Branding Bhagat: 5 points about Brand CB and 1 Indian Girl

Update: Since I published this blog in 2017, I have had the opportunity to read Ms. Bajpai’s book. The stories bear no resemblance to each other. At all. Her story draws significantly on Bhagat’s college romance formula. This accusation was a cheap publicity stunt. When the news broke that Chetan Bhagat was being sued for […]
Understanding Chetan Bhagat’s One Indian Girl on her own terms

After the reviews for One Indian Girl began to pour in, Chiki Sarkar of Juggernaut asked, “Why not review it on its own terms?” This review is a response to that question. 5 Points Readers Expect from a Chetan Bhagat Novel Like a Harlequin romance, a Chetan Bhagat novel has certain conventions. Both brands are […]
4 writers, 4 stories, 4 steps on my writing journey

As I watched the Write India video the other day, I teared up and realized I wanted to tell the stories of my stories, the lessons I learned, and express my gratitude for the Write India program.
I am a Chetan Bhagat fan, and I am not an idiot: A 2001-word editorial odyssey

Recently, I was involved in a discussion in a writer’s group about Chetan Bhagat. Unlike most similar discussions, this one did not degenerate into the vitriol that usually happens when Chetan Bhagat is mentioned. In part, because the discussion was not limited to Bhagat himself, but included Amish Tripathi, Durjoy Datta, Ravi Subramanian, and other bestsellers. […]
The Semicolon

“These wounds look self-inflicted,” said the nurse pointing to the bandage on Divya’s left wrist.
“Is it about a boyfriend, dear?”
“No, ma’am.”
“A half-boyfriend then? I hear the girls have those now.”
Divya hated this line of questioning. Why did it always have to be about a boy?