Sunday, September 9, 2012

Revolution 2020

Author:         Chetan Bhagat
Published    2011 
Publisher:    Rupa Publications
Paperback: 304 pages. 
Generally Chetan Bhagat's books have a mass appeal, especially among youngsters. He connects well with them and provides light, entertaining and thought provoking reads.
I have read all his other novels (except The 3 Mistakes of My Life) and enjoyed them (especially the 2 States & Five Point Someone).
But this is probably the most frivolous fiction he has ever written.
First of all the title of the book itself does not gel with the story-line. Its sub-title "Love. Corruption. Ambition." is more apt.  Secondly the plot is a much hackneyed Bollywood theme. Two friends - Raghav and Gopal love the same girl - Aarti. But Aaarti chooses Raghav.
Raghav is an  idealist who wants  to root out corruption and  bring about a positive change in the society through his newspaper "Revolution 2020". Ambitious Gopal joins hands with the corrupt system to establish a private engineering college and gets rich. He is able to wean away Aaarti from Raghav. But towards the end Gopal realizes his folly and makes a typical filmy sacrifice by contriving a situation that puts-off Arati who goes back to Raghav.
Probably the worst book Chetan Bhagat has ever written. But still it has its good moments especially his humorously satirical narrations of how IIT coaching institutes and private engineering colleges are established and run in our country.
Overall a passable feather weight time-pass read !

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