Book Review : 2 States - The Story Of My Marriage

‘2 States: The Story of My Marriage’ picks up where ‘Five Point Someone’ end. It is an Indian love story about a couple (author and his wife) coming from two different states of India (Punjab and Tamil Nadu), who faced the conservative parents and how they finally persuaded them to get themselves married. Through this book, Bhagat exposes the backward mentality of Indians, nuances of regions and religions and how inter-caste marriages are still seen as a social stigma.

The book is divided into five parts.
The first part of the book had the same flow and humor as in his first book "Five point someone"! The story kicks start from right from page 1 and runs on a brisk pace!
The author (a Punjabi) meets and romances a beautiful, chicken and beer drinking iyer Brahmin girl! (Quite possible!)And propose her right in the interview room. (Too filmy!) The entire IIMA experience is written in just 36 pages (I wished more!)

Part 2

They plan to wed and he goes to Chennai to impress her parents DDLJ style. The story becomes predictable, the humor is lost and becomes 'rhumba' boring with lots of 'seri' 'seri' and 'illa' illa"s. He impresses the family by giving IIT tuition to his younger brother, creating presentation to her dad and gave her mom a stage to sing. (Supposed to be a carnatic singer, and sings Kaho na pyaar hai!) And later propose all of them with rings :D

Part 3

Well DDLJ would end here, but not his book, the girl comes and impresses the mother and her family in a total brave style. I guess Chethan bagat wants his every novel to become a movie! There is a saying, In India every real life love story can be made to a movie, well this one too!

Part 4
Well it’s India; story is not over yet! Girl’s family should love boy’s family, so they arrange a trip to Goa. They fail to make the family love each other and they end up in a fight.
The author fails to make the story a bit senti, bit touchy and hence becomes dry.

Part 5

His father remains a mystery man, doesn't like him or his mother and they even don't speak to each other. Throughout the book he is portrayed as a strict army man who didn't like to socialize. He goes and helps as a shocking surprise! Something is at least unexpected!

Two States: the story of my marriage’ is a book made for a Indian reader, like a bollywood film, it has got emotions, sex, friendship, music, betrayal, exploitation, Indian families on the verge of break-up and then re-uniting, elaborate weddings, tearful mothers, nosy relatives, spirituality, office politics, just-for-laugh lines and a happy ending.

I go with 3/5 for his new book. Chethan Bagat The story in the beginning is very good, but becomes dull and expected in the middle but however picks up in the end! Not as intriguing as Five point Someone' but far better than 'Call Centre and 3 mistakes'


P.S : Ping me or Dwai for a soft copy.