By Mayank Dixit
In a country which boasts of producing Nobel laureates such as Tagore and literary works which are no less than masterpieces, we are on the verge of seeing the birth of a new era where clichéd romantic tales are the new iconic but not so iconic couplets from Romeo Juliet.
And the person heralding this new era is none other than the multi-talented Chetan Bhagat.
Chetan first decided to do an engineering, then an MBA, work in a bank and finally found his calling and love for the only thing he should be stripped of doing, writing full-time.
The first novel of his that I read, “Five Point Someone” was actually an exceptional read;
For those people who have read telephone directories under the disguise of life-altering literature. He is like a factory.
Repetitive.
He churns out one bestseller after another if you can call them that. “One Night At The Call Center” revolving around the love between colleagues, “Three mistakes of my life” revolving around love in weird situations, “Two States” revolving around the love between people from different states, “Half Girlfriend” which was all about love expressed on each single page.
See the repetitiveness?
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Because you know, love, relationships etc are all that we care about. Our careers, our personal life, our dreams are just stupid things which can be focused on whenever we want. Really impressive Mr. Bhagat.
And the people have been showering so much love on him that the English honors faculty actually decided to include his “Five Point Someone” as an elective book to be taught to the course students.
What exactly the world is coming to?
Is our literature so weak and so poor in terms of resources that it can’t give us some classic and the only option we have is to read a pseudo youth representative?
After long protests by the faculty and students alike, the decision was taken back and common sense and faith in the education restored, somewhat.
The latest attack from the Chetan Bhagat arsenal came last year. “One Indian Girl” was meant to be a different book. From a girl’s perspective. And Chetan did a fine job because the book was everything but misogynistic, boring and portraying women as having a collective sense of false righteousness.
Great job Mr. Bhagat.
Not.
The only option we have is to read a pseudo youth representative? But then why do people actually read Chetan Bhagat? Who are all those people making him famous and rich with each below par novel of his?
Well to answer this, his targets the average indian household. They want masala in their novels and that is what chetan bhagat provides them. They can easily get the entertainment they want from his novels what they can’t get from say, ” The Alchemist”.
His books glorify the sexual chemistry between the characters in such an elaborate manner, it feels as if you are reading a hindi erotic novel. This major thing, of describing the sexual chemistry between the characters is also what draws people to purchase his books.
Plus the people picking his books have not actually experienced English literature in its truest sense.So under a false mask of being avid readers, they pick up his mediocre books just to get started with a reading habit.
He has done some tremendous contribution, other than just writing some pages. He has written Bollywood scripts, judged a dance reality show, released a self-help book (kinda). The dance reality show judge thing was the best though. His reviews and comments would have put professional dancers to shame. Actually, he was the best dancer there, if all the competition had been eliminated.
But a few good words for the man of the hour though. He is after all the man we need and want. Else who will paint a true blue picture of youth issues in front of us, those issues that the youth never have to face reality, who will get lakhs of rupees in royalties because star kids adapt his movies into the even more mindless trash and well, who doesn’t love mindless trash?
Hameshakals also earned money.
Till then, keep loving him. Or not. But one thing is for sure, India loves Chetan Bhagat.
Images: Google
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http://edtimes.in/2017/04/chetan-bhagat-du-syllabus-eds-voxpop-gathers-reactions-du/
