Book Review: The 3 mistakes of My Life by Chetan Bhagat - Fathima V A

Book Review: The 3 mistakes of My Life by Chetan Bhagat

-         Fathima V A

Chetan Bhagat is an Indian writer whose works have always broken the records and he infuses the Indian culture in his works in a way that it touches the soul of an Indian, especially the youth.  He always includes the facts and nuances of Indian life in his works. What strikes you first about Bhagat’s novels is the fact that he writers about Indians for Indians. His characters are young, ambitious and passionate and have the same moral and social dilemmas experienced by the current young generation of India. At the same time, there context and sensibility too is unabashedly Indian. The 3 Mistakes of my Life, the third novel by Chetan Bhagat also has all these qualities

The story is set in the city of Ahmedabad that though being urban is yet not as metropolitan as many of its counterparts. It sustains the flavour of a small town along with intricate details of traditional Indian households and vegetarian eateries. The story revolves around the protagonist Govind and his two friends Ishan and Omi. Govind has a passion and acumen for accounts and business and his friend Ishan’s soul resides in cricket. For him cricket is the sole reason to survive and his entire life revolves around cricket. The other major character in the story is Omi, the son of a priest and a loyal friend of Govind and Ishan, who is ready to do anything for his friends. The whole novel is centered on these three characters.

The book is loosely based on the three mistakes Govind made in his life. The story begins in a dramatic way, with Chetan Bhagat receiving an e-mail from Govind who had taken an overdose of sleeping pills as an attempt to suicide. As Govind was waiting for death, he wrote the e-mail requesting Bhagat to come and see him. The events that follow are a blend of cricket, religion, business, love and friendship.

Govid sets up a sports shop along with his friends in the temple compound with Omi’s family’s help. The shop prospers as Ishan coaches young boys in cricket and Govind teaches Maths to Ishan’s sister Vidya. The tuition classes leads to a love affair between Govind and Vidya. Later Ishan meets Ali, a child with hyper reflex condition that enables him to convert his each ball into a boundary. Ali displays the talent which Ishan never had and Ali’s destiny becomes his own. The novel takes a turn when Omi’s Bittu mama, a communal party man, enters the story. He was adamant to convert the young men into fighters in the name of Hinduism. Situations come to a head and Ahmedabad burns into riot fires. Omi dies saving Ali and Ishan finds out about Vidya and Govind, a betrayal he does not forgive. These events lead Govind to his death bed and that is when he writes the email to Bhagat.

The 3 Mistakes of My Life is written in simple and lucid language and has quality that makes one want to read the book in one sitting. It grabs the attention of the reader in such a way that the reader gets captivated in the fictional world. The story also feels connected to the Indian youth who always feels confused about their future. This insecurity and dreams of a common man help to struck a chord with the fictional characters and this is the major reason behind the success of the story. The Bollywood movie Kai Po Che is inspired from this novel.