One on One with CHETAN BHAGA

When Chetan Bhagat came down to Bangalore for the launch of his third book, The 3 Mistakes of My Life, we had a rare opportunity to meet him. I found him to be a down to earth person who believes in sadhana. Chetan nsists on trying and working hard and thinks there is just no alternative to it. I must confess it was a great fun interacting with the celebrity.

Excerpts from the Interview:
GCC World: When did you first think of writing a book?

Chetan:  It was nothing planned. Writing has always been my hobby but when I enned down Five Point Someone, by Gods grace it turned out to be my first novel.  

GCC World: What mantra do you use in your books?

Chetan: I have no mantra as such, I just write a book as its fun to write. Ninety percent of my writings are for entertainment.

GCC World: Your three novels revolve around numbers, 5, 1, and 3. Do you have an obsession with numbers?

Chetan: No, not as such. But yes, I am an engineer and all engineers like numbers. I am little bit of geek and this is my play factor.

GCC World: You are at your peak. So when you write your next book, is there pressure on you to keep your crown?  

Chetan: First of all there is no crown in writing, and secondly, I will keep writing as long as I and my readers enjoy. I will be the same and so will be my style. All I need is the love and love and wishes from all of you! (Laughs)

GCC World: Do you maintain a diary?

Chetan: Writing is something creative and I don’t have any particular key. It is just that sadhana is my mantra.

GCC World: Do you conduct market study before writing a book?

Chetan: Yes, of course that’s a job every writer does.

GCC World: You have become a ‘Youth con’. Do you have any plans to join politics or do anything which can be for the betterment of the country?

Chetan: Till now, I can contribute only through writing and I am doing just that.

GCC World: Your book will soon be made into a movie? Do you think that will influence the way you write?

Chetan: I am filmy and I write in a filmy manner. Movies may not come for other books of mine but my writingwill remain filmy. Of course through films, it will reach a huge audience and I feel that’s great!

       Deepali Desai
BA (Journalism, Psychology & English)
Photo Credits:Reema Majumder.
B.Sc. (Genetics) 

The Novel - 3 Mistakes of my Life

I have always loved and admired the books Five Point Someone and One Night @ The Call Center by Chetan Bhagat. In fact, I was waiting eagerly for his third fiction and I could not hold back when it reached the book stores.

I was overwhelmed with emotions after reading his latest book. This was a totally dissimilar book and just had about everything in it. The book revolves around business, cricket and religion. It is the story of three boys in Ahmedabad who start a business and the way they get on with the ups and downs of life. Since it is about Gujarat, the beauty and glory of the state is captured. Chetan also talks about the earthquake which affected the businessmen and the catastrophe of the World Trading Center which was the cause of the Hindu-Muslim conflict in Gujarat. Cricket makes a grand facade in the story.

Apart from this, the depiction of different emotions in varied elationships is great. There is a talk about family, mother’s love, father’s concern, family commitments and much more. The subtle toryline is an old style story- Hero falling in love with his friend’s sister but it has its own beauty. Believe me, it’s not a disappointment for lovers of romance tales.

The prologue and epilogue are the most admired part of the novel as Chetan Bhagat’s imagination is simply superb and different. It’s a happy climax.

The book is titles 3 Mistakes of My Life because the hero makes 3 mistakes and repents for the same. This is also Chetan’s third novel and there are three friends and many such reasons.

A must read, the book has a good message for everybody. As I had said earlier, it has everything in it. So every reader will gain something from a book that is available in bookstores. You can grab a copy at just Rs. 95/-

                                                                                                                                                 Vibha Luvenia M
                                                                                                                                                 B.Sc. (Biotechnology)