Option 1. Heavy, hard to understand, complicated.
Option 2: Funny, simple, for kids.
That was desi English fiction for you. Then Chetan Bhagat happened. Well, he happened over two (or 3 ) decades ago, but he surfaced as a novelist with “five point someone” and then quite a number of Indians read Indian authored books. His writing was termed as witty and dark.
His funny lines oozed with sarcasm, but that was what exactly made us laugh.
Yes, somewhere on the road to civilization in the recent century, comedy turned sarcastic. Ironic eh..
Then he wrote “One night @ the call center”, a book that represented/reflected the state-of-mind of almost half of the confused generation x in the country. similarly witty, dark writing.
The end of the book is impossible, it had God calling up the gang to a mobile phone to settle things. but then, that’s why its called fiction! I didn’t mind the God character in the book. He’s equally funny as the others, he can stay, no problem.
So! 2 books and I was hooked. He announced his third book last year. I read it in some tabloid. I kept checking the stores/websites but nothing happened for sometime. I just wished he would just hurry up and release it. I want to read it I say!
“Three mistakes of my life” a book about Cricket, Politics and Religion hit the Mumbai stores first. May be because Rupa&Co (the publishers) are based there. Chennai and I waited for a week and I got hold of the book as soon as it was stacked up on the shelf.
Expectation is a funny thing. Its like eating a candy and then sipping on a sweet drink, the drink isn’t sweet anymore. After I finished reading this new book, I still was thinking about the first 2 books.
Unlike the time when I read the second book and it took the first one’s space in the mind’s Chetan bhagat’s book section.
It just felt like an extension of five point someone, as if Alok, Ryan and Hari had started a business and the three mistakes is actually their story. Or perhaps Vroom and Shyam went to Gujarat and took up a trade. Only this time, the wit was not as witty as before. Is this what people call run of the mill?
The same seemingly weak protagonist (Hari in Five point../Shyam in one night../Govind in three mistakes..), the same seemingly hopeless friend who hatches up seemingly smart plans in the ultimate crisis (Ryan/Vroom/Ish), the same lady love who initiates the moves all the time (Neha/Priyanka/Vidya)
The official third book didn’t leave me waiting for the fourth; instead, I am still waiting for the third one. I wonder if he has announced his next book yet.
Option 2: Funny, simple, for kids.
That was desi English fiction for you. Then Chetan Bhagat happened. Well, he happened over two (or 3 ) decades ago, but he surfaced as a novelist with “five point someone” and then quite a number of Indians read Indian authored books. His writing was termed as witty and dark.
His funny lines oozed with sarcasm, but that was what exactly made us laugh.
Yes, somewhere on the road to civilization in the recent century, comedy turned sarcastic. Ironic eh..
Then he wrote “One night @ the call center”, a book that represented/reflected the state-of-mind of almost half of the confused generation x in the country. similarly witty, dark writing.
The end of the book is impossible, it had God calling up the gang to a mobile phone to settle things. but then, that’s why its called fiction! I didn’t mind the God character in the book. He’s equally funny as the others, he can stay, no problem.
So! 2 books and I was hooked. He announced his third book last year. I read it in some tabloid. I kept checking the stores/websites but nothing happened for sometime. I just wished he would just hurry up and release it. I want to read it I say!
“Three mistakes of my life” a book about Cricket, Politics and Religion hit the Mumbai stores first. May be because Rupa&Co (the publishers) are based there. Chennai and I waited for a week and I got hold of the book as soon as it was stacked up on the shelf.
Expectation is a funny thing. Its like eating a candy and then sipping on a sweet drink, the drink isn’t sweet anymore. After I finished reading this new book, I still was thinking about the first 2 books.
Unlike the time when I read the second book and it took the first one’s space in the mind’s Chetan bhagat’s book section.
It just felt like an extension of five point someone, as if Alok, Ryan and Hari had started a business and the three mistakes is actually their story. Or perhaps Vroom and Shyam went to Gujarat and took up a trade. Only this time, the wit was not as witty as before. Is this what people call run of the mill?
The same seemingly weak protagonist (Hari in Five point../Shyam in one night../Govind in three mistakes..), the same seemingly hopeless friend who hatches up seemingly smart plans in the ultimate crisis (Ryan/Vroom/Ish), the same lady love who initiates the moves all the time (Neha/Priyanka/Vidya)
The official third book didn’t leave me waiting for the fourth; instead, I am still waiting for the third one. I wonder if he has announced his next book yet.
4 comments:
Was a huge fan of Chetan Bhagat(inspite of not reading his books), I too was very much eager
to get hold of his latest book. But after the review(from many sources), I now feel it's
quiet right to first complete his "One night @ the CC" and "Five point someone" and keep my fingers
crossed for his 3rd book.
ya, its definitely worth reading the first two books, and if u like his style, think about buying the third book, in any case, the third book is priced quite reasonable at Rs.95
Hi. I am Amalan's friend and ex-colleague, Niranjani. I met u when u came to Envission. I worked as a copywriter there.
about ur article..
I like the way you write... :-)ur blog entry was really interesting
Btw, I also read 'One night at a Call Centre'. It wasn't great but was 'unputdownable'.
I also do a lot of blogging. Pl check out my blogs when u have time:
www.adtalknmore.blogspot.com
www.cornucopiaofthots.blogspot.com
Best Regards
Niranjani
hi, how are you. well yes, i agree with you, one night @..is definitely not a work of art, neither has it given eng literature a face-lift. i felt its a book u read for fun and i liked it for that :)
sure will read your blogs
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