One Indian Girl begins with a Punjabi family. Check. Obviously, there is a wedding. Check. You can’t possibly forget a dramatic mother coupled with a relatively sober father and a troupe of aunties.
In a first, a Chetan Bhagat novel has a female narrator but despite its bold variations, it largely sticks to the script. Through the narrator, One Indian Girl explains why patriarchy thrives in India; not just because it is imposed by the men, but because these societal rules and restrictions are internalised by women.
Let’s be honest. One Indian Girl never set off to be a feminist book.
One Indian Girl was supposed to be representative of the modern Indian woman. Instead, it is about an immensely unlikeable woman who has a lifestyle that can best be described as aspirational. At least the title was right. The book is literally about one Indian girl.