Book review#1 : Two States- Chetan Bhagat

BOOK REVIEW #1

TWO STATES - CHETAN BHAGAT

''Two-states'', the book that came into my bookshelf in a quite unexpected way. I went along with my dad to a paper scrap dealer to give our old newspapers. I had a practise of collecting books from there and read it later on. Likewise, I got War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (1st book which I got over there), then Flawed by Ceclia Ahern, and some more! 

And this very book came into my eye-sight fortunately, when I lurched upon myself in a heap of other books which was mostly magazine and old language books covered with dust. I felt the luckiest person on earth to grab some of  the famous books of Mr. Chetan Bhagat- "One-night at the Call centre", "Half-girlfriend" and this book at a minimal price!! I was more happy to get this book, as this was in my wish-list for so long and even I asked my younger brother who have read this book already to lend me from his father's collection, but didn't get somehow! I have also been reading Mr. Chetan Bhagat's articles in Sunday's Times of India for a quite few years now.

Well, this book has been published nearly 16 years ago and also have came into movie starring Alia Bhatt as 'Ananya' and Arjun Kapoor as 'Krish', after 5 years of publication of the book, you may say, but we know right, reading books page-to-page is a different feel when compared to watching it as a film. 

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Krish, a Punjabi boy resided in New Delhi born as the only son of a typical Punjabi mother, Kavitha and his father, an ex-army serviceman, falls in love yet again with a girl. The love is considered to be a non-typical one, as it originated from a girl belonging to a different state. It means a human born differently with a different caste, or religion, colour, language and culture! Yes, it means a lot especially in India in the 90's century, if you love and also wanting to get married!

The story unwinds a poignant and beautiful love story of Krish and Ananya from "Two states" united by Love.

I couldn't find a better way to connect Punjab and Tamil Nadu than with love, that revolves around making society understand humanness is above all! 

Photo credit: ChatGPT

The Book is considered to be the real story of the author himself and but he asks us, the readers to consider it as a work of Fiction. The story is presented in the view of Krish, who is a proud graduate of IIT Delhi and the story sets in IIM-A, Gujarat to pursue MBA. Krish is quite like other boys in IIMA with boyish attitude and emotions but quite smart and controlled. Ananya, a Tamilian belonging to Chennai is a topper in Economics in her previous college (which she sometimes boasts upon herself when needed), comes as a fresher with stupendous beauty and intelligence. In a few days of her college, she is annoyed by love and marriage proposals from the boys in IIMA especially from IITians. So her attitude towards boys was low. As other boys, Krish also knows about Ananya, as she is considered to be the 'Ms Best Girl' by vote by IIMA boys and also she was his classmate. 

Their meeting was like none other and was quite humorous. The argument between Ananya and the cook in the Canteen for the inedible taste of Sambhar being served and Krish who was behind her next in line was in a conflicted position whether to support her statement or the cook. And that's how they met, develop friendship by going out for tea, lunch (have chicken and beer), study long nights together and eventually they develop a strong-likeness which is beyond just friendship, but, love. Krish knew it at first sight that he couldn't just act inhuman without feelings and emotions, where he feels that he couldn't continue his friendship with Ananya like any longer and explains it to her. Ananya, too felt the heat and she kissed Krish, there started the story of inexplicable love and their fight to stand together against all means to get married happily with consent of not just two of them, but from their families too! 

The Author throws light on different culture, language, caste, tradition, manners followed and practised by his Punjabi-based family and of Ananya's belonging to Tamil Nadu. Though both of them belong to same country, and also same religion, and species, there was age-old notions and traditional practices that confined their love-cum-marriage. 

The Author doesn't just tell us his story, but he also presents us his views and critics wherever possible with his best sense of humour. Krish's dearest sentimental mom with a soft-heart (as said by Krish) always boast about her fair-complexioned, IITian son and their Punjabi traditions and culture which she never give up at any cause. His father, a retired army officer still speaks of rules in the story and gives punishments at his home especially to his wife by shouting at her. The only one who's got into trouble in between them is Mr. Krish who fights with his father for his mother and himself and doesn't talk with him for many years. But they do talk later on, and the reason which unfolds for their bonding later is interesting and emotional too! 

Krish has to make a decision on location for his placement at CitiBank after both Ananya and himself cleared their interview, yet again an interesting blind unfolds where Krish does a marriage proposal to Ananya during her interview where they were in dire need of making a serious decision in their relationship after had been lived together in his hostel for years till their graduation; but beyond that decision of choosing location, it was a fight of choosing between love of his life, Ananya or his Mother. 

The story gets more interesting when the Author lands in Chennai, a place for him known to be habituated by Madrasis, and thereby city filled with smell of coffee and sambhar everywhere. He presents every nuances of the city's culture, food, people, places, tradition and bit politics wherever possible, sometimes with bit of a mock that makes us laugh and kindle joy. It would be extremely an animated experience and delightful reading for the readers of Chennaites; who lived that decade or for young ones to discover Chennai as expressed in the story, during those times that they might have not known before. 

Krish's six month long stay at Chennai was only for Ananya in the beginning but it turned out be an exercise of making her parents also like him and accept him as their son-in-law; where the author tries beyond anything at his best to make him fit for Ananya in her parents mind and heart and instill them with his trust. The Author experiments various methods to convince one by one of Ananya's family, first is her brother, Manju, presented as an IIT embryo always studying, then her father Mr. Swaminathan, a deputy district manager at a public sector bank with years-long experience and also an avid (lover) reader of  'The Hindu"(as expressed by the Author); and her mother Mrs. Radha, known to be a Carnatic music queen in Tamil Sangams in various state vocal competitions, but not a very good singer here in Chennai.We could get to know the level of popularity and competitiveness of Carnatic music at Chennai during that time. He did everything unimaginable and impossible things not just for Ananya but also for her parents. He tutored Manju, helped Mr. Swamination make slides and presentation (also drinks with him and wear his vesti) and made Ananya's mother sing, that too in front of music legends S.P. B and Haricharan. Other hard things which he haven't done before were, was waking up early for tutoring Manju and at times meeting Ananya secretly in Marina beach (world's 2nd longest mentioned by Ananya quite several times); where this was considered to be a usual routine of Chennaites to wake up early and start their day walking at beaches. He also tried hearing Carnatic music for impressing his mother-in-law.  

The author quintessentially mocks at Ananya's family how they eat food in banana-leaf and silently like mourning, match-making through nakshathram and raasi (horoscope), how they read "The Hindu'' newspaper without even missing to read the editorials which people rarely do hearing slokas and devotional music early in the morning, and their soundness for foreign and IITian son-in-laws. The humour was not with the author but also with his girlfriend, where she mocks the chairman and a MC at a concert arranged by Citibank, an air-hostess in plane and whenever possible, at times even Krish couldn't stop her but just smile the way she does. He has to work under a Tamil boss with guidelines that freak him and yet he sticks to it and sends money cheques to his mother in Delhi from his monthly salary. He was once subjugated to accept a false claim for bringing down the company as a request from his boss and used that to control his boss for his own  need when time came and his boss had no other option than to accept his favour!

Krish shares his encounters arguing with Auto drivers asking for hefty amounts, Posters here and there on roads of Supertstar and other big shots of Tamil cinema, then politics and parties, how money speaks and helps when being ditched against rules and the rule of club parties in Chennai before. He found sceptical on certain things and people at Chennai, but eventually got used to it. Ananya who get placed in HLL, a Marketing company located in Anna salai, Chennai, has to travel a lot of places within Tamil Nadu, marketing pickle bottles to attending meetings and much more. Krish accompanied Ananya while travelling to Pondicherry due her official meeting there. In Pondicherry, he meets a Guru at an Ashram surrounded and managed by French community people and their meeting was to be destined or not but that evoked his soul, calmed his mind and showed his way. 

Everything gets well-placed and favoured in Chennai where he proposes to whole of Ananya's family, each with a gold ring and gets their acceptance, yet another challenge waiting for them. Both Krish and Anaya travel to New Delhi. This becomes kindof a third part of their story, 1st being their meeting and blooming of their love story, then 2nd part consisting of of Krish in Chennai and his interaction with Ananya's parents followed by their acceptance. Ananya plays her role in convincing her in-laws. This involves Ananya making dinner as per Krish's plan to seek his mother (anyway, their plan flops), washing utensils, attending Krish's mother-related family events by introducing Ananya as Krish's classmate and friend. The author led us to the rich weddings conducted by their Punjabi family to showoff their tradition, culture and wealth. He also presents the importance, his mother and her family give to food, jewellery, and other wealthy things. It was quite a bit tough and drama involved in convincing Krish's mother to accept Ananya as her daughter-in-law but it was worth and it came out naturally without any plans breaking against many odds. His father was not technically present during Ananya's short visit at Delhi. 

With a sigh, after getting accepted as each daughter- and son-in-law, they both had a big job in making their own family accept and bond with each other. It went tough and ended in vain, as their Goa plan didn't workout the way they both wanted after their maiden attempt at their graduation day. Also that's where the hero and heroine of the story had a drastic breakup making both ends impossible to meet. This was followed by our Author getting dejected, sick, depressed and it was quite emotional when he had to deal with his determined mother and egoistic father between his work at Delhi. 

And what happened next? Did they get married? 

Yes! They got married infront of both their families in smiling faces (which they always wanted and  cancelled plans for eloping), the author eventually started his dreamed writing career and their twin boys were born. Then, the author came to be known by the world as a Popular writer, for his unique, bold, and extraordinary writings. Then some of his works turned out to be filmed and it became hits, just like this "Two States".

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My P.O.V:

The story was presented in an amicable way by giving details everywhere as much as possible to give the readers a realistic (sometimes getting too long), and strong feeling into the story where you feel connected with Krish and Ananya throughout travelling with them. He also presents us the real name of places be it hotels or tourist visit places, at Chennai, Pondichery and others in the story which gets us to ponder and know about the place better.

Their relationship was presented as strong and cute at times where they exchange message through paper bits in class, sending each other letters (the period where phone was entering into market), make tele-phone calls at their office, compliment each other whenever they feel, and exchanged love through small acts. 

Excited and wondering what Mr. Manju is doing right now!

The story is recommended from the age of young-adulthood audience, as the book has some usage of swearing words, and adult content just to bring the nature and essence to the story.

Happy Reading!

Signing off,

Katy :)