THE GIRL IN THE METRO

People flooded the open auditorium of Phoenix Mall for the biggest musical event of the year, “The Madras Musical.” The sponsors took care of the stage set-up, power backup, and orchestration. Different coloured lights beamed in all directions. Along with the Rhythm of Chennai band members, Chandru waited behind the stage to perform. He sweated profusely not because of Chennai’s weather but due to stage fright. He mopped his face with his kerchief for the umpteenth time and tuned his guitar to perfection. It was his first time performing in front of a large gathering that evening. The violin lying beside him caught his attention. Though he was present there at the moment, his thoughts wandered about the girl he had met in the metro. He wondered how this girl turned his ordinary life into something extraordinary.

It all started in the metro after COVID. The Chennai city corporation, metro authorities, and even the local police supported and promoted young talents by providing the licence.

On Valentine’s Day evening, the Rhythm of Chennai band was jamming in the metro. Along with the other commuters, Chandru was in the compartment that evening. A girl, neither tall nor short, dressed in ripped blue jeans and a full-sleeved white t-shirt, caught his eye. She held a violin in her left hand and a bow in her right hand, armed like a warrior. A tiny black bindi and pony-tailed hair complemented her classy attire. The peach lipstick and mascara enhanced her fair complexion. She captivated him not only with her appearance but also with the way she played the theme music from ‘96 on her violin. Her two-minute performance lifted the spirits of the exhausted commuters. And the entire compartment erupted when the band played “Anthathi” from ‘96 next. And in no time, they were all grooving to “Kadhale Kadhale” and singing in tandem with the band’s singers. Chandru stayed back to savour the ecstatic mood till the end.

“May I have your autograph?” Chandru asked her as they were about to leave. Perplexed by the question, she nodded in haste. He fetched a pen and paper from his bag and offered them to her. Despite her friends’ giggles, she signed it without hesitation. “Sanjana,” the autograph stated.

A month later, Chandru saw the same band perform at his colleague’s wedding reception. He pulled a few strings to attract Sanjana, who was busy playing “Snehithane” from Alaipayuthey. He bribed a random kid at the wedding reception with an ice cream and asked him to deliver a note to Sanjana.

“Could you please play ‘Sundari’ on your violin for your secret admirer?” Sanjana read the note. She never cared about the secret admirer but played the requested song.

Chandru bribed another random kid with ice cream to deliver a bouquet to Sanjana. The note in the bouquet read, “Thank you.”

Sanjana accepted the bouquet from the kid, read the note, and smiled. But the curiosity to know about her hidden admirer was palpable on her face. As a result, Chandru revealed his identity. He patted Sanjana’s shoulder from behind, gave her a paper, and remained silent. The autograph on the paper sent shivers down her spine.

“Who gave you this?” She asked after regaining her composure.

“YOU!” Chandru replied. 

“WHAT???”

“Okay, calm down. Do you remember the guy who asked you for an autograph after the jam session in the metro on Valentine’s Day evening? It was me!”

“Thank God, you freaked me out for a moment! What’s your name, my secret admirer?” Sanjana asked.

Chandru extended his hand and introduced himself. Sanjana shook it. Later during the event, Sanjana introduced Chandru to the rest of the band members, namely Regina, Mathew, Gaurav, and Pallavi. They spent the rest of the evening together, like college friends who had gathered for a reunion. They also followed each other on Instagram that night.

Chandru and Sanjana stayed in touch on Instagram for months. Sanjana would invite Chandru to all of their jam sessions, and he would be the first person to arrive and the last person to leave with the band members. Chandru got along well with the members of the band. The band became quite popular in the city, and their cover version of “Unakkul Naane” had reached 2 million views on their YouTube channel.

One day, Chandru and Sanjana were discussing the upcoming jam session on Instagram.

“The Rhythm of Chennai band invites you to our upcoming jam session on the 13th of October at Bessy Beach at 6:00 PM,” Sanjana texted.

“I will definitely come,” Chandru replied.

“One more thing. Our band invites applications for the position of guitarist. We will choose the applicant based on skill and not a portfolio of Instagram photos,” Sanjana mocked Chandru. Chandru's Instagram profile picture featured him pretending to play guitar. And the caption quoted, “Every master was once a beginner!”

“FYI: I have learned the basic lessons of playing guitar. So technically, I’m an eligible candidate for the post,”

“In that case, show me your skill set. Play a song for me, and I’ll refer you to the band,” 

“I prefer standing on my own legs rather than on recommendations,”

“Get lost, you loser!”

“I’ll play for you someday,”

“I’m waiting!” She sent a bye emoji and went offline.

Later that night, Chandru thought about taking advanced guitar lessons.

Months later, during a post-jam session, Chandru broke some exciting news to the band while they were refreshing at the Britto Cafe in East Tambaram.

“Guys, I’ve made plans for your next musical event. You’re going to play at my office’s anniversary party, and here’s the advance amount,” He showed the cheque to the band members.

“OMG! How did you get that without even informing us?” Sanjana inquired.

“My office is about to celebrate its fifth anniversary in January, and we had a meeting regarding the celebration a few days ago. And guess what? They appointed me as the event coordinator for my management skills. We have planned to conduct a lot of activities during the celebration, and one of them is your musical event. I showed your viral YouTube videos to the event management committee and got their approval and advance cheque without a hitch,” Chandru boasted.

“Hail to our event coordinator! Hip-hip hurray!” Mathew shouted, and the others continued.

The band members were so excited about the party. But Chandru devised a plan to impress Sanjana at the party.

Chandru’s corporate office was on the outskirts of Chennai. The Rhythm of the Chennai band was waiting for their performance behind the stage.

“Before the evening’s main event, let’s listen to a solo performance by your event coordinator, Chandru!” announced the emcee.

Upon hearing the announcement, Sanjana and the other band members raced to the stage to glimpse his performance.

The lights went off for a minute, and when they came back, they focused on Chandru and his guitar in the centre of the stage. He started to sing and play “Mundhinam Parthene” on his guitar. His eyes constantly checked Sanjana’s reaction throughout the performance. Along with the corporate mob, the band members also whistled and cheered for him when he finished.

The musical performance by the band was an instant hit, and it became the highlight of the party. The corporate mob thoroughly enjoyed the musical event. Their voices echoed throughout the campus. They even requested a few songs to repeat. Overall, it was an amazing experience to cherish.

“Dude! When did you learn to play guitar like this?” Sanjana exclaimed after the party.

“First, I don’t even know that you play guitar,” Mathew said.

“Exactly!” Pallavi said, and the rest of them affirmed.

“I learned the basics of playing guitar during my school days. I started the advanced lessons on playing guitar a few months ago,” Chandru answered.

“The way you played guitar was like you owned the stage!” Regina appreciated it.

“We have got a guitarist in our band,” Mathew informed.

“Don’t exaggerate, guys! I’m just learning,” Chandru said.

“Every master was once a beginner!” Sanjana quoted and burst into peals of laughter. She secretly knew that Chandru learned to play guitar just for her.

Months later, while they were texting on Instagram, Sanjana broke the shocking news to Chandru.

“Gaurav and Pallavi are attending the audition for the upcoming Super Singer competition. We can’t manage the upcoming jam session without our lead singers. Since both Mathew and Regina are siblings hailing from musical backgrounds, they can sing well too. However, it would be far more beneficial if you could only join us for this session,” Sanjana explained.

“How could I? Moreover I’m not a professional like you people. When is the next jam session?” Chandru asked.

“The next jam session is within a week, and that’s why I seek your help,” Sanjana said.

After much deliberation, Chandru consented to join their forthcoming jam session at Pondy Bazaar.

The next jam session took place in Pondy Bazaar’s Pedestrian Plaza. The shopkeepers provided the electrical support required for the musical arrangements. Like the moon, the streetlights glowed brightly. The session started exactly at 6:00 p.m. when people poured into the streets to shop.

Sanjana began with her violin, playing “Katre En Vaasal Vandhai,” while Mathew supported her with keys. Without a doubt, she mastered the art of violin playing at 13. The music emanating from her violin’s strings attracted people like swarming honey bees. Regina kept the audience’s attention by performing “Adiye Azhage” on her flute, and Chandru supported her with vocals and guitar. The streets soon came alive with the sound of music. Mathew then took over playing the next song, his hands danced on the keyboard. He played “Enna Solla Pogirai” on his keyboard. Chandru sang the entire song, with the help of Regina’s flute and Sanjana’s violin in the background. It was an outstanding performance. Finally, it was Chandru's turn. He sang and performed “Thangame” on his guitar. In no time, Sanjana accompanied him with her violin for the interludes. Both competed like never before, and their performance was amazing. The violin interludes, in particular, caused a spontaneous outburst in the audience. Their performance awed the band members. The audience loved their chemistry. The session ended with thunderous applause from all directions.

The band members partied and dined at Hawkin’s Resto Bar & Pub after the successful jam session. Chandru offered to drop Sanjana at her apartment, and she agreed with a smile. The car cruised toward the ECR route. Despite her inebriation, Sanjana never hesitated to engage him in conversation inside the car.

“I had a great time performing with you. It was energetic and impulsive. I did not know that we shared a terrific rapport. I wish to recreate the magic that happened today. Hence, I want you to be beside me at the Madras musical event,” Sanjana said. “Also, I want you to be there for me always!” She added.

“Is it you or the alcohol making you talk like this?” Chandru mocked.

“Shut up, you idiot!” Sanjana shrieked. “Now tell me, will you join me or not?” She asked.

“We will talk about that tomorrow,” Chandru said.

“Why did you come to all the jam sessions? Why did you learn to play the guitar and perform at your office party? Why did you come to my rescue today? Tell me...tell me...tell me...tell me.” She probed further.

“It was for you! All the time!” Chandru blurted out the truth.

They drove in silence for the rest of their journey to her apartment. Upon reaching her apartment, she hugged him as tightly as she could, planted a kiss on his cheek, and whispered in his ears, “I love you.” 

A cool breeze enveloped them under the star-studded sky while the moon shone brightly, and the only thing lacking from the scene was an Ilaiyaraaja background score.  

The happiness on Chandru’s face vanished in an instant when Sanjana coughed. Her cough became severe, and she quickly spat out blood. She vomited blood before passing out. Chandru alerted her parents and drove her to a nearby hospital. While the procedures were happening inside the ICU ward, Chandru examined her handbag. He figured out her medical condition from the medical report, which said, “Lung Cancer - Stage II.” That night, sleep eluded him. Unanswered questions filled his mind. Is she aware of this already? If so, why didn’t she inform me? Do her parents or any of her friends know about this?

The next morning, Chandru and the rest of the band members, as well as Sanjana’s parents, were at the hospital waiting for the doctor’s opinion of Sanjana's health.

“Since we identified cancer at an early stage, we can remove it surgically. Prior to that, we must immediately begin radiation and chemotherapy. We need to admit her for treatment for at least a month,” the doctor suggested. Her parents accepted the doctor’s suggestion.

A few days later, they shifted Sanjana to the general ward. They explained the cancer treatment and medications to her. When she learned about the band’s refusal to take part in the Madras Musical Event without her, she became devastated. She tried her best to convince all of them. They finally agreed to take part in the event for Sanjana after much contemplation and deliberation. Sanjana won her first battle by convincing her friends. The next one was the fight against cancer.

Members of the Rhythm of Chennai band, including Chandru, were there today behind the stage of the Phoenix Mall’s open auditorium, waiting for their slot in the Madras Musical event. The crowd erupted for the Rhythm of Chennai band upon hearing their name.

Regina placed the flute next to her mouth and played “Poo Pol” (Minnale). Gaurav and Mathew joined her, providing backup vocals for the next two minutes. Then, Mathew took over the tempo with his keyboard by playing and performing “Oru Naalil.” Mathew pulled a few strings in the crowd, and they all sang, or rather, roared, in unison for the chorus, with a little musical backing from the background. Gaurav and Pallavi performed the duet number “Pookal Pookum” flawlessly, as planned. Their soothing voices captivated the crowd. They erupted during the keyboard and flute interludes, as well as the closing chorus. In no time, the band had reached its penultimate song, “Onnaka Munthiri” (Hridayam), which had surpassed a million views on their YouTube channel. They performed it a cappella.

Suddenly, there was a brief pause. The confused audience ceased their roars for a second. Assuming the band’s performance was over, they cheered. But they did not know that it was a trap set by the band. It was the moment that the band had been waiting for. Chandru pondered about Sanjana before playing “Nenjukkul Peidhidum Maamazhai” on his guitar. His solo guitar performance enthralled the audience.

The crowd enjoyed, danced, and roared for each song. Their energy levels were unmatched and highly intoxicating. The flawless musical arrangements enhanced the quality of the songs. The colourful lights flashed now and then, adding to the surreal atmosphere like icing on the cake.

Following their performance, the band went to meet Sanjana at the hospital after her mother informed them of her health condition. Her health deteriorated rapidly, and so they transferred her to the intensive care unit (ICU) that afternoon. While everyone was waiting outside the ICU ward, a nurse called for Chandru and handed him a note from her. It stated: “If I’m dead, my violin is yours; otherwise, I’m yours. Best of luck!”

Chandru took a seat next to the violin lying on the metallic chair. He thought about Sanjana and her impact on his life. He hoped to see her soon :)