I am a slow reader and that is why, almost ten
days back, my younger son Utkarsh gave me ‘half girlfriend’, the latest book of
Chetan Bhagat and I took five days to finish it. In fact, I steal time for such
readings and can afford the luxury of reading any book, magazine or even
newspapers without break. Utkarsh is also now in the legal profession like me
but he has more time for pastimes. He is a fan of Chetan Bhagat. He tells me
that he has read all his books because they are very gripping and written in
racy style.
There is no doubt that the style of Chetan
Bhagat’s writing is very fast- paced and it keeps you busy till you have
finished. Not only the style but the contents of the book is titillating and it
arouses the curiosity page after to know what has happened next. To my mind his
‘3 mistakes of my life’ is one his best books. The literature, as I think, is
not meant only for the entertainment it must also provide food for thought. A
good literature needs to be remembered by the posterity but the king of
paperbacks, which is what Chetan Bhagat is described, has not delivered anything,
which can be remembered hence after ten years. Having said it all I cannot but
appreciate and admire the fertility of his mind for weaving the events and
incidents like warp and woof, which keeps one entangled till the last page.
‘half girlfriend’ is a story woven around a
Bihari young boy, who does not know the English but has got admission in the
super elitists St. Stephen's college of Delhi University, where most of the students
still shamelessly take pride in being the linguistic progenies of Goras. Any
way, the Bihari boy could get his admission from the sports quota, as he
happened to be an excellent player of badminton. He got into touch, which later
got converted into friendship, with English knowing, very rich Marwari girl.
The girl was also admitted in the college from the sports quota because she
also happened to be a good player of badminton.
The
similarity between the two ends there. She is extremely beautiful coming from
stingingly rich family. They have got the liking each other but there are many
hindrances in the blossoming of the love between the two. Her parents got her
married to a billionaire who is living in London. The marriage proved to be a disaster.
For the sake of the marriage, she was forced by her parents to drop her studies
and settle down in London with her husband. The marriage ended into a divorce
after a brief spell of one year.
Meanwhile, the Bihari boy graduated himself from
the prestigious collage, got a good job with banking industry. However, he gave
up his lucrative job and came back to his home town of Dumrao. It may be said
here that many of the characters and places in this book are real but their
characteristic is fictional. The boy, who is now a young man, is helping his
mother in managing and teaching in the school in this small town. In the
feudalistic setup in Bihar, his family enjoys good reputation from the poverty-stricken
people of the neighbouring villages.
To provide the dramatic twist to the story
Chetan Bhagat introduced Bill Gates, the richest man of the world, who is
visiting Bihar giving aids and charities for his philanthropic works. The young
Bihari man gets the opportunity to bring Bill Gates to his school and also gets
a good amount of money for revamping his school. Fired with zeal as he has
been, he converts his school into a model one. The fire of his love with the
Marwari girl is still burning in his heart. The girl after her divorce with the
London businessperson joins an NGO and comes to Patna, where this young man
accidentally meets her in one of the most posh hotel, the Chanakya of Patna.
The ashes from the fire of the love are removed
in the chance meeting and both of them come into close contact. Neither he has forgotten
her nor she of the college days which was nipped before reaching the climax.
Chetan Bhagat again provides a new turn to it and the girl suddenly leaves to
New York without informing her college friend, to pursue the profession of her
choice to become a singer in any hotel. Ultimately, the boy goes to New York to
search of the girl and finds her. This is like a happy-ending in a film.
The book is riveting indeed. No doubt, sooner
rather then later a film will be made on it, which will be as hitting and
successful as the earlier film (Three Idiot) made on his books ‘Three Mistakes
of Life’.
Chetan Bhagat is the rock star of Indian
publishing industry. After renouncing the highly paid job of the banking
sector, he has become a full time writer and now he is rolling in wealth. Mostly,
the college students lap- up his books but he has good readership cutting
across the age barriers. The young generation can draw lot inspiration from his
and his life as well. One may agree or disagree with him but no one can ignore
him this is the meeting ground between me and my son, Utakarsh, as far as
Chetan Bhagat and his books are concerned.
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