Ink and Insights – Medhansh Saha

Life is full of mistakes. Sometimes we recognise them and accept our faults, and sometimes we don’t. Chetan Bhagat, like in many of his previous books, begins this one with the title The 3 Mistakes of My Life, a title that makes many scoff because, as said before, people often believe that life is full of numerous mistakes. Some even take it a step further and call life itself a mistake and hang themselves.

I won’t begin this book review with something like, “From the very first page, I was hooked,” because, from what little experience I have in writing book reviews, I have realised that this line is such a cliché that even I had unconsciously been using it until now. (You can see my previous book reviews.)

Instead, I will explain why I was hooked. Don’t worry, I’ll keep it short. Indian society-like almost every society in the world-is riddled with unwritten laws, barriers, and restrictions. Writers within these communities often create protagonists who follow these norms to the letter, without questioning them-not even in their own thoughts. This may make their books more socially acceptable, but it strips away a sense of realism. Sharing the fact that the main character tried to commit suicide and failed right on the frist page of the book makes the reader think – Arey Bhai Ye kaisa main character hai yar? Apne aap ko hi hang kar deta hai?!!” But, this is not a mistake, but this is what makes this book special.

This Grimdark character with the perfect balance of Protagonist and Antagonist to a frightening degree of realism is something unreachable for many writers yet. Chetan Bhagat creates a protagonist who is publicly agnostic (a word most of our typical “baby boomers” probably wouldn’t have even heard of). Though, on second thought he is determinedly closer to atheist in his thoughts. He unconventionally loves mathematical calculations unlike many of his peers, is unapologetically self-centred and materialistic and has affairs with a woman not yet 18 – technically a minor. A main character who, from the perspective of a traditional Indian, would seem more like the villain than the hero.

…This is exactly what pulled my eyes towards this book.