Stardom

 It was 2AM. A sinister cry billowed in the sleepy confines of Paradise Heights, Cuff Parade. Stark darkness and complete silence, fear gripped the thudding hearts of neighbors who dared not move an inch of their mortal self. No electricity compelled them to go back to their beds, considering the shrill to be a prank of subdued imagination. 

"Hand over the body to postmortem before the media arrives!" Inspector Sainath was quick in delivering his commands. Yet, the media had already thronged the gates of Paradise Heights, given the murder of their favourite musician Sonu Mallick. Sainath banged the door in exasperation, as this was the second case of a lyricist's murder in past three months. The murderer,too, seemed to have an affair with poetry as everytime he left no clues but only lyrics written on the floor, inked by the blood of the dead body. 

This time too, 

Jana nahi tha tumhe itni door

Wapas layenge tumhe hamare sur

Ye hamara nahi, aapka hi hai hamare pyar par gurur! 

Bile rose up in mouthful, as he read the rustic poetry sprawled across near the deceased body. 

*  *  *   *  *

Suhana adjusted her dupatta and rushed to catch the 9:30am bus to Matunga Station. From there a train and then again a bus, would drop her at the palatial RK studios in chembur. The scorching heat had melted her raw skin but not her enthusiasm to sing at the auditions. She supped sips of warm water from her steel thermos and wiped the fresh beads of sweat that sprout in anticipation. 

"Contestant No. 21," the boy with the Indian Idol t-shirt called out and she entered the brightly lit room. The air-conditioner flapped vigorously, sending a shiver down her bones. Having stayed in the humid confines of DagduSheth chawl for 22yrs in Matunga,she wasn't used this cooling affair. Caressing her goosebumps, risen from the cold, she noticed how her favourite judges were eyeing her. 

Sonu Mallick, the reputed musician of Kadwa fame winked at her as her dupatta slipped off the shoulder. The bubbly, Sneha Kakkar rolled her eyes on noticing this wink. Only Vishal Kadlani, commanded her to sing. She made a request, "I will sing a song written by me. Hope you love the voice and the lyrics."

Her confidence fumed Sonu but Sneha calmed him and allowed her to follow Suhana her own verses. The soulful voice touched the judge's heart and then from here onwards there was no looking back for Suhana. The quater finals, semi finals, upto the finals-Suhana enthralled the audiences with her own lyrics. In the day, she rehearsed to the songs she wrote at dusk. The evening sky always gave her the right melody and lyrics to the song. The finals were approaching, Sonu Mallick was always. He found ways to feel her- nudging, pating, forceful embrace, all on the pretext of congratulating her. She was irked but helpless who would believe a newbie. People would think she was thirsty for fame, for popularity. 

Only the finals, and I will not have to bear his advances, she thought. But few nights before her finals, he had barged into her room and tried to force himself on her. Seeing her not giving her to the demand, he had threatened her with dire consequences. But she stuck to her goal, like a stinging bee, refusing to bulge in. 

"Sneha mam, will you please help me with these lyrics for the finals." 

"Keep the diary here, I check it in a while."

But the while never came and Suhana remorsefully gathered wits to speak to Vishal. 

"Babes, a crore and you will be the winner! Why struggle so much?" Kadlani's offer had turned her blood cold. She shivered in the heat of the moment. 

The finals came and she lost. Lost to  filthy desires, convinent neglect and greedy minds. Dejected, she promised herself, she would definitely make them pay for this. Pay for Baba's sold shop, Aai's mortgaged jewellery and Bhau's stopped MBA. They will all pay, she wiped a lone tear and walked out on the glamour and cheap industry. 

*  *  *  *  *  *

'Struggling Singer, Suhana Jagtap murders Musician Sonu Mallick.' The newspapers go overboard announcing their victory over trapping the guilty. 

Inspector Sainath, along with his women squad drag Suhana out of DagduSheth chawl. The lyrics in her diary, found in red near the corpse had proven her guilty. Yet she pleaded guilty and begged innocence. Sainath, the crime branch officer had a heart of steel when it came to offenders. Proud of his success to close the file in a month, he clambered down the wooden stairs with a spring in his leg. 

*  *  *  *   *  

Sneha quaffed pint after pint of Bloody Mary while the lyrics sang by Suhana in one of the episodes soothed her soul. 

Raat khafa na hona humse

Badmashi toh unone ki thi

Hum toh bas dawa kar rahe the

Gustaki toh hatho ne ki thi 

Somebody had to be the victim, if multitudes of hearts needed to be saved. The murders were her own revenge sort as the price she had paid for stardom. The diary left at her mercy was the biggest Kohinoor in plotting this game!