Rhythm Chanana has gone viral as the “Delhi Metro girl” after commuting on NCR’s transit routes in “bikini”, bras, and miniskirts. The 19-year-old actor and model from Punjab had been travelling unobtrusively for months until someone decided to snitch on her. Read on for her backstory and how it has nothing to do with Urfi Javed.

For the past few months, Rhythm Chanana was unobtrusively going about her business until a viral video ratted her out — and her Delhi Metro commute suddenly became everyone else’s business too.

The 19-year-old Punjab woman from Fatehgarh Sahib, who has now come to be known as the “Delhi Metro girl”, was wearing a bralette and a micro miniskirt aboard an NCR transit route when an unidentified co-passenger filmed her.

Shortly after the video went viral, Twitter sleuths found out “her name is Rhythm Chanana” and some from the media swooped in to tell her side of the story.

The teen, an aspiring actor and model, opened up about the incident to India Today — which happened to recognise her as a winner of their Life Tak contest earlier.

“I have been travelling like this for many months now. It happened to be viral now,” Rhythm explained. “I have not been allowed to travel on Delhi’s Pink Line, but on any other line I haven’t faced such a problem.”

As the backstory goes, the viral Delhi Metro girl comes from a conservative family who don’t agree with her progressive views and her neighbours back in Punjab are far more hostile — not above giving her threats.

Whether or not her fashion choices having anything to do with rebellion remains to be uncovered, however, Rhythm was very clear about what it was not.
“It’s my freedom in what I want to wear. I am not doing this for a publicity stunt or to become famous. I don’t care what people have to say,” she said.

Inevitably, she drew comparisons to Urfi Javed — the 25-year-old social media influencer who has carved her own niche as a miscellaneous fashion icon — but was quick to refute any connection.
In fact, she stated: “I am not inspired by Uorfi Javed [formerly Urfi Javed]. I didn’t even know who she was until recently a friend showed me her photo.”

Meanwhile, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has released an ironic statement warning people against “offending” commuters with their clothes — a personal choice according to the DMRC.

“DMRC expects commuters to follow all social etiquette and protocols… Commuters should not indulge in any activity or wear any attire which could offend sensibilities of fellow passengers. DMRC’s Operations & Maintenance Act in fact lists out indecency as a punishable offence…,” said Anuj Dayal, principal executive director, corporate communications, DMRC.

The statement continued: “We appeal to all our passengers to kindly maintain decorum while travelling in a public transport system like the Metro. However, issues such as the choice of clothing while travelling is a personal issue and passengers are expected to self-regulate their conduct in a responsible manner.”

Even with the dust nowhere settled on what has come to be a raging debate, there seems to be no social media chatter about the invasion of Rhythm’s privacy by her Delhi Metro co-commuter.

No she is not @uorfi_pic.twitter.com/PPrQYzgiU2

— NCMIndia Council For Men Affairs (@NCMIndiaa) March 31, 2023