Chetan Bhagat - the name looks familiar isn’t it. The author favoured by the youths of India. I have read all his earlier novels in a single stretch a year back. They were quite impressive which made me buy this novel immediately a week after its launch. It came out to be one of the most lovable novel I have ever read. I felt so comfortable with the author’s narration and went so engrossed into it, that I read a few pages even at my office desk:). And this became the first novel, which whilst I am reading I forgot where am I and literally laughed aloud. Such good is the humour part of it. Hats off to Chetan for that.
The story as the title says is about a Marriage. Its not ordinary wedding but a wedding between two states - TamilNadu and Punjab. The protagonists of the novel - Krish and Ananya meet in IIMA - one of India’s prestigious B-School. Ananya - the most beautiful girl in the college and Krish - a stud from IIT. I dont know how come all authors choose only beautiful girls in their story. Why cannot a IITian fell in love with a normal looking girl? I could find only one stupid answer for this question. Every girl is Ms.World in her lover’s eyes. Beauty lies in the beholder’s eyes. May be that could be the reason Chetan has described Ananya’s beauty so much.
Ananya, the intelligent beauty is bit weak in one of her subjects for which Krish comes as a free tutor. After few meetings in college canteen, class room and in Hostel room, Krish discovers that he cannot be a JUST FRIEND with Ananya. Of course who can hide all his emotions and feelings when a girl gives right to a guy to be with her almost most of the time in a day. Why is the guy felling in love and why the girl accepts his proposal - all this is not part of the story. The main thing is they fell in love with each other soon. And they dont stop there. They will be in a live-in together relationship for the 2 whole years which flew off very soon in some 50 pages. They also get a good(highly paid) job in their placement sessions. Nothing else till now but the scene of Krish’s actual proposal to Ananya for marriage is little dramatic but the humour wins my heart.
Actually speaking, the real humour of the novel starts on the day of convocation. Ananya’s parents from Chennai meet Krish’s mom from punjab. First meet between parents is always a disaster in love stories. The same formula here too. Krish and Ananya could have eloped away for a marriage but for some sentimental and emotional bonding choose to win each other parents’ hearts too. Is that possible in this situation where punjabis hate to the core the Madrasis and Tamilians dont trust anybody other than themselves? Yes Chetan made this possible at the end and ofcourse Krish too. Rest of the novel is just how Krish gains the trust of Ananya’s Parents and how Krish family starts liking Ananya. It would not be fair enough to reveal everything in the review. I liked a few scenes and frowned a little too at a few places. Pros and cons always go hand in hand. I would like to end this review saying a little more about the protagonists.
Ananya comes from a traditional Brahmin family, where culture, tradition and all those big words mean a lot. If Ananya can expand the list of her traditional rules, she will definitely add to it all these - eating chicken, drinking beer, having a live-in relation, wearing shorts in guys hostel. She has a valid reason to do all these things. According to her, she is right. Thats what mattered her a lot and thats what made me like her character a lot.
Krish on the other hand is a easy - going guy to whose character I did not find anything special except for his boldness to HIT his own father. I wish, the author could have impressed me a more by carving Krish’s character a little more different. I would have enjoyed the story more if Ananya has narrated the plot instead of Krish doing it.