EnglishCBSE Class 9 · Chapter 6

Twin Melodies Class 9: Act-wise Summary and Questions

Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Twin Melodies by Mitra Phukan, the play in Kaveri Unit 6, is about Shruti, a young violinist who secretly practises Indo-Western fusion music with friends. Her father, classical violinist Nabin Sharma, first refuses, but after hearing them play and recalling his own break from family tradition, he blesses her. Tradition and change can live in harmony.

What Twin Melodies is about

Twin Melodies is a three-act play by Mitra Phukan in Unit 6 of Kaveri. Shruti Sharma, a talented young violinist and daughter of the master violinist Guru Nabin Sharma, plays in a fusion group with Iqbal (flute), Avinash (tabla) and Peter (keyboard). She has not told her strict father, who believes only classical Hindustani music is worthy. In Act I her friends urge her to speak up; in Act II, at dinner, her father flatly refuses and mocks fusion as 'phoo' music; in Act III her parents quietly attend a practice, her father is moved, and her mother reveals that Nabin himself once defied his family of vocalists to play the violin, then a Western instrument. Nabin admits his fears were baseless: 'each bay, its own wind'.

In the R1 paper, a drama extract (Q10, 5 marks; R2 has a separate drama extract) may come from this play, as well as 2-mark short answers (40-50 words) and 5-mark long answers (120-150 words) on character, the title, and tradition versus modernity. The unit teaches the aside, stage directions, non-lexical fillers and reported speech of exclamations.

Weightage: Class 9 English is a school examination of 80 marks, but CBSE prescribes the paper design. Section C (Literature, 30 marks) in R1: one prose/drama extract and one poetry extract (5 marks each), five of six short answers (40-50 words, 2 marks each) and two long answers (about 120-150 words, 5 marks each). R2 has three extracts, five of seven short answers and one long answer.Source: CBSE English Language syllabus, Class IX 2026-27, Question Paper Design R1 and R2

Twin Melodies: summary

In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.

Act I: at Iqbal's house. The play opens with four friends finishing a fusion rehearsal in Iqbal's room, which has posters of flautists Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shashank Subramanyam. Iqbal reads a newspaper line praising Shruti's performance with her father: 'Melody runs in the veins of Miss Shruti Sharma'. The boys tease her about throwing a party, but Shruti is lost in thought. Avinash guesses she still has not told her father about the fusion concert. Shruti explains that her father is very strict: he would see playing the violin to Western tunes as a desecration, as he believes only classical Hindustani music, with its ragas and aalaaps, is worthy of a serious artist. She cares about his opinion but wants to try this too. Her friends reassure her that he will come round, Iqbal joking that he gets scolded for breakfast every day. Shruti decides to 'bite the bullet' and raise it at dinner.

Act II: the dinner. Shruti sits lost in thought over her dosa while her parents joke. When she nervously mentions a concert next week, Nabin says no at once: his rule is one performance every six months, because 'familiarity breeds contempt'. He calls a group performance a way to drown her individual style. When she says it is an Indo-Western fusion concert, he is shocked that his own child has lost her 'sense of musicality', refuses to discuss it further, mocks fusion as 'phoo' music and leaves. Leela scolds Shruti for hiding her 'practice classes', and Shruti promises not to hide anything again.

Act III: the rehearsal. At Iqbal's house, Shruti decides in an aside to practise one last time and then tell her friends she cannot perform. During the practice her parents enter quietly; Nabin begins tapping his feet and clapping with pride. He praises the group as 'soulful' and says Shruti never lost sight of the raga's notes. He offers them the music room for practice. Speaking privately, Shruti thanks her parents. Nabin credits Leela for opening his eyes. Leela reveals that Nabin came from a traditional family of vocalists, and his father saw his choice of the violin, then not yet part of Indian classical music, as a betrayal. Nabin worked his fingers to the bone and succeeded. Nabin admits he underestimated the power of their own music and feared losing Shruti. Saying 'each bay, its own wind', he promises to root for her group, and Shruti hugs her parents.

Central idea: Tradition and innovation need not be enemies. Each generation must find its own path, and understanding grows when we listen and remember our own struggles.

Themes and message

Tradition and modernity

Nabin stands for classical tradition; Shruti's fusion group stands for new forms. The play shows that tradition can grow by mixing with the new: Shruti keeps 'the notes of the raga' even in fusion, just as the violin once entered Indian classical music.

From the text: 'Classical Hindustani music, with its ragas and aalaaps, is the only kind of music that an artist of any worth should play' and 'You did not lose sight of the notes of the raga even once'

History repeating across generations

Nabin once defied his family of vocalists to play the violin; now his daughter defies him to play fusion. The 'twin melodies' are two parallel journeys. Remembering his own past helps him accept hers.

From the text: 'Your own father, Shruti, had to go against his family's wishes to play the violin.' and 'I had forgotten my own past.'

Duty to family versus personal passion

Shruti does not want to hurt her father ('I don't want papa to feel that I don't care about his opinions, because I do'), yet she wants to follow her passion. Her inner conflict is resolved through honesty and her parents' openness.

From the text: 'I don't want papa to feel that I don't care about his opinions, because I do.'

Communication and understanding

The trouble grows because Shruti hides her practice; it eases when she speaks and her father listens. Her friends' advice 'He is your father, he will understand' proves right, and Leela acts as a bridge.

From the text: 'You are making matters worse for yourself by not talking to him.'

Friendship and cultural diversity

Iqbal, Avinash, Peter and Shruti come from different backgrounds and play different instruments, yet create one harmony. The group itself is a picture of unity in diversity.

From the text: Iqbal on flute, Avinash on tabla, Peter on keyboard and Shruti on violin in an 'Indo-Western fusion music piece'.

Characters

Shruti Sharma

A young aspiring violinist; the protagonist.

Talented: praised by the press and her father
Respectful and caring towards her father's opinions
Torn by inner conflict (a dilemma)
Courageous in the end: 'time to bite the bullet'
Honest after a lapse: promises not to hide again

'Melody runs in the veins of Miss Shruti Sharma'; 'I just don't know how to tell him in the right way!'; 'Sorry mummy, won't hide from you again.'

Guru Nabin Sharma

Shruti's father, a master violinist and Principal of Sangeetika Music School.

Strict and disciplined: one performance every six months
Devoted to classical tradition; dismissive of fusion at first
Capable of change: is moved by the performance and admits his mistake
Loving and supportive in the end

'No is the answer.'; 'Wah, how soulful!'; 'I realise that my fears were baseless.'

Leela Devi

Shruti's mother.

Humorous: jokes about her dosa
Firm: scolds Shruti for hiding the 'practice classes'
Wise peacemaker: opens Nabin's eyes by reminding him of his past

'It was Leela who opened my eyes.'; 'Your own father, Shruti, had to go against his family's wishes'.

Iqbal, Avinash and Peter

Shruti's friends in the fusion group (flute, tabla, keyboard).

Supportive and encouraging
Light-hearted: Iqbal's joke about scolding for breakfast; Peter's rhyme
Practical: Avinash says avoiding the talk makes things worse

'All ways are right ways, Shruti.'; 'He will scold you a little, maybe. But he will eventually come round.'

How it is written

Device	Example	Effect
Stage directions (in brackets)	'(calmly but firmly) No is the answer.'	Tell actors how to speak and move; the words are not spoken aloud.
Aside	Shruti: '(Aside) Oh, how much I enjoy performing this piece.'	Reveals her private thoughts to the audience; the other characters do not hear.
Non-lexical fillers and ellipsis	'Yes, actually I … er … was finding the right words'	Show Shruti's nervousness and hesitation.
Idioms and proverbs	'bite the bullet'; 'familiarity breeds contempt'; 'worked his fingers to the bone'; 'each bay, its own wind'	Make the dialogue natural and pack ideas into memorable phrases.
Parallel plot / irony	Nabin opposes Shruti exactly as his father once opposed him	The revelation in Act III gives the title its meaning and resolves the conflict.
Humour	'I basically have a little bit of scolding for breakfast every day!'; Leela's dosa joke	Lightens the tension and makes the family feel real.

Key quotations

Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.

Melody runs in the veins of Miss Shruti Sharma
Iqbal, reading the newspaper: Act I.
Shows Shruti's talent and inheritance.
He will think it a desecration of the violin to be played to Western tunes.
Shruti: Act I, explaining her fear.
Sets up the conflict between tradition and fusion.
I guess it is time to bite the bullet.
Shruti: End of Act I.
Her decision to face the difficult conversation.
More than that, familiarity breeds contempt.
Nabin: Act II, explaining his rule of one performance every six months.
Shows his discipline and strictness.
I had forgotten my own past.
Nabin: Act III.
His turning point: he recalls his own rebellion.
I underestimated the power of our own music.
Nabin: Act III.
He realises classical roots stay strong even in fusion.
After all each bay, its own wind.
Nabin: Act III.
Each person has a unique path; he accepts Shruti's.

Twin Melodies in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Talking honestly to parents

Suppose you have joined a robotics club after school without telling your parents, who expect you to attend extra maths tuition.

What does Shruti's experience teach you? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Hiding made things worse for Shruti.
'Bite the bullet' and speak.
Show results and respect their views.

Answer: Shruti's hiding only made matters worse, and her mother was hurt. I should 'bite the bullet' and tell my parents, explaining what I learn at the club and how I will manage maths. Honest talk, like Shruti's, gives them a chance to understand.

Memory hook: Secrets grow; conversations heal.

Each bay, its own wind

Imagine your elder cousin, a doctor, insists that you must also study medicine, though you love design.

How could Nabin's final words help this conversation? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Each person has a unique path.
One size does not fit all.
Respect differences.

Answer: Nabin finally accepts that 'each bay, its own wind': every person has a unique path. I could share this idea with my cousin, explain my love for design and show my work, so that he sees my path is different from his, not lesser.

Memory hook: Different winds, same sea.

Remembering our own past

Suppose your grandmother objects to your mother's new career, and your mother reminds her that she too once broke family tradition.

How does this resemble Leela's role in the play? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Leela reminds Nabin of his own rebellion.
Memory builds empathy.
Opposition softens.

Answer: Like Leela, my mother reminds an elder of her own past. Nabin had 'forgotten' his struggle until Leela spoke. Remembering what we once faced helps us understand the young and turns opposition into support.

Memory hook: Remember your own first step.

Topics in this chapter

Twin Melodies: Shruti, Nabin Sharma and the Meeting of Tradition and Fusion

How the school exam asks Twin Melodies

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Drama extract (Q10 in R1, 5 marks)	Dialogues from Act I or III with parts: Shruti's situation (in a dilemma); what 'the right way' means; the generation gap; how Iqbal reassures her; the bridge Nabin builds (traditional values and modern expressions); double meaning of 'lost'; a word that 'hug' does not convey (duty); the phrase about each artist's unique path.	Identify the speaker and the moment in the play. Use stage directions as clues to tone.
Short answer (Q12, 2 marks, 40-50 words)	The friends' attitudes to authority; why Nabin refuses; how Leela changes his mind; what 'each bay, its own wind' means.	Answer directly, then support with one action or line.
Long answer (Q13/Q14, 5 marks, 120-150 words)	Justify the title; analyse Nabin's change; Shruti's inner conflict; evaluate the ending; cultural diversity in the play.	Organise by acts: problem (I), conflict (II), resolution (III). Use two or three quotations.
Grammar and drama conventions	Reported speech of exclamations ('exclaimed with wonder that...'); purpose of the aside, colons and brackets in a script.	Remove interjections and the exclamation mark; use 'exclaimed', 'applauded' etc.; back-shift tense.
Writing: play script	Write a script from a story beginning (Anuradha, a tabla player, and her vocalist father), as in the Writing Task.	Setting and characters; colons after names; directions in brackets; an aside; fillers and ellipsis where natural.

Tricks to remember Twin Melodies

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Three acts in three words
Worry (Act I, Iqbal's room), Wall (Act II, dinner refusal), Welcome (Act III, parents' support).
Use it when: Act-wise summaries.
Who plays what
Iqbal = flute (I for instrument you blow), Avinash = tabla, Peter = piano-like keyboard, Shruti = strings (violin).
Use it when: MCQs and setting tables.
Four idioms of the play
Bite the bullet; familiarity breeds contempt; fingers to the bone; each bay, its own wind.
Use it when: Meaning and usage questions.

Twin Melodies: extract-based questions

Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.

Extract 1: Shruti's fear

He will think it a desecration of the violin to be played to Western tunes. Papa firmly believes that Classical Hindustani music, with its ragas and aalaaps, is the only kind of music that an artist of any worth should play.

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
Shruti's situation here is best described as:
(a) confident
(b) indifferent
(c) content
(d) in a dilemma
(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
What does 'desecration' mean?
(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Which phrase shows that her father values only serious classical artists?
(4) · 1 mark · MCQ
The extract reflects a generational gap because:
(a) Shruti dislikes all music
(b) the father values only tradition while the daughter wants to explore new forms
(c) Iqbal is older than Shruti
(d) the father plays the flute
(5) · 1 mark · Short answer
Shruti ends by saying she does not want her father to feel that she does not care about his opinions, 'because I do'. What does the last sentence reveal about Shruti?

Show the answersAnswers

(d) in a dilemma
Disrespect towards something sacred.
'an artist of any worth'
(b) the father values only tradition while the daughter wants to explore new forms
She loves and respects her father and does not want to hurt him.

Extract 2: Each bay, its own wind

Nabin: I underestimated the power of our own music. I was afraid you would be lost to us. I realise that my fears were baseless. After all each bay, its own wind. I trust you Shruti and I will root for your group at the concert!

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
Nabin's change of heart builds a bridge between:
(a) personal ambition and professional success
(b) traditional values and modern expressions
(c) strict discipline and casual learning
(d) historical techniques and futuristic inventions
(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Just before this, it is said that her father 'worked his fingers to the bone' and yet the violin did not get him far. 'worked his fingers to the bone' means:
(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
The word 'lost' is used in the sense of losing ________ and of physical separation.
(4) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Identify the phrase that refers to the uniqueness of each artist's journey.
(5) · 1 mark · Short answer
What does 'root for your group' mean?

Show the answersAnswers

(b) traditional values and modern expressions
Worked very hard.
her connection to their musical tradition (her roots)
'each bay, its own wind'
Support and cheer for the group.

Twin Melodies: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: Friends and authority · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

How do Iqbal and Avinash advise Shruti about facing her father, and what does it show about them? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Iqbal: 'All ways are right ways'; father will understand; jokes about scolding.
Avinash: not talking makes things worse; he will come round.
They are supportive, practical and light-hearted.

Answer: Iqbal assures her that 'All ways are right ways' and jokes that he gets scolded for breakfast every day. Avinash warns that avoiding the talk only makes things worse. Both are supportive and practical, and their humour helps Shruti find courage.

Example 2: How Leela changes Nabin · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

How does Leela help Nabin understand Shruti? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Reminds him of his past: family of vocalists, violin seen as betrayal.
He worked very hard and succeeded.
He sees his daughter repeating his own story.

Answer: Leela reminds Nabin that he came from a family of vocalists and that his father saw his choice of the violin as a betrayal. Nabin worked his fingers to the bone and succeeded. Remembering this, he realises Shruti is following the same brave path.

Example 3: Nabin's rule · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

Explain Nabin's reasons for refusing Shruti in Act II. Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

One performance every six months: familiarity breeds contempt.
Group drowns individual style.
Fusion = loss of musicality.

Answer: Nabin has a rule of one performance every six months, believing 'familiarity breeds contempt'. He feels a group concert would drown Shruti's individual style. Above all, he thinks fusion music shows a loss of musicality and is unworthy of a serious classical artist.

Example 4: Justify the title · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

Justify the title 'Twin Melodies'. How does the play explore tradition and modernity? Answer in about 120-150 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Two parallel journeys: Nabin's violin, Shruti's fusion.
Act II: father defends tradition.
Act III: Shruti keeps the raga within fusion.
Leela's revelation; 'each bay, its own wind'.
Conclusion: tradition and change in harmony.

Answer: The title refers to two parallel stories that sound like twin melodies. Years ago, Nabin went against his family of vocalists to play the violin, then a Western instrument not yet part of Indian classical music. Now his daughter Shruti goes against his wishes to play Indo-Western fusion. In Act II, Nabin defends tradition, calling fusion 'phoo' music. But in Act III he hears Shruti keep 'the notes of the raga' even within fusion, and Leela reminds him of his own struggle. He admits he 'underestimated the power of our own music' and accepts that 'each bay, its own wind'. The play shows that tradition is not destroyed by new forms; it grows through them. The twin melodies of past and present, father and daughter, finally play in harmony.

Example 5: Evaluating the ending · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Evaluate the play's conclusion. Does it realistically resolve the conflict? Answer in about 120-150 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Ending: parents attend, praise, offer music room, Nabin admits error.
Realistic elements: Leela's role, Nabin's own past, quality of performance.
Less realistic: very quick change; how parents found the practice is not shown.
Judgement with reasons.

Answer: The ending is warm and satisfying: Nabin claps 'furiously', praises the group, offers them the music room and promises to root for them. Much of it is believable. Nabin is a true musician, so hearing a soulful performance that respects the raga could move him. Leela's reminder of his own rebellion gives him a strong personal reason to change, and parents often soften when they remember their youth. However, the change is very quick. Only a day earlier he mocked fusion as 'phoo' music, and the play does not show the conversation in which Leela persuades him or how they found the practice. In my view the ending is hopeful rather than fully realistic, but it suits the play's purpose: to show that honest communication and memory can heal a family conflict.

Example 6: Suppose Nabin had stayed firm · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

Suppose Nabin had refused to attend the practice. How might Shruti have handled the situation? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

She had planned to withdraw (aside).
Could ask Leela to mediate; play a raga-based piece for him at home.
Respect plus persistence.

Answer: Shruti had already decided in her aside to withdraw after one last practice. She might have respected his decision, but asked her mother to mediate and played a raga-based fusion piece for him at home, showing that she had not lost her classical roots.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

What does 'each bay, its own wind' mean in the context of the play? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: each person has a unique path or style; Nabin accepts Shruti's fusion path as he once chose his own.	1
Expression.	1

Analyse the character of Nabin Sharma (120-150 words). (5 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: strict, traditional, disciplined (Act II evidence).	1
Content: change in Act III and its causes.	1
Content: final traits (loving, supportive) and judgement.	1
Expression.	1
Accuracy.	1

Where students lose marks in Twin Melodies

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Saying Nabin's family were violinists
Assuming he followed tradition.
Wrong working
Nabin followed his family's tradition of playing the violin.
Right working
His family were vocalists; he went against their wishes to play the violin.
Do this: Remember Leela's revelation.
Usually costs: 1-2 marks.
Mistake: Saying Shruti sang at the concert
Careless wording.
Wrong working
Shruti sang a few notes wrongly.
Right working
Shruti played the violin and never lost sight of the raga's notes.
Do this: She is a violinist.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Crediting Shruti or her friends for changing Nabin's mind
Missing the line in Act III.
Wrong working
Shruti's friends convinced Nabin.
Right working
Nabin says it was Leela who opened his eyes.
Do this: Quote 'It is your mother you should thank.'
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Using quotation marks in a play script
Mixing story and drama format.
Wrong working
"I want to play," said Anuradha.
Right working
Anuradha: (softly) I want to play.
Do this: Name, colon, brackets for directions.
Usually costs: Format marks in the writing task.

Practice questions on Twin Melodies

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level
Which instrument does Iqbal play?
(a) tabla
(b) keyboard
(c) flute
(d) violin
Hint
Posters on his wall.
Answer
(c) flute
Q2 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
What is an 'aside'? Give the example from the play.
Hint
Act III.
Answer
A speech heard by the audience but not by other characters; Shruti's '(Aside) Oh, how much I enjoy performing this piece...'
Q3 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level
How does Nabin react when he watches the practice in Act III? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Stage directions and his words.
Answer
Value points: becomes engrossed, taps his feet, claps furiously, expression of pride; calls it soulful; praises Shruti for keeping to the raga; offers the music room.
Model answer: Nabin becomes engrossed, taps his feet and claps furiously with pride. He calls the performance 'soulful', praises Shruti for never losing sight of the raga's notes and even offers the group his music room for regular practice.
Q4 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Report: Nabin said, 'Wah, how soulful! You all have done a wonderful job!'
Hint
Exclamation → exclaimed with...
Answer
Nabin exclaimed with delight that it was very soulful and that they had all done a wonderful job.
Q5 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Report: Iqbal said, 'I basically have a little bit of scolding for breakfast every day!'
Hint
Exclaimed/joked; back-shift.
Answer
Iqbal joked that he basically had a little bit of scolding for breakfast every day.
Q6 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level
Analyse how Nabin Sharma's attitude to music changes during the play. Answer in about 120-150 words.
Hint
Act II vs Act III; reason for change.
Answer
Value points: Act I (described as strict, classical only); Act II (no to concert, 'familiarity breeds contempt', 'phoo' music, leaves); Act III (engrossed, claps, praises, offers music room); reason (performance keeps raga; Leela's reminder of his own rebellion); admission ('underestimated', 'fears were baseless'); 'each bay, its own wind'.
Model answer: At first Nabin is a rigid guardian of tradition. Shruti describes him as believing classical Hindustani music is the only music worth playing. In Act II he refuses her flatly, citing his rule that 'familiarity breeds contempt', and mocks fusion as 'phoo' music before leaving the table. In Act III, however, watching the group, he taps his feet, claps with pride and praises Shruti for keeping to the raga's notes. Two things change him: the quality of the music itself, and Leela's reminder that he too once defied his family of vocalists to play the violin. He admits he 'underestimated the power of our own music' and that his fears were baseless. By accepting that 'each bay, its own wind', he moves from control to trust.
Q7 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
How does the play use Shruti's inner conflict to explore duty to family versus personal passion? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Her words in Act I and her aside in Act III.
Answer
Value points: cares about father's opinions; wants to try fusion; hides practice; plans to withdraw (aside) to honour family; resolution through honesty and understanding.
Model answer: Shruti cares about her father's opinion 'because I do', yet she longs to play fusion. Her aside shows she is ready to give it up out of duty. The play resolves this not by choosing one side, but through honest talk and mutual understanding.
Q8 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose you are Shruti. Write a short note (about 50 words) to your father before Act II, explaining why fusion matters to you.
Hint
Respectful tone; link to classical roots.
Answer
Value points: respectful address; acknowledges his views; explains love for both forms; assures her classical practice continues; invites him to listen.
Model answer: Dear Papa, I know how deeply you love classical music, and so do I. In our fusion piece I still play the raga's notes; I only want to see how they sound with flute, tabla and keyboard. Please hear us once before deciding. Your Shruti.
Q9 · 5 marks · Long answerExam level
Writing task: Write a short play script (about 150 words) based on the story beginning about Anuradha, a tabla player, and her vocalist father.
Hint
Setting, characters, colons, brackets, an aside.
Answer
Value points: list of characters and setting; dialogue with colons after names; stage directions in brackets (tone, action); at least one aside showing Anuradha's thoughts; fillers/ellipsis for hesitation; conflict with father; support from mother and brother; a clear ending (decision or reconciliation).

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.Who wrote Twin Melodies?Show answer
Mitra Phukan.
2.What is Nabin Sharma's position?Show answer
A violinist and Principal of Sangeetika Music School.
3.Which newspaper praised Shruti?Show answer
The Parbatpuri Daily Clarion.
4.What is Nabin's performance rule?Show answer
One performance every six months.
5.What does Nabin call fusion mockingly?Show answer
'phoo' music.
6.What was Nabin's family's musical tradition?Show answer
Vocal music; they were vocalists.
7.What does Nabin offer the group?Show answer
The music room for practice.
8.Who opened Nabin's eyes?Show answer
Leela, Shruti's mother.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

Can you summarise each act in two lines?
Can you give Nabin's three reasons for refusing?
Can you explain how Leela changes his mind?
Can you justify the title in four points?
Can you explain the aside and stage directions?
Can you report two exclamations from the play?
Can you write the opening of a play script correctly?

Twin Melodies: frequently asked questions

Who wrote Twin Melodies?

Mitra Phukan. It is the play in Unit 6 of the Class 9 English textbook Kaveri.

Why is the play called Twin Melodies?

Father and daughter follow parallel paths: Nabin chose the violin against his family of vocalists, and Shruti chooses fusion against his wishes. Their two journeys, and the blend of classical and Western music, are the 'twin melodies'.

Why did Nabin Sharma refuse at first?

He believed only classical Hindustani music was worthy, had a rule of one performance every six months, thought a group would drown her individual style and saw fusion as a loss of musicality.

What changed Nabin's mind?

Hearing the group's soulful performance, in which Shruti kept to the raga's notes, and Leela reminding him that he had once defied his own family to play the violin.

What does 'each bay, its own wind' mean?

Every person has a unique path and style; one rule does not fit everyone. Nabin uses it to accept Shruti's choice.

What is an aside in Twin Melodies?

In Act III Shruti speaks an aside, sharing her plan to practise one last time and then withdraw. The audience hears it, but the other characters on stage do not.

Based on: CBSE English Language syllabus, Class IX 2026-27 (R1 and R2); NCERT Kaveri, Textbook of English for Grade 9 (First Edition 2026), Unit 6: Twin Melodies