So one fine day, as I was
checking my emails, I received a message from the author Rishi Vohra,
requesting a book review. The title sounded cheesy (too much Bollywood like), I
had never heard of the author before, and frankly I was sceptical as I thought
it was most probably a spam mail.
I however, was proved wrong.
I started reading the book, and I
was in for a joy read!
Balwant Srivastav aka Babloo- the
protagonist of the story. His world is divided into Him (his alter ego),
Vandana (the love of his life) and the Others (‘they’). ‘They’ call him
autistic, schizophrenic, psychotic. Neglected as a child, misunderstood by his
own. He has nothing but his love for Vandana.
Vandana- the beauty of the
Railway Colony, the one who everybody yearns for. What does she want? She wants to
fly out to USA. The place where all her dreams can come true.
Sikander- the antagonist, the
cable guy, the philanderer. The villain. The one who almost got away.
And then there is the Rail Man-
the hero of the Mumbai railway tracks. The fearless one, who has nothing to lose,
but what can he possibly gain?
Together their lives are
intertwined. The author weaves a beautiful tale and sets it against the dynamic
backdrop of Mumbai. The book is well researched and written in a simple, lucid
manner. The characters are well developed, and complex emotions portrayed in a way
you can truly relate.
The book is a reflection of the Indian
middle class, and their survival. It picks on various issues here and then- sexual
harassment, corruption, the stagnating bureaucratic system to name a few.
The book is a must read!
To know more about the author,
visit www.rishivohra.com .
The book is also available for order at flipkart.com.
