Chetan Bhagat & Indian Literature
What could be the biggest contribution of Chetan Bhagat as a writer? Perhaps, he brought youngsters in India closer to books. Added to this, he has set alternate career path to several IIT/ IIM graduates. It’s not like he invented something but he has pioneered in this. He is undoubtedly, the torch bearer of commercialization of contemporary Indian English literature.
Starting with Five Point Someone before ten years, Half Girl Friend is his sixth work of fiction(though he earned critical acclaim as columnist, screen player writer of box office hit "Kick" etc.).
Chetan Bhagat Formula
Half Girl Friend follows the same path. Chetan Bhagat is being approached by the character at a critical juncture of his life. Again, it’s all about Boy - Girl. From 3 Mistakes of my life onward Mr. Bhagat is concentrating on various regions of the country. Ahmedabad, Punjab / Delhi - Tamilnadu, Varanasi and finally Dumraon, Bihar. Bhagat understood the potential of Varanasi much before Mr. Modi and in this novel also, he follows the Modi way of "toilet in school".(Well, that was on the lighter side though there is an eerie dejavu connection where in Gujarat Riot, Varanasi, Basic Schooling infrastructure etc. got featured in Mr. Bhagat’s work of fiction).
Coming back to Half Girl Friend - The book of course created a hype with Rs.10/- booking at Landmark etc. The story has got a promising start post Mr. Bhagat give way to characters. The tryst with destiny of simpleton from Bihari at St Stephens is being described in a delectable fashion. Though there is nothing novel, this episode has got "page turning" effect.
Snippet of Plot
Character of Ria Somani is being built in typical Chetan Bhagat heroine gene minus the revolutionary spark. She is the typical Highway Movie heroine who is disgruntled with "rush for money" and hold on to herself. She found comfort in Mahdav Jha who is the heir of Royal Family of Dumraon. They are poles apart when it comes to their social background, expectation out of each other and notably, they are "divided by English". Might be, this is where the concept of "Half Girl Friend"(might be reluctant girl friend) came into picture.
Rest, the story takes you through the typical Boy - Girl relation, difference between haves and have not and what lead to break up. Every man should have a reason to live and Madhav also find the same in his own home town Dumraon. The story takes you through Madhav’s life post St Stephens. It is quite a story with a real life celebrity also became character of the movie and some unpredictable twists.
Take away
That’s all about the plot. What is readers take from it? Well, did it really entertain? As far as I am concerned - Yes, in bits and pieces. Some phrased like "High class to low class smile" etc. were charmingly wicked. But, there are spoil sports like Mom asking son to purchase inner wear from US(where as their relation is being portrayed as dignified and serious devoid of any trivialities).
Is there a social message? Well, with some effort "yes". There is some social message but yet at the expense of a high grade fiction with lots of literature liberty. Hence, not sure the same is being conveyed properly.
As I have told the high point of the novel is the way in which the novel is started; the low point is the concluding chapters. It is hurried and entire narrative description is far from reality. Something which cannot be excused with literature liberty. I am not expounding it in detail as it would be fun spoiler to those who found fun in reading Mr. Bhagat.
Verdict
My verdict would be; the book provided entertainment worth Rs.176/-.(You may get it for Rs.125/- also via various online forums). If you are particular about Somerset Maugham or Pearl S Beck, simply give it a miss. If you wish to have a not so harmful book companion for two days, you can have a peek and forget it.
The book has already bagged cinematic rights. The plot with some tweaking and good star cast could turn out to be another Khai Po Che, which is better form or art than the original book. Only time will prove the destiny of any form of art. Otherwise, just like Mr. Bhagat omitted to mention Ustad Bismilla Khan(who is born in Dumraon), public will also omit the book.