Chetan Bhagat's latest “blockbuster”
has arrived : Half Girlfriend.
On this occasion some smirked, some
tsk-ed and some just plain ignored because no one wanted to be
dismissed as intellectually challenged to show interest in Chetan
Bhagat's book. So out of sheer curiosity and pity (not really), I
bargained it at 90 bucks on my way back home from college.
After 2 hours and 260 pages later, I
quite liked and disliked it. And here's the reason why:
He's written it like a film. A typical
hindi masala flick. And it doesn't pretend to be anything else.
Madhav Jha, Bihari boy from “the most
backward state in India,” lands in the most prestigious ans
snobbish St Stephens's College on a sports quota. Meets a beautiful,
rich, all english Delhi girl. Falls in love. Befriends her, and it
agrees to be his occasional-kiss-only type girl. Thereby becoming hus
half girlfriend. Bihari boy loses his patience, says something
horrible (The famous line: “Deti hai toh de, varna kat le” ) ;
ans do loses his half girlfriend, only to realise she was his one
“true” love.
The too much predictable haapy-happy
ending, I don't mean I would like a sad ending 260 pages later, but
the obvious kind of makes me sad. Also emphasing the fact that
Biharis and good engish don't go together makes it a cliche and not
to mention very stereotypical. Mr. Bhagat we would like to tell you
that not all Bihari's have disastrous english and not all Delhiites
have impeccable english.
Chetan Bhagat's self-plugging at the
start, in the middle and at the end of the novel is exemplary and
worth noting in your What-not-to-do-ever-if-you-write-a-book list.
Irrespective of what we say about your
book, remember sir we secrectly loved your book. After all who
doesn't like gooey hindi movies?
