tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531765274219955373.post84172643862869123..comments2024-02-10T02:11:17.866+05:30Comments on The Cosmic Joke: On Disliking Chetan BhagatSachin C. Ketkarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09429849773311198305noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531765274219955373.post-56456814162568229012012-06-25T11:50:20.604+05:302012-06-25T11:50:20.604+05:30Yes, language is the site of literature happening,...Yes, language is the site of literature happening, whatever language that work of literature may be in. But let alone his language/English, what is more problematic in Chetan Bhagat’s writings (concerning only his first two (?) novels I have read) is their being nothing more than commonsense (and that not presented in some way to absolve the novels of the blame of the lack of thought/intellect/insight). Yes, it all depend on where you look at the novels from—from left, right, within, above, below. And as you noted “the success of people like Chetan Bhagat…owes a lot to the emergent literate class which has discovered literacy rather late, and have not discovered the literary at all.”<br /><br />Every person is entitled to his/her own views/tastes. My dislike for Chetan Bhagat’s writings are neither informed by NRI literary tastes nor due to imposition of Western or Eastern or Southern or Northern or Internal (of the Earth) literary sensibilities. Our contemporary Indian literary/critical understanding tends to be tampered (in varying degrees) by postcolonial critical creeds, which was not the case with my reading of Bhagat. My view was rather (simply) from philosophy, say logic (and found say 3 Mistakes of My Life very illogical/unreasonable and hence immature considering Chetan’s age). The trajectory in this is it won’t be appropriate to dump dislike for Chetan Bhagat’s writings as an intellectual fashion informed by a subtle form of colonial mindset and NRI literary taste. And I personally think writing about current India by living in India in the language people can identify themselves with more easily does not necessarily make the writing countable. And I think your concluding remark “the success of people like Chetan Bhagat…owes a lot to the emergent literate class which has discovered literacy rather late, and have not discovered the literary at all” is ‘significant in a strange way’ in the context of your preceding arguments. Its sounds like an about-turn to me.Thoithoi O'Cottagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06009090052227718471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531765274219955373.post-2053137550006303092012-06-25T11:35:53.602+05:302012-06-25T11:35:53.602+05:30This comment has been removed by the author.Thoithoi O'Cottagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06009090052227718471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531765274219955373.post-87195388898989926142010-01-16T13:32:21.516+05:302010-01-16T13:32:21.516+05:30I agree with your views. It is precisely his langu...I agree with your views. It is precisely his language and his easy style that makes his readers warm up to him. I have seen many people whi wouldn't touch a book even with a yard long pole read Bhagat's books because they say they show a world in which they identify themselves.Aparnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03355947472878367894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531765274219955373.post-29176316551696345272010-01-16T09:56:54.677+05:302010-01-16T09:56:54.677+05:30Bhagat is funny/timepass/sarcastic at places in 5 ...Bhagat is funny/timepass/sarcastic at places in 5 point/2 states. his interesting/readable books. However he is shallow and a lazy/limited writer. His characters do not seem to be real (except where it is about his own life). A great marketer and self believer. A lesser Baba Kadam of 'navsakshar'/newly literate english readers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531765274219955373.post-12443314392645692522009-12-24T14:31:55.772+05:302009-12-24T14:31:55.772+05:30Sir,
A superb write up!!!
Enjoyed it thoroughly.
A...Sir,<br />A superb write up!!!<br />Enjoyed it thoroughly.<br />As I've gone through all the work of Bhagat, I find your views largely agreeable. however, I've not read the "giants" discussed by you, so cant dwell upon it.<br />Thanks.<br />- Jay Mehta.Dr.Jay Mehtahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05745881446087187427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531765274219955373.post-68008174781410234652009-12-07T12:54:14.361+05:302009-12-07T12:54:14.361+05:30Totally agree with you here... I really get carrie...Totally agree with you here... I really get carried along with chetan bhagat's narration...and cant for the world imagine why people go crazy over Coelho... he is not even chick lit...not that chick lit is bad in my eyes...any writing that grips even one reader is writing and something that someone has taken effort over... it should be given its due is what I think...have never been able to read Rushdie<br /><br />:)<br /><br />Suneethayashohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954168570164054294noreply@blogger.com