Well, first I can say about this book is that I was surprised! Honestly, the standard of CB's writing is really changed, its very obvious. In all his previous books the smell of an IIT or at least an engineering college wouldn't leave his pages. But now, I really look up to him as a real story writer.
Enough of chatting about his writing. Let's jump into the book.
Well, as many of you may have read in many reviews this book is about two boys and a girl, who pursue their passions in Varanasi. Three of them are classmates from their childhood and all three take up IIT coaching to satisfy their parents even though none of them really desire it. Aarti Pradhan, the girl, wants to be an air hostess, Raghav Kashyap, her would- be husband wants to do journalism to change the world, and Gopal Mishra, the "educationist" simply wants to earn money.
The story revolves around how the Gopal opens an engineering college and, Raghav takes up journalism and tries to change the world and how Aarti, in the middle of her passion to become an air hostess struggles between the two boys who love her. The climax comes when Aarti, who had previously loved Raghav, is now cheating on him because he slowly drifted away from her because of his passion to start the revolution which he expects by 2020 by the youth of India to stop corruption. In the end, Gopal suddenly morphasizes into a good man and convinces Aarti that he's a terrible person to make her go back to Raghav again.
Many changes were noticed in this book as compared to the previous ones. There is a good portrayal of India's dark side and the dirtiness of the holy river Ganga, and how the politicians are making it dirty. The story also casts a good image of the real problems in India, the land problems, parents with non- IIT-ian children, corrupt MLAs, which is actually the best part. The whole corrupt system is well shown. As always, CB's ironical style of writing, with a shade of disapproval is there. Like all his other books, I half liked and half disliked it ;-).
The part I disliked was the unrealistic part. In the climax, Gopal goes to Kashyap to tell him that his girlfriend is no longer his girlfriend, and to remind him of his low status when compared to his status. At Raghav's office (well, not exactly an office, you'll know as you read the book..) he sees a small boy who's the son of a poor farmer who had travelled across a hundred miles to see Raghav. The boy, Keshav, reminds Gopal of his childhood when he was pure and good. Another boy, Ankit, tells Gopal that Raghav is a very good person. These things miraculously work on Gopal's mind which was polluted for over six years, and suddenly, as suddenly as that, Gopal turns good. He sacrifices his girlfriend and his ego for the sake of a "revolution". How much bravery and strength of mind does a person need to sacrifice his ego and everything that he likes, for the sake of a revolution he never believed in, for the sake of a person he dislikes to the rock bottom, or, to take an idealistic side, for the sake of himself? If Gopal were really that brave, why would he give in to corruption in the first place?
I found this really unrealistic. I actually felt that he was writing for movies, because recently, all his movies are being made into books. The unrealistic part was totally cinematic. Sorry CB but that's what I felt.
Over all, like all his other books, it's a fun read, may be a better read than the previous ones. So read on! :-)
- Sharada Kuchibhotla.
Enough of chatting about his writing. Let's jump into the book.
Well, as many of you may have read in many reviews this book is about two boys and a girl, who pursue their passions in Varanasi. Three of them are classmates from their childhood and all three take up IIT coaching to satisfy their parents even though none of them really desire it. Aarti Pradhan, the girl, wants to be an air hostess, Raghav Kashyap, her would- be husband wants to do journalism to change the world, and Gopal Mishra, the "educationist" simply wants to earn money.
The story revolves around how the Gopal opens an engineering college and, Raghav takes up journalism and tries to change the world and how Aarti, in the middle of her passion to become an air hostess struggles between the two boys who love her. The climax comes when Aarti, who had previously loved Raghav, is now cheating on him because he slowly drifted away from her because of his passion to start the revolution which he expects by 2020 by the youth of India to stop corruption. In the end, Gopal suddenly morphasizes into a good man and convinces Aarti that he's a terrible person to make her go back to Raghav again.
Many changes were noticed in this book as compared to the previous ones. There is a good portrayal of India's dark side and the dirtiness of the holy river Ganga, and how the politicians are making it dirty. The story also casts a good image of the real problems in India, the land problems, parents with non- IIT-ian children, corrupt MLAs, which is actually the best part. The whole corrupt system is well shown. As always, CB's ironical style of writing, with a shade of disapproval is there. Like all his other books, I half liked and half disliked it ;-).
The part I disliked was the unrealistic part. In the climax, Gopal goes to Kashyap to tell him that his girlfriend is no longer his girlfriend, and to remind him of his low status when compared to his status. At Raghav's office (well, not exactly an office, you'll know as you read the book..) he sees a small boy who's the son of a poor farmer who had travelled across a hundred miles to see Raghav. The boy, Keshav, reminds Gopal of his childhood when he was pure and good. Another boy, Ankit, tells Gopal that Raghav is a very good person. These things miraculously work on Gopal's mind which was polluted for over six years, and suddenly, as suddenly as that, Gopal turns good. He sacrifices his girlfriend and his ego for the sake of a "revolution". How much bravery and strength of mind does a person need to sacrifice his ego and everything that he likes, for the sake of a revolution he never believed in, for the sake of a person he dislikes to the rock bottom, or, to take an idealistic side, for the sake of himself? If Gopal were really that brave, why would he give in to corruption in the first place?
I found this really unrealistic. I actually felt that he was writing for movies, because recently, all his movies are being made into books. The unrealistic part was totally cinematic. Sorry CB but that's what I felt.
Over all, like all his other books, it's a fun read, may be a better read than the previous ones. So read on! :-)
- Sharada Kuchibhotla.
commendable work !!!!!!!!!
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