Yesterday, I was
shocked to see a girl with a burnt face in Indian Idol 9 (aired on Sony)and she
looked so wounded and crestfallen. However, she mustered courage to put up a
song in front of Farah Khan, Anu Malik and Sonu Nigam. I felt that I
must reach out to her to know more about what had happened to her in her life so far.
This evening, I called her. Excerpts from the conversation that transpired:
How was your
experience in Indian Idol?
I was very
nervous. I could not sing properly. I was not even 10 per cent of how good I am
at singing. I had reached the venue at 6 am and my turn came at 11.30 pm. I hadn't even eaten my lunch because I felt that if my stomach is
full I might not be able to deliver my high-range song Kya Jaanu Sajjan (from
Baharon Ke Sapne).
How did your face
get burnt?
Mandir mein shaadi ki thi. Soon after my marriage, my husband asked me to go to
my house saying that he would come and take me back. I asked him why was he
leaving me, he said that he wasn't feeling well.
Three months
elapsed, there was no sign of him. He came after 3-4 months and took me home.
He was from a Bihari family jahan dahej bahej bahut chalta hai (pauses).
And then?
His mother never accepted me. and they started torturing me. My husband didn't
torture me though, but I realised that he was an alcoholic. He even lied to me
that he had some hi-fi job, but the fact was that he was unemployed.
One day suddenly,
I woke up to be told that I had to make kheer because they were expecting
guests at some point in the day. I was also told that I shouldn't use the
cooking gas but instead make it on the coal stove.
Suddenly, my
mom-in-law pushed me. And mind you, we were just the two of us in the kitchen
at that time. But nobody believed me. I was told that tumhare haath se hi doodh
gir gaya hoga sigree mein.
The milk fell
into the coal stove (sigree) and the steam splashed onto my face. Even my chest
got burnt (pauses).
Please
continue...
I woke up in a hospital. I don't know who admitted me. I was there for 2
months. I couldn't eat. When I ate, my lips bled.
Elaborate on the
torture...
I made rotis and my mom-in-law used to tuck them away in some secret place and
I had to literally ask her for one roti after another if and when I was hungry.
She started
storing the cooking oil in her room and used to give me only two spoons of it
if and when I required it to make anything which required oil.
At some point,
she started hiding even sugar.
What happened
when you were discharged from the hospital?
I reached home to
discover that nobody lived in that house anymore. My husband, my
mother-in-law... they had all gone away.
Why did that man
marry you when he didn't love you?
He had a drinking problem and wanted to use my money to buy alcohol. I was a
teacher and doing well for myself.
I was in deep
distress. He and his family tortured me no end, and kept telling me that I had
no means to prove my marriage. Mandir mein sirf sindoor dala tha usne mujhe. I
had no marriage certificate.
I had to wash four bedsheets every day. I was made to wash utensils in the
night and ordered to wash the same utensils again early morning even though
they hadn't been used after I had washed them in the night.
How did you fall in ,love with such a man?
(Thinks hard) Yeh pyaar nahin tha. Ek compromise tha. My friends told me
that I should say 'yes' to this guy who was chasing me. They said I had no
family and there is nobody to marry me off. Main unke baaton mein aa gayi.
What's your state
of mind now?
It's okay that I
couldn't make it. I am teaching English and Dance in Jharkhand now. Maybe I
should have chosen a different song. At least, I made it to be heard by three
esteemed judges on national television.
Why didn't you
complain to the cops about your shameful burnt incident?
I had no support,
no proof.
Will you ever get
married in future?
No such desire.
Frankly, I have nobody in my life today. Can I tell you something more?
Yes?
After appearing on TV last night, a few of my close relatives who had also
shunned me are not happy that I didn't take their name on TV yesterday. These
same people who never bothered to know if I am alive wanted me to acknowledge
them! But why should I? Whatever I am today, is only because of my own
hardwork.
Plus, this world
is full of sleazy people. Many people have called me to sing in shows, but when
they realised that I am not beautiful they eliminated me from their list. Logon
ki nazar bahut buri hoti hai. Kuch log itne mehereban ho jaate hain ki lagta
hai that they will gift me a house. I can so easily read between their
lines. Let me tell you a recent incident. Someone asked me to sing in an
event and started hounding me that I should have casual conversations with him!
Another event organiser had fixed me up for a singing event on New Year's Eve,
but the moment he saw my picture on his table he called up to say that I was
not performing for him anymore! 
Image Source: sonyliv