Name of the book- 12 Years - My Messed-Up Love Story
Author of
the book- Chetan Bhagat
Genre of
the book- Fiction/ Romance
After
reading Chetan Bhagat’s ‘12 Years - My Messed-Up Love Story’, the first thought
that came to my mind was that it’s probably another Bollywood movie in the
making.
It’s a love
story, as the name suggests, but with lots of drama and twists and turns like a
retro Bollywood love saga with a little Gen Z lingo.
Most of the
story is written in Saket’s first-person POV.
The main
protagonists are Saket Khurana, a 33-year-old stand-up comedian from a Punjabi
family who recently moved to Mumbai from San Francisco after a ruthless and
financially draining divorce, and Payal, a 21-year-old smart and ambitious
private equity professional from a conservative Jain family. There was a lot of
buzz about the age gap between the protagonists, which I found baseless. Today's
youth are aware of what they want from their lives, including their sexual
needs. Casual relationships are not uncommon these days, as is the age gap
among couples. One needs to look around carefully with an open mind.
The main characters
have been developed at length; I was disappointed by how Mudit’s character was
subdued in the story, despite being an important part of the main protagonist’s
life. The author could have given some
depth to him.
The timeline
of the story is stretched over more than 12 years, and Saket’s parents appear only
once. I felt like Saket’s mother just came once to tend him and cook his
favourite rajma chawal for him. No mention of his parents, even when he was
alone with his only friend, working for a decade, in another country, broken and
with haunting memories of his love.
The story
is fast-paced and gripping, at least in the first half. I found the latter half
a bit stretched out. This may be due to technical details about private equity
and cybersecurity. The language is simple and easy to read, so you don’t need
to refer to a dictionary in between, which keeps your reading tempo smooth. I
see this as a positive aspect. Although I agree this is not a literary piece,
Bhagat never claimed his novels to be one. If you've read a Chetan Bhagat novel
before, you'll notice similarities in style, delivery, and nuances. I was
reading one of Chetan’s books after a long gap, and while I wasn’t surprised, I
also wasn’t disappointed.
I felt the
lack of emotional depth, especially in Payal’s character. On one hand, she has
been portrayed as a strong and mature professional; on the other hand, she is
easily muddled and influenced by her friend’s opinions about a relationship
with an older man from a different cultural background. Maybe more chapters on
Payal’s POV could do some justice to her character. Whereas Saket’s stand-up
comedy show glimpse has been smartly used to create a window for readers to see
through his psyche and vulnerability, giving depth to his character.
Two failed
arranged marriages in this story raise a question mark about this arranged
institution, as are orthodox cultural beliefs and stigma about divorce. At some point, it feels a little over, but
the truth is bitter, and Bhagat has captured it quite effectively.
The climax
felt melodramatic but cute, exactly like a Bollywood movie. What Saket could
not confess during Payal’s three-week stay in Dubai was staged on a stand-up
comedy stint. Perfect ending on the right notes. Two people, divorced from their
respective first marriages, are now mature enough to start afresh and their
happily ever after.
Overall,
‘12 Years - My Messed-Up Love Story’ is a one-time read that keeps you engaged
till the end. It’s a typical Bhagat style, where he has been successful in striking
at a few contemporary social and orthodox cultural beliefs, making you think
and reflect.
Book
Details
Format: Paperback / Kindle Edition
Price: 268 INR / 254.60 INR
Pages: 432
Publisher: Harper Fiction India
Availability: amazon
