THE 3 MISTAKES OF MY LIFE

By Chetan Bhagat.

Rupa & Co

Rs 95, pp. 258

Cricket freaks, budding entrepreneurs and passionate patriots, here is a triple entertainment dose for you. Chetan Bhagat’s The 3 Mistakes of My Life is just the thing to encourage your aspirations. Set in the Ahmedabad of late 2000, Bhagat light-heartedly brings to us the city’s aromatic khakras and dhoklas, zealous dreams and some quick business strategies in just one platter.  Through his use of first person narration, he sympathetically weaves in the crucial moments of the time, including the 9/11 incident and the feverish Cricket Series.

Through a vivid portrayal of the crazy cricket fans and the detailed explanation of the God-like worshipped game, Bhagat presents us the live Amdavadies. His characters swear, break rules, get emotional, enjoy booze and conduct blood fights, symbolizing the generation of the age.

The charismatic author leads you deep inside the protagonist Govind Patel’s rock-smooth life. Along with his two best friends – Omi and Ishaan, Govind opens a sports shop. Highly ambitious and a bit selfish, he is slapped down by a natural calamity – the 26^th January 2001 Earthquake, a human-made calamity – The Godhra Riots and the three biggest mistakes of his life. With an agonistic business mind, Govind criticizes emotion as “… I hate a display of emotion more than emotion itself.”

Nevertheless, the novel is not a crybaby. Mr Accounts (as Govind is teased by his friends) after a long wait and immense turmoil with his friends, books a shop at the newly constructed Navrangpura Mall in Ahmedabad. He falls for Vidya, his student and Ishaan’s sister, breaking in the wrong way, India’s one of the most famous protocols of not dating one’s best friend’s sister. Due to his other best friend Omi and Omi’s Politician uncle Bittoo Mama, he also enjoys lavish meals with big Politicians.

As such Ishaan is hot-tempered and will screw anyone messing with his sister Vidya. However, he is blissfully unaware of Govind’s and Vidya’s affair. Nevertheless, it’s worth reading his reaction, when and how it is revealed to him. Ishaan himself a brilliant cricketer is a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar. He deeply regrets not making it to the Indian National Cricket Team and thus starts coaching the neighbouring kids. Amongst them he finds a talented Muslim boy, Ali. He is poor but a gifted cricket player. Thus, Ishaan decides to dedicate his entire life coaching Ali, without any fees.

Lethargic and a little stupid Omi is a priest’s son. Nevertheless, he is very caring and helpful. He loves his friends Ishaan and Govind more than his own self. However, he is extremely religious like his Bittoo Mama and smirks at other creeds. This makes Govind wonder thoughtfully, “If Ish’s passion was cricket and my passion was business, was Omi’s passion religion?”

The camaraderie between these three friends is so strong that it also uplifts Ali’s life. While Govind secures his studies and Ishaan grooms him for his career, Omi feeds him healthy food. They also take him to Australia for a little polish and thoroughly enjoy the amazing trip.

Back home, during the Godhra Riots, when Bittoo Mama’s son is killed, he seeks revenge and attacks Ali’s parents. He also wants to kill Ali, but the three friends hide him. However, to know what the climax unfolds, you need to befriend the gripping novel.

With sentimental themes of tight friendship, young love, malice revenge, dreadful death and hopeful faith, the young author binds us to an immaculate story. Through his tale about Business, Cricket and Religion, Bhagat easily touches his readers’ hearts.