16 October, 2011

Revolution 2020 - Book Review


Chetan Bhagat breaks the image of a college writer and steps into a cult of his own with his new and most thought provoking book, Revolution 2020. In this book, Bhagat not only shows his dream of a revolution to tackle the innumerable social and political problems sucking the life out of the nation today; but also touches down on the more sensitive side of the young Indian psyche. The underlying theme grabs the attention of the audience where circumstances turn an orphan whom you just cannot feel enough sympathetic about, into a corrupt manipulative ‘Sir’; yet he manages to show that humanity shall always prevail in hearts, even though modern agendas like ‘practicality’ and ‘money-mindedness’ may have their shine in time, humanity dies only with the human.

As always, Bhagat manages to give a picture of India in its everyday routine. Be it bribes at every stage of the bureaucracy, pressure behind the marriage of a girl, the decade long cases in the courts or the flight of the ambition of the common man; Bhagat shows the extent the Indian man has to go to achieve his dreams. He doesn’t let a ‘cut’ of 20%, or two horrible years in a city which improves a slight chance for getting into a college which might change the face of his family someday. Bhagat also reveals the consequences faced by those who choose to bring a revolution to the country by trying to be an example. Somehow, the advice from parents to be honest and brave changes the moment they realise they will not be there forever to look after their patron.

For the 2nd time, Bhagat probes into the mind of the Indian female and digs deep into her life, her pressures and choices she is compelled to live with. Her character also reveals the complex sexual tension when she finds herself askew between ‘commitment’ and ‘love’. Bhagat pens down an extraordinary character in the face of Aarti who probes into the thoughts of the reader, was her decision correct?

In a nutshell, Bhagat makes the blood gushing into the veins of Indian readers once again. You can see the constant shift from being a college writer to a writer who writes with a mission, sending out a message at large. This time, he asks a question. The revolution is coming. Are you ready for it?