"2 States" - Full Time Pass

My B'lore visit for a day coincided with the release of Chetan Bhagath's new release "2 States".

Being touted as an autobiographical of the author himself, the novel is about a Punjabi boy falling in love with a Tamil girl. Their story of how they convince their parents.

Whats special about Chetan is that he writes just what the Gen X (or Gen Y) wants. And what helps is he is not a novelist by profession. This one point is common to all his novels so far and hence NYT has described him as the best selling author of India.

The theme resembles Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, where though in love, the boy and the girl dont want to elope and want that their parents accept their choice. Hence, the boy goes to woo the girls family. The extension in the is that the girl too decides too gain acceptance from groom's family.

I must say its well written. His comic timing reminds me of Paresh Rawal, just too good. The author brilliantly brings out the cultural differences between the north and the south. Its just like Northies are from Venus and Southies are from Mars. The stark contrast is brought out in a humourous way which keeps you absorbed till the end.

The first half dwell with how they meet, become friends and then fall in love. While the second half is how Raj is accepted by Ananya' family and Ananya by Raj's family. Its a bollywood masala movie written into a book with "Kahani me Twist" in the end. Pukka Film material. All this happened to the author himself is purely co-incidental.

Also what makes his books a best seller is the price. At Rs 95, this book by Rupa & Co is a value buy. With no good films this week, I just picked it up and finished it off by the time I reached Mangalore.

So go out and pick you copy now and start reading.... 2 States, Jai Ho...

Austerity Drive - Apun ka Ishtyle.

One of the lessons learnt during the recession of the past year is to cut cost wherever you can. Just like the Austerity drive started by proxy PM our country. But long before she started it, I was already on austerity drive.

Thanks to the day train between Mangalore and Bangalore, travelling has become cheaper. It costs just Rs 126 (101 B.Fees + 15 Res. Charges + 10 IRCTC service charges). Whats more, you can get the tickets even till the previous evening. Its just a God send gift for people who are fed up of the condition of the road between the two cities.

Also an advantage for me is that it stops at Yeshwanthpur which is just a mile from my habitat in Bangalore.

It also gives you a chance to see the beauty of nature between Subramanya Road and Sakleshpur as it tranverses through the western ghats(Photos have already been uploaded into orkut)

And last but not the least, it gives me lots of time to read books, mags and newspapers which i carry (finished reading Chetan Bhagat's " 2 States" this time, more abt it later)

So if you are a traveller between these two cities, just take this train and see the difference.

Hmm.. Its been a long time since I have blogged.. Neither I have got any work nor time.. Anyway, visited Goa with friends. Thanks to Anoop's super SLR cam, his love for photography and writing, me and jayanth had nothing.

So here's the link to his write up on the Goa Trip
http://chitra-vihaar.blogspot.com/2009/10/dudhsagar-waterfall-trek.html

Do give a feedback.. He wrote all that I had to write.