What to gift your less favourite folks

Buying gifts always needs creativity and enthusiasm especially if it is for  someone you aren’t quite fond of… That makes the whole process more painful.

Recently, I read something that I thought could be a perfect gift for someone I don’t like! The book is none other than Revolution 2020 by India’s most loved author (unfortunately that’s true) Chetan Bhagat. I had quite enjoyed Bhagat’s first book five point someone and read the subsequent books (Three Mistakes of my life, Two states) and dint quite like them. But it is the first time that I couldn’t get myself to complete a Chetan Bhagat book. Revolution 2020 was absolute torture! I tried pushing myself through it but after about 130pages I decided it was time to throw in the towel. Nothing I have ever read has been more dull, dragging, boring and absolutely painful. 

Coming to think of it, Chetan Bhagat is more a one book wonder. After that first book his books had the ring of a third class bollywood movie. I can’t get myself to even gather my thoughts on the book because I just dont have the guts to think through those 130 pages again. And that’s when I decided that this is something I will gift people I am not too fond of. Let them enjoy Mr Ex-IIT-IIM’s torture!

I was thinking to myself if I was being too harsh on having such negative thoughts on the book and thats when I realized that I was not alone in despising Chetan Bhagat. I thoroughly enjoyed a statement which called Chetan Bhagat the Karan Johar of the publishing insudtry! Couldn’t help but laugh out loud!

Final Verdict: 0.5/5

Chalo Dilli

A Vinay Pathak and Lara Dutta movie. This is a remake of the English movie Planes,Trains and Automobiles. This is the first Vinay Pathak movie I have watched and was quite a refresher for me. The bollywood movies which I watched prior to this were 1.  Love Aaj Kal which was more like Love in Lame Kal and 2. Aisha was pure torture and couldn’t get myself to sit through it. I am not sure if thats the reason that I like Chalo Dilli more than other people seemed to have liked it.

The movie is about Mihika Banerjee, a strong career oriented woman who is an investment banker by profession and runs a large company. She is the ‘bitch from hell’ for her employees, I could quite relate to the role Sandra Bullock played in The Proposal though I would have to admit, I hated Sandra Bullock more clearly meaning she did more justice to the role. Back to Mihika Banerjee, she is portrayed to be extremely career minded that she is willing to forego her birthday celebrations with her hubby (Akshay Kumar) for some business deal. She clearly belongs to the high class society and is a clean freak who dislikes the typical loud, over-friendly middle classed Indian co-passenger. On her way to Dilli she meets a man Manu Gupta who perfectly fits that class of people she loathes.

The movie shows how these how these two individuals with completely opposite personalities have a rather adventurous long journey together. I must say certain parts of the movie have exceptionally witty one liners by Vinay Pathak but the charm doesn’t last through the length of the movie. In fact, after a bit it seems rather too cliched and expected. This journey helps Mihika appreciate the smaller joys in life like the beauty of  sun rise. The journey turns out to be more a life-lesson which helps her set her priorities right – family over work. Most importantly the icy witch learns to smile.

In short a lovely watch, very refreshing when compared to the mainstream bollywood love stories. But definitely could have been better in terms of the depth the characters have. They end up being just the stereotypes one has in their head nothing beyond.

3 for the movie but because of the fact that this is a refreshing change from the mainstream bollywood cinema another 0.5 points.

Final Verdict: 3.5/5