Chetan Bhagat’s novel Half Girlfriend tries to capture the lack of self esteem which most of the Indians have for lack of knowledge of English language. You cannot get the rich and beautiful girl unless you are fluent in the language of the queen, this message is very subtly conveyed by the media. Fortunately for the protagonist Madhav, it is not English but basket ball that makes Riya, the rich and beautiful girl to befriend him. Well our English lacking Madhav is a royalty. He is the prince of a distant land in Bihar called Dumraon, but all the riches of his family have crumbled down. Riya teaches Madhav English. She turns down his offer of being his girlfriend, but agrees to be his half-girlfriend. Soon the relationship hits its low and Riya is married off to a rich hotelier from London. Madhav is heartbroken. He keeps on searching for Riya and finally finds her. She is now divorced. She helps Madhav construct his speech in order to impress Bill Gates and get a donation from his foundation for the school in Dumraon which Madhav’s mother runs. Madhav’s mother doesn’t approve of her son dating a divorcee. As a result of which Riya disappears from Madhav’s life. Madhav is crestfallen. Will he find the love of his life again?
In spite of all the criticism that surrounds Mr. Bhagat, he is apt at riveting you to your seats. His descriptions are both realistic and entertaining. Here again comes an ordinary man with lack of both knowledge and confidence to speak in English. Mr. Bhagat wins half of the battle by making him his protagonist. Millions will identity with Madhav. Again Riya’s half approval of his proposal underlines the gaping lines that divide the worlds of Bharat and India. Mr. Bhagat cannot be looked down upon merely because of his commercial success. Obviously he has incorporated the commercial ingredients in the book so that every ordinary man down the streets will feel victorious at the end. I wish more time and ink was devoted to Madhav’s English learning. Yet, I simply loved reading this novel. At places it may sound similar to earlier novels of Mr. Bhagat and even trite, yet it is entertaining for sure.