‘3 Mistakes of My Life’ review: Romance & politics on your platter

Book Title: The 3 Mistakes of my Life

Author: Chetan Bhagat

Publisher: Rupa

Genre: Romance, politics, fiction

Rating: 3 out of 5

Review: Chetan Bhagat, the most read English writer in India, pours a concoction of romance and politics on your platter with his ‘The 3 Mistakes of my Life’. It is not his best book but has all the ingredients of a Chetan Bhagat ‘masala’ with the flashback storytelling style, one of author’s most prominent trademarks.

‘The 3 Mistakes of my Life’ is largely a tale of 3 grown-up friends (Govind, Ishaan and Omi) and about their buddyhood which experiences its dose of ups & downs as their relationship goes through all the usual trajectories of mundane life. The story unfolds vividly as the three friends based in a small Gujarat town open up a cricket merchandise shop to pursue business as well as their common passion. Cricket, in fact, forms a major ingredient of the novel and the author takes full liberty in exploring the insatiable passion which runs in the veins of small town dwellers in regard to this holy game.

Thus, Bhagat inserts a dramatic description of the epic 2001 India-Australia test series and weaves it effortlessly with our trio and their fluctuating fortunes. Politics also plays a key subject in the premise with Omi’s uncle (‘Mama’) portraying a key political character and bringing in the various good & ugly traits of a politician. The political subplot, though subtle initially, takes the driver’s seat towards the end building up for an action-packed climax. Bhagat borrows heavily from the Godhra Riot and the Ayodhya Temple conflicts to fuse 50 shades (and more) of grey into this novel. The Hindu-Muslim agitation, the ubiquitous loathing (and respect) for the Australian cricketers and the political backstabbing are issues which are lifted directly from the real ‘India’. Thus, Bhagat, to quite an extent, blurs the line between fiction and reality.

If politics is not your genre, then you can look forward to oodles of romance which Bhagat serves you in copious amounts. The tale is told through the eyes of Govind who is the lead protagonist and also happens to be our lover-boy. Being the maths topper of the town, his best friend Ishaan requests him to provide tuition to his sister Vidya, who is to sit for her medical entrance exam. What starts off as an innocuous 1-hour mathematics lesson soon meanders into forbidden territories of friendship, affection, love and even promiscuity. The Govind-Vidya romance is the ultimate case of illicit love, the tabooed liaison and the forbidden apple which once Adam, and later Govind, chose to taste.

The narrative is penned in the typical Chetan style with pellucid language and a wisp of humour. Though, the story keeps you hooked right from page one, the climax seems hurried and a tad unpalatable. Yet, despite some pardonable shortcomings, ‘3 Mistakes of my life’ is a good read, especially for the Vidya-Govind romance.

Overall, it is a good book, even if not a great one. Its screen adaptation ‘Kai Po Che’ is slated to hit theatres this year. It promises to be an exhilarating watch!

~Ritesh Agarwal
Email: ritzy182000@gmail.com

[This review has been penned in association with MySmartPrice/Books, the best place to find out the lowest prices of books, mobiles and a whole lot of mercantile products.]

A blogger’s night out: Me, my friends and ‘Four Seasons Wines’

So, it started like this. I got an invitation from team ‘Ginger Claps’ to attend ‘Adrenalize 2013’, an annual event of ‘Four Seasons Wines’ at the famed Tollygunge Club (Paddocks) in Kolkata on 19^th January, 2013. It was supposed to be a high-profile social event, and even though I’m pretty gregarious & open-minded, I am not a big party animal. Hence, I was in two minds whether to go or not. A little web search about the previous parties by ‘Four Seasons Wines’ gave me assurance and even egged me to go for this one. So, here I was traveling through the Metro to the furthest corner of my city for taking part in a Wine Festival, despite the fact that I had never tasted the holy drink in my life (till now, though things would soon change for the better).

I reached the place well before time and was a tad unsure about my role out there. I didn’t know anyone in person and that was a bit unnerving. Mr. Mitter from ‘Ginger Claps’ greeted me warmly giving me much more respect than a little-known blogger like me deserved. He showed me around to a table where I was supposed to wait for 6 other co-bloggers from Kolkata (eventually, 5 of them turned up).

Left alone, I decided to check out a few things. I surveyed the ambience (which was very pleasing), threw a glance at the food table (which I knew would soon be brimming with the yummiest of things one can put to his mouth), and went over to the wine section for taking a few clicks.   

I was soon joined by two co-bloggers named Soumi and Debiparna. Even though, we had never known each other before, it was heartening to see the two girls open up candidly to me. The three of us discussed a bit about our blogs and about their love (and my naivety) for the wine. Soon enough, two more bloggers (Animesh and Deepa) joined us.

The event then kickstarted with the gorgeous hostess Gunjan taking the mike! A few awards were given out to winners of ‘Wine Trail’, an exciting endeavor by ‘Four Seasons Wines’. The lucky winners took home an expensive bottle of wine (what more could they ask from life??)! Some of the bloggers were already salivating, and soon enough, two farm-fresh wine bottles were served at our table. Animesh poured the wine onto our glasses (there are special glasses for drinking wine) with the air of someone who has been handling it since childhood. However, he soon revealed that he had learnt the correct art of pouring wines from Hollywood films.    

We raised our glasses to ‘Four Seasons Wines’ and I took the first sip of my life (my lips were no longer virgin). Even though I was a novice, I could sense that the quality of wine was numero uno. We started off with the red wine and soon drank our way into the white wine! For someone who is as ignorant as me, it was a learning experience, since I got to know a few secrets about them. Later on, of course, the master chefs regaled the crowd with their special cooking recipes, and let us in on some trivia about wines & vineyard.

The much-awaited grape-stomping session was held next. The leggy models slithered into the huge tub (filled with luscious grapes) and stomped, much to the delight of the photographers. Deepa and Soumi too braved the limelight for a taste of the experience. After making their feet feast on the sugary grapes, they finally giggled their way out. The host Gunjan looked mightily pleased. It was apparent that the grape-stomping thing had gone down well with the crowd. And NO, I didn’t enter that tub! 

Meanwhile, the foodies had now come to the fore. The food table was flooded with some really scrumptious dishes. We bloggers were given free food coupons worth Rs 300. I picked up the yummy-looking ‘paneer tikka’ while my friends chose to brutally attack several non-veg items. While our jaws & tongues were still at work, Gunjan stimulated everyone’s hormones by letting the music flow. Yes, it was time for the DJ to set up the ambience for the dance floor. With some really groovy numbers being belted, the crowd soon invaded the dance floor! Prizes were given out generously every few minutes (yes, the expensive wine bottle again).

We bloggers, with the exception of Animesh, hit the floor as well. Propelled by the wine and the foot-tapping music, we danced like our lives depended on it. 

Finally, at around 10 pm, we bloggers decided to call it a day (though the dance floor was still alive) coz it was really getting late (and I lived at the other end of the city).   

So, in a nutshell, let me tell you how I profited from this venture:

-          I made several new friends

-          I became a party animal (even if it’s for a day)

-          I had my first brush with top-quality wine (and for free)

-          I got to take part in one of the biggest social events of the town

-          I dug into the most delicious paneer-tikka I have ever tasted

-          I got to be a part of the exclusive Tollygunge Club

Megha, Deepa, Debi and Soumi

Me sporting a 'Devdas' look

So, am I game for the next such event? I guess you already know the answer! 

A sincere thanks to 'Four Seasons Wines' and to team 'Ginger Claps' for giving me this opportunity.