Revolution 2020 – MY REVIEW
Another Chetan Bhagat Book around the corner, a buzz that had all the youth of India chatting and discussing. Chetan Bhagat, a successful writer, a columnist and an exceptional speaker came up with his new book ‘REVOLUTION 2020’ in November 2011. I was so excited when this book was released; I promptly ordered it on www.flipkart.com.
I’ve been a fan of this guy ever since I read his first book, ‘FIVE POINT SOMEONE’. His books don’t have the complex words that most of the times define a good book but his stories have a heart; a heart through which he connects to a billion other hearts. I have personally hated reading novels. One fine day a friend of mine insisted that I read ‘TWO STATES’ and I fell in love with his writing. I enquired about other books of Chetan Bhagat and found out there were three others. It took me no time to read all the other books too.
Too much anticipation, a bit too many expectations and I have to say, a bit too much pressure on Chetan Bhagat on the release of his new book. When you do one thing better than most others, people start looking at you with high expectations; and if you can’t sustain that, you fall.
The book ‘Revolution 2020’ starts with Chetan Bhagat meeting the Director of some college ‘Gangatech’ in Varanasi. After an evening of drinking and bragging about himself, Gopal collapses and Chetan helps him get to the hospital. Chetan is about to leave when Gopal asks him, ‘Am I a good person?’ to which Chetan says that he’ll have to know him to answer that. And then begins the story of friendship, love, success, passion, corruption and a revolution.
The book is a really nice attempt although it doesn’t match up to the heights that the author got to with his earlier books. Many say that the story has been written keeping in mind a movie to be made on it given that movies have been made based on his earlier books. The story isn’t that fresh, a typical love triangle and the hero sacrificing for other’s happiness eventually. But the way it catches you mind all through the time is amazing. It is like watching a movie for 12 hours.
The book revolves mostly around the love story between Gopal and Aarti (Gopal’s love interest) which makes you wonder about the title being ‘Revolution 2020’. Gopal is a simple guy from a poor family, dead mother and a coughing farmer father. They have a lot of debt to pay off and the father has a lot of expectations from his son. He takes loans to fund Gopal’s costly classes so that he would clear engineering exams the second time after he fails once. But when he fails again, the father is shattered and eventually is portrayed dead. What begins next is his crave and madness to become rich and to reach a status that Gopal’s father always wanted him to reach. But what he also wants to get in life is his love interest Aarti. The story revolves beautifully around the love story and Gopal’s walk to richness.
Aarti, Gopal’s love interest is his childhood friend with whom Gopal falls in love with when they grow up. There is cuteness in the way these two kids are shown to meet. Aarti is the daughter of the DM of the city. Her ambition in life is to become an air hostess because she wants to travel many places around the world. She falls for Raghav (Gopal’s friend) when Gopal is away for studying. Aarti always wants friendship while Gopal keeps forcing her for a relationship all through the time. She loves Raghav but wants to stay best friends with Gopal while Gopal wants Aarti to stay happy, happy with him.
Raghav (Gopal’s friend) has always been an intelligent student. His father always wanted him to get into engineering while he wants to become a journalist and make a change in his country to make it a better place to live in. He is a third friend with Gopal and Aarti but comes closer to Aarti when Gopal is away and eventually falls in love with Aarti. Aarti acknowledges. Once he completes his engineering, he joins journalism and eventually a newspaper called ‘Revolution 2020’ which prints stories about scams and injustice to people.
Gopal follows the wrong path to get money and success while Raghav follows the right path towards the betterment of the society. Gopal has always been jealous of Raghav as he was always the successful guy. It is Aarti who makes the whole difference to the story.
All in all a really good interesting read. I would say it is a 3/5 but worth a book to keep on your book shelf.
Comments
Post a Comment