Awesome reason to unite!

To begin with, I have read Chetan Bhagat’s first two novels, Five Point Someone and One night @ the call centre. The former impressed me quite a bit and the latter failed to. Hence I didn’t bother reading his third, The 3 mistakes of my life. However, his latest one, 2 states, the story of marriage, compelled me to read it because my story was similar, at least the guy and I come from two different states!

I managed to finish the book in 6 hours straight and I have decided to read his previous novel! Now for a review of the book though my previous sentence says it all, here it is.

The plot revolves around two smart, intelligent people, coming from opposite poles of India who study in the same B-School. The biggest difference one notices or which one gets used to with experience is that South Indians love their educational degrees while the North Indians sure love their food! One eats to live while the other, the other way around obviously!

The differences can be listed endlessly, but it is about how two clans, along with their virtues, thinking, looks and customs and tie the nuptial knot! It is not a knot just for the two people involved but for the entire family as is wonderfully described here, in the book. One, I come from the Iyer Brahmin community and hence could 200% relate to the entire book and since Mr. Bhagat claims his love to all South Indians in the section of acknowledgments, I can forgive him for all the ‘lovely’ things he had to say about us.

Instances of South Indian ladies dressed in their best Kancheepuram silks being termed as women coming out of golden drums, the famous Kashi Yatrai the groom takes in a Tam Brahm wedding where he takes an auto rickshaw much to the aghast of the bride’s father, the Mickey Mouse undie the protagonist wears and the eating of banana leaves are all very well written and I must say that Bhagat’s writing style is a sheer pleasure. By keeping it simple, he hits you right on and that’s a big boon for any writer.

Since Bhagat’s novels are now being turned to movies, he seems to be writing novel which make it all the more viable for directors. The book is filmy with romance, emotions with respect to both sides’ parents and families especially Krish, the male lead’s father. With 2 romantic numbers, and few more apt song sequences, this book is on its way to becoming another movie for sure.

Personally, I love the book because I had similar stories with my love story too. My mom’s shock when I told her that I had not chosen a Tam Brahm as my future life partner but a hardcore non-veg eating Mallu boy was my choice and that several tweaks in the wedding protocols which had to accommodate both styles of weddings can never be forgotten; one a two day affair (Tamil Brahmin) and the other a 10 minute scene (Mallu wedding). But I guess a love marriage comes with many strings which can never be cut away and that’s where lies all the fun.

Finally the author’s thoughts on love marriages ending up with new generations being evolved as Indians and not as this state and that are definitely to be valued and put into use. All in all, this book is a must read even for those who generally do not read fiction. It will surely change your views!