2.2 Nabin’s Refusal and Leela’s Reproach

Last updated at July 14, 2026 by

NCERT Questions (from the Textbook)
Completing the Act II Summary

(From "Check Your Understanding") See full Check Your Understanding section

Completing the Act II Summary
Act II. Complete the summary by choosing the correct words from the box.
How to answer: Read each sentence grammatically: noun blanks need nouns, adjective blanks need adjectives.
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  1. absent-minded
  2. courage
  3. disapproval
  4. plea
  5. firm
  6. scolded
  7. clash
  8. setback

The two extra words are surprised and relief .

Practice Board Pattern Questions Mapped to Exam Format

Extract from the Play

“No is the answer... To drown your individual style in the hubbub of an orchestra is hardly a wise choice... I never thought any of my students, let alone my own child, would lose their sense of musicality to such an extent... All our practice will go down the drain.”

Summary in Bullet Points

  • Nabin refuses before he has even heard the fusion performance. No is the answer = his authority is firm and immediate.

    Bhai, papa ne bina sune MANA kar diya. "No is the answer" — seedha. Yeh situation relatable hai — kabhi kabhi elders decide kar lete hain bina poori baat sune. Authority firm thi.

  • He believes frequent performances and group fusion will weaken serious individual art. familiarity breeds contempt = overexposure can reduce respect; hubbub = noisy confusion.

    "Familiarity breeds contempt" — matlab ek cheez zyada bar karo toh uski value kam lagti hai. Nabin ka maanna hai ki zyada performances aur group music karo toh serious artistry khatam ho jaati hai. Agree ya disagree, sochne wali baat hai.

  • Leela scolds Shruti for hiding the practice, while Shruti fears the group’s effort will be wasted. go down the drain = be wasted; this shows the stakes for the whole group.

    Ab dono taraf se maar padi! Maa ne kaha — "tune chhupa kyun rakha?" Aur Shruti soch rahi hai ki sare dosto ki mehnat "drain mein chali jayegi" — barbaad ho jayegi. "Go down the drain" = kuch jo barbaad ho jaaye, kuch na kuch na ho paaye.

Hinglish explanation: Nabin ka reaction immediate aur strict hai. Woh performance ke baare mein sunne se pehle hi ‘No’ bol dete hain, kyunki unke liye classical discipline aur individual style bahut important hain. Shruti request karti hai ki papa ek practice dekh lein, par Nabin fusion music ko noise samajh kar reject kar dete hain. Leela bhi Shruti ko scold karti hai because she hid the truth.

Fill in the Blank. 1 mark
Nabin says “familiarity breeds __________.” (contempt / courage)
How to answer: Use the proverb Nabin quotes.
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contempt.

Contempt = nafrat ya disrespect. "Familiarity breeds contempt" ek famous idiom hai — zyada familiar ho toh value kam ho jaati hai. Courage se koi matlab nahi iss idiom ka.

Shruti fears all their practice will go down the __________. (drain / road)
How to answer: Use Shruti’s idiom for wasted effort.
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drain.

Drain — sab barbaad ho jaayega. "Go down the drain" = barbaad ho jaana. Road pe nahi jaata — drain mein jaata hai waste. Yaar Shruti soch rahi thi ki sari practice aur mehnat ek jhone mein flush ho jayegi.

MCQ. Conflict (1 mark)
Why does Nabin object to the fusion concert?
How to answer: Choose the option that reflects his artistic belief, not just anger.
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A. He dislikes Iqbal personally.
B. He believes fusion may drown Shruti’s individual musical style.
C. He wants Shruti to stop music completely.
D. He thinks the concert venue is too far away.
Nabin objects because he believes fusion and orchestral performance may drown Shruti’s individual classical style.

Nabin do reasons mein bolta hai: (1) Western music violin ki beizzati hai unke hisaab se. (2) Group fusion se individual serious art kamzor hota hai. Dono points mein ek classical puritan ka nazar hai.

Short Answer. Parent-child Trust (2 marks)
Why does Leela scold Shruti even though she later helps her?
How to answer: Separate Leela’s two concerns: hiding the truth and supporting Shruti’s art.
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Leela scolds Shruti because Shruti joined the group and practised without telling her parents. However, Leela later helps because she understands that Shruti’s wish to explore fusion is sincere. Leela disapproves of the secrecy, not of Shruti’s talent.

Leela maa hai — usne scolding is liye ki Shruti ne chhupa rakha tha. Yeh galat tha. Lekin saath hi Leela jaanti hai Shruti ka talent bhi. Isliye baad mein help karti hai. Scolding correction ke liye thi, support alag cheez hai.

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