That guy from Kumaon

No marks for guessing Chetan Bhagat.The poster boy of IITs(esp IITD).The GenNext IITian.Youth Icon.India's most loved writer.Publishing Phenomenon.And a million other equally impressive phrases.From being Chetan Who 5 years back,he is India's highest selling author today-outselling a thousand literary luminaries.For the common Indian reader,he has joined the ranks of Dan Brown,JK Rowling and Paulo Coelho.For the IITians,he is a part of our collective identity.And within IITD,people introduce themselves as "Chetan Bhagat ke batch wala".Thats some real skyrocket dude !!!

Don't get me wrong.This post is not about glorifying Mr. Bhagat. I leave this job to his numbered books(yeah,all his books contain a number in their title!! These number-addict bankers*#@%!) and the Bollywood movies they have inspired(Who would have imagined Salman and Aamir dancing to the whims of an IITian!!).As far as I am concerned,I have just finished his latest novel-2 States:The story of my marriage.So,I am pouncing on this opportunity to dissect him(figuratively bhai),his work and its implications.To set things straight,I devoured 5.someone (outright runaway),left one night... in between(much below expectations),didn't touch 3 mistakes(after hearing reviews..nothing personal),mustered enough courage to buy 2 States on my trip back home and finished it before the journey(maybe sth personal here :x)

I think IITians identify themselves with this kinda reckless stuff. Others find it hard to imagine that the very IITians they idolized and considered sacrosanct are such big perverts,or that the IITian author can imagine such (at a loss of adjectives) stuff.Both ways you win Mr. Bhagat.

On a serious note, what I appreciate most in his works is that he is unpredictable-sometimes just for the sake of being so,but he has an element of surprise.A gust of fresh breeze in the "formula"-ridden Indian landscape.And for that very reason, you are engrossing. In 5 point someone,I didn't expect Hari to be caught stealing the question paper or the prof. to come back and find his daughter in a compromising position.Again in 2 States, it was rather unexpected how he managed to woo Ananya to bed so easily,by just sacrificing a rasogulla.No melodrama.Cut the romantic crap.And when everything looks bleak, his estranged father comes to his rescue. That guruji guy must have been a divine plan-his role eludes earthly intellect. And the mother of all surprise.Who on earth would have thought that God will rescue those endangered mortals-and as if that is not enough- through a mobile phone without a battery!!!!.Its movie version was even more ARBIT(can't think of a better word).

Any comments on his style and particularly sarcasm??? Typical IITD stuff.Hope one day Thakkar or Dimaag beat his record,maybe in Bhojpuri or Punjabi.And Brad Pitt and Angellina Jollie act in their movie versions :) Or our own funny Bacchi rubbing shoulders with Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler in a comedy flick.On a personal note, I think what some guys did with Prof. Kurur one early morning can be a much spicy tale to tell.And how about a book on our Eternal Entertainer-Khullar?????Sounds tempting.I think every batch has its own weirdos.Nothing specially special.
In the name of serious criticism,a recurrent theme in his works is uprooting social evils and dogmas.While in 5.someone,there is no moral highground - just rowdy guys enjoying the prime of their youth, One Night.. addresses issues like gender inequality,although as side-topics.And there is no end to this good guy stuff. 3 mistakes delves deeper into social issues and finally, we have a whole book- 2 states on national integration and regional harmony.Meanwhile, Mr Bhagat quits his lucrative I-Bank (Not sure Deutsche Bank or Goldman Sachs) job to  "make change happen in the country". What a moving change of heart.If you haven't heard it yet,he has also given a couple of motivational speeches. Good going man.

Finally,Verdict time: I am a bored,approx. good-for-nothing kid pounding his keyboard in the dead of the night.And you Mr. Bhagat,have already been introduced at the very outset.You will shine in the firmament and I will spit on the moon,indignant of the aftereffects.Lets go our own ways dude.Keep going(I know you won't go back to Singapore if u ever happen to read this post).N yeah, I'll read your next book for sure. 
PS:1.I don't call him Mr. Chetan because that might confuse him with our "DHOUN".Atleast my former roomie and "partner in crime against birds" deserves this much attention.
2.His motivational speeches are REALLY GOOD.I rate the one at Symbiosis just a little below Steve Job's legendary "Stay Hungry,Stay Foolish" one.Don't miss it.