The first unofficial book review of 2 States.. The Story of My Marriage

Let me be the first one to unofficially write a book review on “2 States… the story of my marriage”. I can claim to be the first one as till the time I am writing this there’s isn’t any book review on the net. Atleast none existed on the net when I googled for one.

Well... unlike his other books, this book is not about friendship, call centre or cricket. This is a love story. So what's new???? Well... what's new is the fact that it is a love story of in-laws and the boy/girl. For the first time in the history of books, an author has dedicated the book to "in-laws".

The book’s famous quote is: Love marriages around the world are simple: Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy. They get married.

In India, there are a few more steps:

1. Boy loves Girl.
2. Girl loves Boy.
3. Girl’s family has to love boy.
4. Boy’s family has to love girl.
5. Girl’s Family has to love Boy’s Family.
6. Boy’s family has to love girl’s family.
7. Girl and Boy still love each other. They get married.

The book starts with a focus on step 1 and 2, however, focuses on step 3 for the most part with a slight focus on step 4, 5 and 6 towards the end. The book is unputdownable from the very beginning. You feel a part of Krish’s and Ananya’s world from the very first page. The language and the plot of the book are so simple that it makes you believe that Krish and Ananya (including their parents) are your next-door neighbours.

The book answers many questions that any outsider in Delhi spends his lifetime to find an answer to:

1. Why are marriages such a big deal in Delhi?
2. Why everything has to be over hyped including the fact that dry fruits and dates are from Dubai?
3. Why being on boy’s side means that you are the King of this world and that your ego needs to be buttered every single day and moment by girl’s side?
4. Why the only way to show love and affection is by showering expensive gifts on every possible occasion?
5. Why the first thing that you will notice at most of the wedding reception is a brand new Car?
6. Why what you eat is such a big deal when eating food was just meant to keep you alive?
7. Why what others eat is also a big deal?
8. Why a price tag is attached to a baby boy the day he is born?
9. Why a party is not complete without vodka and chicken?

And many more such questions… read to find out.

The book deals with the otherwise boring subject matter of boy and girl trying hard to impress each other’s parent in a witty yet sensible manner. This story could easily have become yet another boring bollywood tale. Kudos to Chetan for keeping it simple, yet interesting and humorous.

Some of the best moments of the book are:

· Krish’s PowerPoint presentation sessions with his to be father-in-law
· Krish and Ananya’s live-in relationship in the IIMA campus
· Krish’s telling his to be brother-in-law that he will get blind if he watches blue film
· The reaction of Krish’s flat mates in Chennai when they realize that Ananya is his girlfriend

And many more such moments… read to find out.

2 States - The Story of My Marriage

Just came back from the book launch ceremony of the most eagerly awaited title of 2009... Chetan Bhagat's "2 States.. the story of my marriage".

I still can't believe that Chetan responded to my mail where I requested him for a pass for the event. No wonder that Chetan is heartthrob of the Youth of this country and world over.

I read the prologue of the book at the event and can't wait to finish the remaining 270 pages. Chetan and his wife Anusha read an excerpt from the book, where Krish and Ananya are dating for the first time. Krish and Ananya are Chetan and Anusha in real life.

The event started with a brief little speech from Mr. Mehra of Rupa & Co. Chetan is the record breaking author in Indian history. His book "One Night @ the Call Centre" has sold more than 10 million copies, i.e. one book per 30 second.

The title of all his books till date has a number in it:

Five Point Someone
One Night @ The Call Centre
The Three Mistakes of My Life

And now

2 States.. The Story of My Marriage

Shashi Taroor rightly said that his next title should be "Four bestsellers and still going strong". He also mentioned that one of the commonalities between him and Chetan is that one of their twin son's name is Ishaan.

Somehow I have a feeling that Chetan will be one of the 543 MPs of India in years to come. I guess this is his natural progression. Am I right Chetan?

Karva Chauth.... or Karwa Truth...

Karva Chauth… I have always failed to understand this ritual followed by Women in North India. I asked this question to many friends/relatives/neighbors, etc. and I got the same answer in most of the cases – this for the well-being and long life of my husband. One doesn’t have to prove it in front of the world… by keeping a fast just because others do. Majority of the women fast because if they don’t they will be seen as someone who don’t care for their husband as much as they should.

They show it in the movies and TV dramas because audiences love these rituals being aired on TV and movies. The only beneficiaries are the moms-in-law and elderly women whose false believes are rubber stamped by these rituals being aired on TVs. The problem is that we love to follow something blindly without questioning the head and tail and the reason behind the same and thus it gets passed on to generation after generation.

Why are most of these difficult and painful rituals always for Women?

The answer is simple… these started way back in 8th or 9th or similar single digit century when this was a male dominated society and anything that translated into a ‘torture’ was meant for Women only. Dowry, Sati… and the list is endless.

Karva Chauth is as bad as and similar to Sati. In both the rituals women suffers. The later leads to death and in the former you die many times during the day.

According to some, the ritual signifies extreme love and devotion to the husband, as evidenced by the wife's willingness to suffer for his well being’… wow… a big round of applause from my side…. There are other ways to show love and affection to your husband… Give me a break!

I also want to write about another ritual that I hate the most …… Dowry… watch out for my next post.

Snzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Wake Up.... Wake Up

Look at this image carefully. This is what’s gonna happen to you if you watch “Wake Up Sid”.

If I were to rate the crappiest movie of 2009 so far… it has to be “Wake Up Sid”. All throughout the movie it was a challenge to keep myself awake and I kept repeating “Wake up Jit”, “Wake up Jit”.

Karan Johar should know by now that making serious movie is simply not his cup of tea. He should make crappy movie like Dostana and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham only.

The worst part of the movie is its speed. This movie is a 2.5 hour version of what could have been 15 minutes documentary for school kids. The film simply refused to move.

Top of that the songs and picturisation. The songs are good but are complete wastage in this movie.

Konkana should soon retire and start acting in some serials in DD National to regain her senses.

Ranbir’s college friends are pathetic as they fail miserably in creating what’s supposed to be comic sequences. BTW were they really comic? I don’t know who will laugh if you call a fat girl a bhains instead of a Haati.

What was Kashmira Shah doing in this movie?

For the first time in my life I felt like sleeping during the day … so, go and watch this movie only if you find it challenging to get some sleep during the day. Else, pick up any other DVD from the nearest library such as “Barah Aana”, “The Strangers” etc. They don’t fool the public atleast.

Someone has rightly said that the whole story revolves around Siddharth ‘waking up’ and in turn putting the viewers to sleep!

There are only two beneficiaries from this movie, (1) Provogue – for selling the T-Shirts; and (2) Karan Johar – this guy knows how to make money by fooling public and he does that every year. Kudos to Karan Johar.

Wake up Karan!! All the best for My Name is Khan.