflict still unresolved. Correct: It ends with reconciliation, Nabin offering support and the music room, and Shruti hugging her parents.
• Misconception: "Aside" means a character leaves the stage to speak privately. Correct: An aside is spoken on stage, directly to the audience, while other characters remain unaware.

Exam-style questions with model answers

Q1. Who are the four members of the fusion group, and which instrument does each play? [2 marks]

1. Shruti plays the violin, Iqbal plays the flute, Avinash plays the tabla, and Peter plays the keyboard.

Q2. Explain why Shruti initially hesitates to tell her father about the fusion concert. [2 marks]

1. She fears he will see fusion music as a "desecration of the violin."
2. He believes only classical Hindustani music is worth an artist's time, so she worries about upsetting him.

Q3. Describe Nabin's reaction when Shruti first tells him about the concert, giving at least three details. [3 marks]

1. He first refuses calmly, citing his rule of one performance every six months.
2. He grows more serious and disapproving once he learns it is a fusion concert, saying he never expected his own child to lose her "sense of musicality."
3. He mockingly calls it "'phoo' music" and refuses her request to attend a practice, then leaves the room.

Q4. What role does Leela play in resolving the conflict between Shruti and Nabin? [4 marks]

1. Leela first notices Shruti's distress at dinner and gently encourages her to speak up.
2. She scolds Shruti for hiding the practice sessions, teaching her the value of honesty.
3. Offstage, Leela persuades Nabin to reconsider his opposition, reminding him of his own past as a rebel against his vocalist family.
4. Nabin himself credits her, saying "it was Leela who opened my eyes," showing her central role in the reconciliation.

Q5. Analyse how the play uses Nabin's backstory to resolve the central conflict, with reference to specific details. [5 marks]

1. Nabin's own father and uncles were classical vocalists belonging to a "highly traditional school."
2. Nabin chose to play the violin instead, which his father saw as "a kind of betrayal of family values and tradition" since the violin was not yet part of classical Indian music.
3. Despite this opposition, Nabin "worked his fingers to the bone" and succeeded as a violinist, eventually becoming Principal of a music school.
4. When Shruti faces similar resistance for choosing fusion music, Leela reminds Nabin of his own history, prompting him to recognise the parallel.
5. This recollection softens Nabin, leading him to admit his fears were "baseless" and to support Shruti's choice, resolving the conflict through generational empathy rather than argument.

Q6. Justify the title "Twin Melodies" with reference to the play's events. [4 marks]

1. The title refers to the two kinds of music present throughout the play: classical Hindustani music and Indo-Western fusion.
2. Nabin represents dedication to the classical tradition, while Shruti and her friends represent the newer fusion style.
3. Rather than one melody defeating the other, Shruti performs both together, keeping the raga's notes intact even within a fusion piece.
4. By the end, Nabin accepts both traditions can coexist, which the title's idea of "twin" (paired, not opposed) melodies captures.

Q7. What is an "aside," and how is it used in the play? [2 marks]

1. An aside is when a character speaks directly to the audience while other characters on stage remain unaware.
2. Shruti uses an aside in Act III to reveal her private plan to leave the group after one last practice.

Q8. Describe the final scene of the play and its significance. [6 marks]

1. Shruti's parents unexpectedly enter the rehearsal room during practice in Act III.
2. They become absorbed in the music, with Nabin tapping his feet and visibly enjoying the performance.
3. At the end, Nabin claps furiously, praising the group and Shruti specifically for keeping the raga's notes intact.
4. Nabin offers the group use of his music room for future practice.
5. In a private moment, Shruti thanks her parents, and Nabin reveals it was Leela who changed his mind by reminding him of his own past.
6. Nabin uses the proverb "each bay, its own wind" and promises to support the group, and Shruti hugs both parents as the play ends, resolving the family's conflict.

Key takeaways

• "Twin Melodies" follows Shruti, a young violinist secretly practising Indo-Western fusion against her father's wishes.
• Nabin, Shruti's father, initially rejects fusion as a "desecration" but changes his mind after secretly watching a rehearsal.
• Leela plays a crucial behind-the-scenes role in persuading Nabin to reconsider his position.
• Nabin's own past as a violinist who defied his vocalist family mirrors Shruti's present conflict.
• The play ends in reconciliation, with Nabin supporting Shruti's fusion group and offering his music room.
• The title reflects two musical traditions coexisting rather than competing.
• Dramatic devices used include the aside, bracketed stage directions and non-lexical fillers.
• The proverb "each bay, its own wind" sums up the play's message about individuality.

Test yourself

What instrument does Shruti play?

Shruti is the violinist in the fusion group, playing alongside Iqbal on flute, Avinash on tabla and Peter on keyboard.

What newspaper quote about Shruti does Iqbal read out in Act I?

"Melody runs in the veins of Miss Shruti Sharma, daughter of the master violinist Nabin Sharma!"

What rule does Nabin state about performances?

He allows only one performance every six months, saying "familiarity breeds contempt."

Who persuades Nabin to change his mind about fusion music?

Leela, Shruti's mother, persuades him by reminding him of his own past as a rebel against family tradition.

What instrument did Nabin's own family traditionally play?

His family were vocalists; he broke with tradition by choosing to play the violin instead.

What does Nabin offer the group at the end of the play?

He offers them the use of his music room for regular practice sessions.

What proverb does Nabin use to express his acceptance of Shruti's individuality?

He says, "After all each bay, its own wind," meaning each person must follow their own individual path.

What is a non-lexical filler, as explained in the chapter?

A sound like "uh" or "um" used to fill pauses while a speaker gathers their thoughts.