Simple, honest and touching as phrased by Mr. Narayan Murthy, indeed was a heart touching love story with simplicity and honesty. Author claims that it’s his real life story & I really feel sad for him. But it’s a perfect Bollywood mushy romantic story with 3/4th romance & 1/4th tragedy. 3/4th romance which makes you feel the same for your partner or beloved, you suddenly becomes so romantic, you start feeling so mushy-mushy all the time (trust me, my husband can vouch for it ;-) ) and 1/4th tragedy which makes you cry with the author, you feel so sad for the protagonist. Reading this book is all the more enjoyable as the reader relates and identifies with the writer.
I too had a love story is simple story about a 20 something boy, Ravin, who registers himself on a matrimonial site & receives a call from this girl called Khushi. They start talking & fall deeply in love with each through phone calls & SMSes. They inform their parents & families, they accept, all of them meet, everyone likes everyone and engagement is fixed. All happy-happy!!! Then actually what draws them apart? Exactly that’s what makes the love story poignant and heart breaking. As the book commences towards its end, I found myself total lost in the simplicity with which everything was described, and with the climax I found myself in tears. Story is actually very simple but what is nice about this book is the way it is written. It is a must read for people who have just entered into a relationship (be it love or marriage) it makes you realize the importance of your beloved.
There are also few sweet little take away from this book, which can enhance your relationship. Here are some of mine take always, you can choose yours:
1. There is an instance in the book when both of them had a fight over some issue & when they patch up Khushi says, “Ravin lets make it a rule that when we will get married we will have at least one meal in a day from same plate and we will follow this rule even if have fought that day. Sitting together, waiting for our turns to pick our bite will surely help in reducing the anger.” I don’t know if I can start this rule after 3 years of marriage :) but I would have surely loved to do this to settle down our routine rows.
2. Another instance where Ravin is busy playing snooker & Khushi is trying to call him. He keeps disconnecting as he was busy playing. Then, Khushi sends him a message saying “Today when I want to talk to you, you don’t have time for me. Tomorrow a time will come when I won’t be around & you would desperately look forward to talk to me.” So true, we start taking everyone around us, specially our partners, so much for granted that we realize their importance only when they are away. We should value the relations, friends & acquaintances which God has gifted us with.
3. Khushi & Ravin meets alone & he promises her “I wouldn’t do anything our conscience didn’t permit.” Khushi responds, “You won my heart again one more time when you promised me that there would be nothing that I did not like, nothing that I would regret later. For a girl those words mean a lot and glad you said them. I love you so much but, more than that, I respect you for what you are’’
Any relationship stands on just 2 pillars trust & respect for each other, if you don’t trust or don’t respect each other then it’s a false pretence not a relationship.The points above might sound like “Oh I know them already, what is so great about this book”, but the way they have been entwined in the story, the way they have been narrated you feel overwhelmed with emotion. The book is a keeper. Ravin’s style and his experiences are detailed so beautifully. I loved the way he describes the journey from Delhi to Faridabad, and the manner in which the detailing has been done. It had a similar effect as Eric Segal’s Love Story did to me.
I would recommend this book to one and all. Those for whom love is the most beautiful feeling above human definitions and parameters the book will make for an ever cherished experience.