Once upon a time, I had read a novel called ’LOVE STORY’ by ERIC SEIGAL. While I was reading that I got reminded of watching many films which got influenced by that novel. One among them were ’Khushi’ in Tamil, acted by Vijay & Jyothika (Year 2000). The movie gone to be a major hit and it was remade to other languages including Hindi. In the movie, the climax however was made with a happy ending and of course with some new turns to make it as not a pure copy of Love Story.
Do characters and novels influence real life and situations? Probably yes. Welcome to ’I too Had a Love Story’ which have shades of Khushi. The similarity begins with the name of the heroine. Then, the Kolkota factor from the Hindi version. Again, the date of birth and place of birth being the same - factor. Then, in the movie there is a scene where Khushi getting jealous when her lover calls his mother with name. In ’ITHALS’ this was made to a situation related to a sales girl. Well, of course the climax been adopted from the original ’Love Story’. All in all, I too Had a Love Story has its life inspired from fictional characters. Yes, characters of novels can get life in real world, where I believe while you read a book, the book reads you! Characters in novels search for bodies to get life and beware it can be you!!
Half of my interest on the book was taken away by the advertisement from the beginning which announced with loud speaker that the heroine is going to die at the end. This in a way gave away the only piece of story left in the otherwise description oriented ’novel’. The novel begin with a copy paste situation from a Chetan Bhagat novel and what a bad start for a promising book! Thankfully, the author, Ravinder Singh stopped this friend episode without extending further and ignored it. (When the friends revisited the pages later one time, I thought it would have been better the author can delete those few pages completely to make the book as a better one.) I was pretty disappointed with the initial chapters and thought what a waste of money and time.
Then, suddenly Love happens and the writer in Ravinder Singh shown magic. The magic of giving words to the emotion ’Love’ or say ’Romance’ or even say ’Teenage Love’. Written in simple language, it was a pleasant read which refreshed some teenage memories (or is it fantasies?) and more. The author it seems that tried to give a morality to the concept of ’love marriage’ and give many a tip for young lovers, which is good. This morality passes through a tight rope which only a balanced mind. The narration was quite good at this stage, except that one day in your lover’s house/roads (One night in the water roads?) which was little overdone. I can excuse that in that night the author didn’t had time to think about dinner and the lover didn’t bother to ask about it as well.
The so called ’shock’ a reader was supposes to get from the news become an ’accident’ and it turns the tragedy for the novel. The sad factor came without any effect and didn’t work miracle for the book. A lovely character was given a sorrowful death. I felt the situation could have been better narrated and the story could have been developed better.
The best plus for the novel is its simple light moments of romance descriptions. The major minus of the novel is that there is not much of a ’Story’ in it. Whatever there had, they used it for advertisement and there is absolutely no new story to read. Oh yes, it give good advertisement to Shaadi.com and Infosys. Recommended for the people the book has intended to. The book being first from the author, it leaves ample space for improvement.
If Ravinder Singh has got influenced by Chetan Bhagat, he did a return gesture where Chetan’s ’2 states’ took an idea or two from I Too Had A Love Story.
Easily a good romantic page turner for teenage /college going boys and girls, the book may be a good read for readers to revisit their college days.