Was really sceptic about how this will turn out to be, since Chetan’s earier attempt to write fiction (which is not his personal experience) in ‘three mistakes of my life’ and ‘one night at call centre’ didn’t live up to its expectation. However other two, five point someone and 2 states, had parts from his own life, so they were mesmerizing.
So, as an ardent fan, I gifted a dozen copies during the diwali season to my loved ones. Everyone was thrilled and completed the book. My copy was still lying idle, finally got some time during holiday season to have my eyes soaked in it.
How did it fair?
Bang on! It delivered the promise between an author and a reader – You give me your time & money, I will give you experience and entertainment.
Chetan tweeted
‘Don’t Read My Books with a Red Pen in Your Hand’.
So being an story writer myself, instead I read the book with pencil because I knew there will be few dozen things to learn from the book.
I’ll skip the synopsis about protagonist Gopal, the lady in the love triangle Aarti and the other rocksolid guy Raghav.
Coming straight to the point – it’s a love triangle – it had close resemblances to ‘Kabhi haan, Kabhi naa’ and ‘Hazaar Khwaishen aisi’.
The first thing – Revolution 2020 is an in-apt title, he could have done better.
Now I could write a detailed review on the story structure, characterization, plot and dialogues, but since it’s a busy week at office, let me give you only important bits.
So, let me first talk about what went wrong. Most of my buddies agreed that Gopal should have gone ahead with Aarti, by promising to change himself and the entire education scene. After all, she was the only reason for his existence. But, when I stepped in to a writer’s shoes I realized that it was required, probably the way it was delivered should have been altered. During Gopal’s realization on page 266 and 267, there should have been a more compelling event or a pay-off (which was set-up’d earlier) because this was the most important point in the book.
One second-last thing that I thought was missing is, how intense Raghav’s love was for Aarti? There was not a single incident, which said if Raghav was equally in love with her? (and not just to lust her).
Last bit, all the earlier books had a solid humor, this book lacked it. To tell you the fact, five point someone was the first book in my life, that made me laugh out loud till my stomach hurt.
Coming now to the bits that I really loved about the book
Beautiful visualization through words with statements like
The teacher walked along the aisles. Students shrank in their seas as she passed them.
A sweeper with a giant broom produced dust clouds in the air in an attempt to clean the place.
Awesome phrases
She could never understand that losers, even if they do not have a brain, have a heart.
How can god give girls so much power? How can they turn productive, busy and ambitious men into a wilting mass of uselessness.
Loved the new invented word
Girlese
He also described Varanasi pretty well. Out an out it deserves 4.5 out of 5 in the Genre of Indian Fiction.
Lastly I can say,
The storyteller has arrived.
Click here if you would like to buy this book from flipkart
Loved your inclusion of The Quotes.
P.S.-Is Five Point Someone the only book which you read that made you laugh out loud!
Try reading The Inscruptable Americans or maybe Three Men in a Boat
read the first one, will read ‘three men in a boat’. thanx for the recommendations.
cheers,
Mukesh
Don’t really agree with your review. This book doesn’t deserve 4.5/5 at all.
“She could never understand that losers, even if they do not have a brain, have a heart.”
That really was a good line……Agreed with most of your points…(the changed ending…..raghav’s pov….again bhagat shows glimpses of the author that he can be instead of the author that he is……the story teller has arrived …but he remains just that ..a story teller….he could have been a history maker with the plot….(do read my pov in rastogi’s blog…..we have the same views 🙂 doesn’t deserve a 4.5….)
Messenger CHAT session with Aarti and obvious replies were awesome
and specially the last turning point( give up the love of the life)
Revolution 2020 is a nice book n chetan bhagat is one of the awesome writers in ”INDIA”…I wnts 2 ask smthing ”IS IT A TRUE STORY THAT IS MENTIONED IN REVOLUTION 2020??”plz gve the answer…
It’s a work of fiction.
Is it a tru story..please let me know plzzzzzz
work of fiction
Chetan bhagat is one of the great man . Who know people mind very closely . I think this is not true story . Cause chetan bhgat said this is not true story.
Thanks Lucky for stopping by.
Yes it’s a work of fiction and not a love story.
Ridiculous quest there. What happened after? Thanks!
revolution 2020 is nice book. I like this story, really chetan bhagat is nice writer.
why cnt there be happy ending,,,,,,,,,,i mean gopal loved aarti wid ol his heart and soul,,,,,how cud he let her go,just like that,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,he cud have married aarti and become an mla,,,,,,thn he wud hve helped raghav to bring out his so cald ‘revolution’,,,,,,,he didnt have to gve up his love for that,,,,,,,,,,,secondly i dnt understand y did he lied to aarti,he cud hve bn true about his changed feelings
Same here…why… ? Gopal deserve Aarti (even better than Aarati…), Raghav is nice guy too but.. what Gopal had suffered in his life..still he came up rocking..salute to him..
If we have everything gud in life then we can be a gud person like Raghav. But when we have nothing then also being a gud person is very hard….and Gopal is a Hero!!!
Its a awsome story but i want to know is it a true story
its a work of fiction.
Same here…why… ? Gopal deserve Aarti (even better than Aarati…), Raghav is nice guy too but.. what Gopal had suffered in his life..still he came up rocking..salute to him..
If we have everything gud in life then we can be a gud person like Raghav. But when we have nothing then also being a gud person is very hard….and Gopal is a Hero!!!
I liked the book. The beginning….everyone can relate to it.
He could have let Gopal have the girl though, because he was the POV character in the story, so readers imagined themselves in Gopal’s place, getting heartbroken when he left aarti.
Also, I found a tone in Bhagat’s writing hinting that girls only ran after successful,rich people.
Overall a very good book. The predictability, the awkward dramatism, the down-to-earth, no humour writing actually added the effect of reality in my case. 🙂
I am very excited to meet the three characters
Gopal,raghav and aarti