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Revolution Twenty20
Once upon a time, in small-town India, there lived two intelligent boys.One wanted to use his intelligence to make money.One wanted to use his intelligence to start a revolution.The problem was, they both loved the same girl.
Welcome to Revolution 2020, a story about childhood friends Gopal and Raghav, who struggle to find success and love in Varanasi—no mean feat in an unfair society that rewards the corrupt. While Gopal gives in to the system, Raghav tries to fight it—but who will win?
From the bestselling author of Five Point Someone, One Night @ the Call Center, The 3 Mistakes of My Life and 2 States comes another gripping tale from the heartland of India. Are you ready for the revolution?
This is a new release of a previously published edition.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
2353 people are currently reading
29867 people want to read
About the author
Chetan Bhagat
46 books5,518 followersChetan Bhagat writes op-ed columns for English and Hindi newspapers, including Times of India and Dainik Bhaskar, focusing on youth and issues based on national development. Bhagat is also a motivational speaker and has given talks in leading MNCs and other institutions. He quit his international investment banking career in 2009, to devote his entire time to writing. In 2008, The New York Times called Bhagat "the biggest selling English language novelist in India’s history". Bhagat, a graduate of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad, is seen more as a youth icon than as an author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,506 reviews
April 3, 2014
When you name your novel Revolution 2020, one expects a kind of soul searching, revolutionary story about a country that needs change more than ever. But, Revolution 2020 never even comes close to that. Instead, it becomes a highly clichéd love story which has nothing to do with revolution whatsoever. You almost feel that Bhagat wanted to cash in on the Anna Hazare movement against corruption. To say that the story is extremely shallow might be the understatement of the year.
Two boys try to get into IIT/NIT in order to become engineers. Bhagat implies it on every page that it’s either IIT/NIT or bust. If you cannot get into IIT/NITs, the only option left is private colleges or to become a watchman (Seriously, he wrote that). Does Bhagat even know the admission procedure in engineering colleges of India? There are engineering colleges in India which even though are not NIT/IITs are government funded and quiet reputable (In some cases, even as good as the NIT/IITs). And the admission procedures are centralized state wise. If you cannot even crack that, then and then only private colleges come into the picture. He seemed to brag about himself in the first couple of pages by listing his achievements in the dragged form of a story if ever there was one. He even tells that, in general, if someone does Btech in India, he/she compulsorily wants to do an MBA too. Why Mr. Bhagat? No Mtech? Not anything else? Oh we get it. Because you did the same. And that is the only option, right? Chetan Bhagat might be the least knowledgeable author this country has ever produced. I wonder if he has even read more than 10 good books in his life. Because his stories do implicate that these are the most under researched works of literature ever to come out of India.
To sum up the story, the main character Gopal loves his childhood friend Aarti who in fact loves their common friend Raghav. As we are in Bhagat’s universe, Gopal becomes a major failure just because he couldn’t crack the IIT/ NIT entrance examinations. So he naturally turns corrupt and becomes successful. On the other hand, Raghav starts dating Aarti and gets his engineering degree and turns a reporter, because hey, it is mandatory that you need to be a reporter to change the world, right? And Aarti might be one of the silliest characters ever to come out of fiction in recent times. Her character has even lesser depth and understanding than a 10 year old; that is, if a 10 year old is mentally challenged. What will become of them in the end? Believe me, you wouldn’t care. There is no depth to the story. Chetan Bhagat has sleep walked through the entire story and I guess it’s only fair if you would do the same. As I said earlier, he is the least knowledgeable published author to come out of India in the recent past. His books about his own life, “Five Point Someone” and “2 States” were good, but when he tries his hand at a total fictional work, which requires total imagination, he fails drastically, which alas, I am sorry to say, is not a good thing for a writer of fiction.
Two boys try to get into IIT/NIT in order to become engineers. Bhagat implies it on every page that it’s either IIT/NIT or bust. If you cannot get into IIT/NITs, the only option left is private colleges or to become a watchman (Seriously, he wrote that). Does Bhagat even know the admission procedure in engineering colleges of India? There are engineering colleges in India which even though are not NIT/IITs are government funded and quiet reputable (In some cases, even as good as the NIT/IITs). And the admission procedures are centralized state wise. If you cannot even crack that, then and then only private colleges come into the picture. He seemed to brag about himself in the first couple of pages by listing his achievements in the dragged form of a story if ever there was one. He even tells that, in general, if someone does Btech in India, he/she compulsorily wants to do an MBA too. Why Mr. Bhagat? No Mtech? Not anything else? Oh we get it. Because you did the same. And that is the only option, right? Chetan Bhagat might be the least knowledgeable author this country has ever produced. I wonder if he has even read more than 10 good books in his life. Because his stories do implicate that these are the most under researched works of literature ever to come out of India.
To sum up the story, the main character Gopal loves his childhood friend Aarti who in fact loves their common friend Raghav. As we are in Bhagat’s universe, Gopal becomes a major failure just because he couldn’t crack the IIT/ NIT entrance examinations. So he naturally turns corrupt and becomes successful. On the other hand, Raghav starts dating Aarti and gets his engineering degree and turns a reporter, because hey, it is mandatory that you need to be a reporter to change the world, right? And Aarti might be one of the silliest characters ever to come out of fiction in recent times. Her character has even lesser depth and understanding than a 10 year old; that is, if a 10 year old is mentally challenged. What will become of them in the end? Believe me, you wouldn’t care. There is no depth to the story. Chetan Bhagat has sleep walked through the entire story and I guess it’s only fair if you would do the same. As I said earlier, he is the least knowledgeable published author to come out of India in the recent past. His books about his own life, “Five Point Someone” and “2 States” were good, but when he tries his hand at a total fictional work, which requires total imagination, he fails drastically, which alas, I am sorry to say, is not a good thing for a writer of fiction.
May 18, 2023
Of all the books written by Chetan Bhagat, this is my least favorite one. 2020 became one of the worst years of this millennium due to the pandemic, lockdowns, and many other reasons.
Similarly, Revolution 2020 was a similar disaster created by Bhagat. The ending of this book is so unrealistic and exasperating. I liked some of the early books by the author. But sadly, this book didn’t reach my expectations.
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Similarly, Revolution 2020 was a similar disaster created by Bhagat. The ending of this book is so unrealistic and exasperating. I liked some of the early books by the author. But sadly, this book didn’t reach my expectations.
—————————————————————————
You can also follow me on
Instagram ID - Dasfill | YouTube Channel ID - Dasfill | YouTube Health Channel ID - Dasfill - Health | YouTube Malayalam Channel ID - Dasfill - Malayalam | Twitter ID - Dasfill1 | Snapchat ID - Dasfill | Facebook ID - Dasfill | TikTok ID - Dasfill1
September 9, 2012
From Five Point Someone: What Not to Do at IIT to
Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition, Chetan Bhagat is- as Times Of India rightly puts it- the rockstar of Indian publishing.
Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition is going the be the new 'brand' of the Indian youth. The story, set in Varanasi, one of the holiest places in the country, considered to be the destination to go to get rid of your sins, is absolutely practical, definitive and gripping. It is the tale of Gopal, Raghav and Aarti who are childhood friends and even though they set out to find their own place in the world, their destinies are intertwined with that of one another and also with that of their own beloved city. The tagline of the book- Love, Corruption, Ambition suit the characters perfectly well.
Aarti is the typical Indian girl who has the dream of becoming an air- hostess and yet cares a lot for her family and friends. The daughter of a District Magistrate and the grand- daughter of an MLA, her life is already on the threshold of getting political. Aarti, however, does not consider herself one of those people who would go about raising their hand and participating in election campaigns. Her life revolves around her two friends, Gopal and Raghav. Gopal being her best friend, she shares a special relationship with him with lots of on- again off- again signals coming from her side. Gopal talks about her 'natural maternal instincts'. She is there for both of her friends, whether they need her or not. The best thing about her is her belief that one must do what one loves to do and follow one's heart.
Raghav, in my opinion, is what every young Indian should be. A true radical reformist, Ragahv believes that the country will change only when we begin grass- root level change. Even though he completes his engineering from a prestigious college, he discovers that his true passion is journalism. He puts immense efforts in bringing news to the people as it is, in its correct from. After being fired for writing about corruption and politicians involved in scams, Raghav starts his own newsprint '
Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition'. This is where everything starts. From helping poor farmers to providing a clean environment, Raghav attacks it all. He will have a special place in the readers' hearts for just being who he wants to be.
Gopal, our main hero or villain or as Chetan Bhagat rightly puts in the end- "I'll let the readers decide how they want to consider you. I simply write about people. I don't cast them as heroes or villains." Really, it is for the reader to decide whether Gopal is the hero or the villain. Coming from a poor family, one cannot help but feel sympathy towards him. He is what ever Indian farmer's child is- born in debt. His father works hard to get loans for his education and Gopal disappoints not only his father, but also himself. It is but obvious that when Gopal gets an opportunity to start off the path of becoming rich, he takes it without looking back. And there you have it, within a few years, Mr. Gopal Mishra is the director of a brand new college, where students idolize him. What more could he have asked for? The only factor that binds the childhood friends together, Gopal is truly a significant character. He believes that no matter what, we will never loose the 'Keshav' or the innocence and goodness that is there within us.
One of the other characters who really caught my attention was MLA Shukla. He is the epitome of the Indian politician, 'I will arrange for it' being his favourite sentence throughout the book. A father figure and mentor to Gopal, Shukla also is a good person, only if that is what you want to believe. The faculty of Gopal's college 'GangaTech' as also the people involved in its establishment play a very significant role in the book.
Somewhere in this entire scam and corruption scenario, the entire concept of Varanasi being the place to get rid of your sins hits you in the face, making you think that maybe the reason behind the backdrop being Varanasi is the clearance of our sins. After this book, 'Tourism Varanasi' will definitely be the need of the hour. Varanasi is already flooded with foreign and Indian tourists, another fact Chetan Bhagat has stressed on. It is really wonderful to read about how wonderful our country is and how wonderfully we perceive it as being so.
The remaining characters too play an important role and manage to shine in the presence of Aarti, Raghav and Gopal. Raghav and Gopal are IIT and AIEEE aspirants and I am sure every Indian, whether in the engineering field or not, will be able to relate to the anxiety before these competitive exams as also during the time of the announcement of the results, since all of us know someone or the other who goes through the same. In that sense, Chetan Bhagat sticks to the domain of engineering as always. However, students of other fields will also relate easily with the situations that take place, whether in the households, school or with friends and family. It is an Indian's book.
For me, the story begins from the 30 acres of agricultural land owned by Gopal's grand- father. That is where all the corruption starts, from the family to the national level, corruption exists everywhere. The timing of publication has been well thought of, given that we just witnessed the humongous Anti- graft movement led by Anna Hazare. It shows us the true colors of life in the villages of India and also the true work that our representatives 'claim' to do. Basically, it describes India as she is without any edits and cuts. This is the book that will help us change our own outlook and do something about putting it into practice for the betterment of our country. I personally wish the book is made a compulsory read in colleges. It is up to us to decide what we perceive as good and what is the bad and it also up to us to think of changing that which we think is bad and how we go about changing it.
Revolution 2020 is a book that will not take up much of your time, so give it go! It is high time for a real Revolution to take actually take place. I would want every Indian youth to read this one. It is our country and we need to take charge of it. Chetan Bhagat does an excellent job yet again of making readers believe that everything is possible. You do not necessarily have to be grand to do something, you just need to believe in yourself and what it is that you want to do. Make way for the rockstar and a new generation!
Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition, Chetan Bhagat is- as Times Of India rightly puts it- the rockstar of Indian publishing.
Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition is going the be the new 'brand' of the Indian youth. The story, set in Varanasi, one of the holiest places in the country, considered to be the destination to go to get rid of your sins, is absolutely practical, definitive and gripping. It is the tale of Gopal, Raghav and Aarti who are childhood friends and even though they set out to find their own place in the world, their destinies are intertwined with that of one another and also with that of their own beloved city. The tagline of the book- Love, Corruption, Ambition suit the characters perfectly well.
Aarti is the typical Indian girl who has the dream of becoming an air- hostess and yet cares a lot for her family and friends. The daughter of a District Magistrate and the grand- daughter of an MLA, her life is already on the threshold of getting political. Aarti, however, does not consider herself one of those people who would go about raising their hand and participating in election campaigns. Her life revolves around her two friends, Gopal and Raghav. Gopal being her best friend, she shares a special relationship with him with lots of on- again off- again signals coming from her side. Gopal talks about her 'natural maternal instincts'. She is there for both of her friends, whether they need her or not. The best thing about her is her belief that one must do what one loves to do and follow one's heart.
Raghav, in my opinion, is what every young Indian should be. A true radical reformist, Ragahv believes that the country will change only when we begin grass- root level change. Even though he completes his engineering from a prestigious college, he discovers that his true passion is journalism. He puts immense efforts in bringing news to the people as it is, in its correct from. After being fired for writing about corruption and politicians involved in scams, Raghav starts his own newsprint '
Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition'. This is where everything starts. From helping poor farmers to providing a clean environment, Raghav attacks it all. He will have a special place in the readers' hearts for just being who he wants to be.
Gopal, our main hero or villain or as Chetan Bhagat rightly puts in the end- "I'll let the readers decide how they want to consider you. I simply write about people. I don't cast them as heroes or villains." Really, it is for the reader to decide whether Gopal is the hero or the villain. Coming from a poor family, one cannot help but feel sympathy towards him. He is what ever Indian farmer's child is- born in debt. His father works hard to get loans for his education and Gopal disappoints not only his father, but also himself. It is but obvious that when Gopal gets an opportunity to start off the path of becoming rich, he takes it without looking back. And there you have it, within a few years, Mr. Gopal Mishra is the director of a brand new college, where students idolize him. What more could he have asked for? The only factor that binds the childhood friends together, Gopal is truly a significant character. He believes that no matter what, we will never loose the 'Keshav' or the innocence and goodness that is there within us.
One of the other characters who really caught my attention was MLA Shukla. He is the epitome of the Indian politician, 'I will arrange for it' being his favourite sentence throughout the book. A father figure and mentor to Gopal, Shukla also is a good person, only if that is what you want to believe. The faculty of Gopal's college 'GangaTech' as also the people involved in its establishment play a very significant role in the book.
Somewhere in this entire scam and corruption scenario, the entire concept of Varanasi being the place to get rid of your sins hits you in the face, making you think that maybe the reason behind the backdrop being Varanasi is the clearance of our sins. After this book, 'Tourism Varanasi' will definitely be the need of the hour. Varanasi is already flooded with foreign and Indian tourists, another fact Chetan Bhagat has stressed on. It is really wonderful to read about how wonderful our country is and how wonderfully we perceive it as being so.
The remaining characters too play an important role and manage to shine in the presence of Aarti, Raghav and Gopal. Raghav and Gopal are IIT and AIEEE aspirants and I am sure every Indian, whether in the engineering field or not, will be able to relate to the anxiety before these competitive exams as also during the time of the announcement of the results, since all of us know someone or the other who goes through the same. In that sense, Chetan Bhagat sticks to the domain of engineering as always. However, students of other fields will also relate easily with the situations that take place, whether in the households, school or with friends and family. It is an Indian's book.
For me, the story begins from the 30 acres of agricultural land owned by Gopal's grand- father. That is where all the corruption starts, from the family to the national level, corruption exists everywhere. The timing of publication has been well thought of, given that we just witnessed the humongous Anti- graft movement led by Anna Hazare. It shows us the true colors of life in the villages of India and also the true work that our representatives 'claim' to do. Basically, it describes India as she is without any edits and cuts. This is the book that will help us change our own outlook and do something about putting it into practice for the betterment of our country. I personally wish the book is made a compulsory read in colleges. It is up to us to decide what we perceive as good and what is the bad and it also up to us to think of changing that which we think is bad and how we go about changing it.
Revolution 2020 is a book that will not take up much of your time, so give it go! It is high time for a real Revolution to take actually take place. I would want every Indian youth to read this one. It is our country and we need to take charge of it. Chetan Bhagat does an excellent job yet again of making readers believe that everything is possible. You do not necessarily have to be grand to do something, you just need to believe in yourself and what it is that you want to do. Make way for the rockstar and a new generation!
October 8, 2011
Made a me cry tonnes, still red eyed :)
CB knows the art of strumming heart's strings. Definitely worth a read
CB knows the art of strumming heart's strings. Definitely worth a read
May 29, 2012
Why oh why must everyone keep harping on the darn issue of men and women cant be friends?
If they are friends now, then they are either a) will become lovers eventually. b) one of them will manipulate the other to get money/convenience/sex.
I am a woman, with I think at least as many men friends as women. I have managed to keep my friends (both men and women), without resorting to hugging or kissing them frequently, letting any of them pay for my cups of coffee constantly, and taking advantage of them manipulatively. And voila! Not one of them accidentally fell into bed with me!
What I have done with the best of my friends, is cried on their shoulders during my lows, provided mine to them during theirs. Discussed love lives. Enjoyed late night (and rather pointless, but very serious) discussions on life, universe and existence in general. I am even guilty of calling up some friends (even women ones), to tell them I miss them, or that I wish we were together, without the least desire (from either side), to start an affair.
Why must we keep on having this plot where the female friend keeps confusing the boy with "i miss you"s? Dude she says she is not into you. She is not into you. She is not going to fall for you just cause her boy friends is otherwise occupied, or cause you so darn persistent. That's just bullshit bombarded by the writers/directors who are too lazy and close minded to find any other ending the same damn plot or god forbid a different plot.
But then I guess I deserve this torture, as I was the one who picked up a book by Chetan Bhagat. It was an innocent mistake though, didnt buy it, just was lying around my house, so had a partial read. I should have expected it would be a decade old stale plot of harry meets sally crossing rags to riches stuff.
If they are friends now, then they are either a) will become lovers eventually. b) one of them will manipulate the other to get money/convenience/sex.
I am a woman, with I think at least as many men friends as women. I have managed to keep my friends (both men and women), without resorting to hugging or kissing them frequently, letting any of them pay for my cups of coffee constantly, and taking advantage of them manipulatively. And voila! Not one of them accidentally fell into bed with me!
What I have done with the best of my friends, is cried on their shoulders during my lows, provided mine to them during theirs. Discussed love lives. Enjoyed late night (and rather pointless, but very serious) discussions on life, universe and existence in general. I am even guilty of calling up some friends (even women ones), to tell them I miss them, or that I wish we were together, without the least desire (from either side), to start an affair.
Why must we keep on having this plot where the female friend keeps confusing the boy with "i miss you"s? Dude she says she is not into you. She is not into you. She is not going to fall for you just cause her boy friends is otherwise occupied, or cause you so darn persistent. That's just bullshit bombarded by the writers/directors who are too lazy and close minded to find any other ending the same damn plot or god forbid a different plot.
But then I guess I deserve this torture, as I was the one who picked up a book by Chetan Bhagat. It was an innocent mistake though, didnt buy it, just was lying around my house, so had a partial read. I should have expected it would be a decade old stale plot of harry meets sally crossing rags to riches stuff.
December 16, 2011
I will give those two stars only because he and his books never fail to create curiosity and buzz among the people. His marketing skills are indeed wow!
Yours truly including bought the book out of sheer curiosity, gave in to the temptation of reading what the whole of India is reading. And well, was I disappointed?
At the end of the read (296 pages, takes some 4-5 hours) I merely shrugged my shoulders, nodded my head and smiled..cos Chetan Bhagat does it again! Writes a book instead of a movie script!!
The setting of Varanasi, using names that all Indians can correlate to, and pitching in a love story where love is expressed and yet not winning is the magic formula for this one.
Gopal, the lead character, is supposed to be having some grey shades. Unfortunately, CB fails in creating neither a positive or negative character outa him. There were times that you could relate to him, but turn the page and the connection is over. None of the characters for that matter leaves a profound impact on you. The book's title supposed to be revolving around the second guy, Raghav, is falling short of anything sensational.Rather name the book LoveStory..or Pyaar ke problems...or alike!
CB has tried to portray the eminent corruption in our education system, but covering it with a love story did not go well with this one. The humour, which more often that not, is the highlight of many of his books, was also missing in this one.
Aarti. The female lead. I wonder whether she was supposed to have a positive or negative trait to herself. How can someone be so confused about their lives, and yet were shown to be strong and solid. Weird.
The end spoils it all! You would rather expect a better twist..but this was too much!
Bottomline: Avoid if you are lookng for some good CB stuff, read if you are tempted, like I was and then lament!
Yours truly including bought the book out of sheer curiosity, gave in to the temptation of reading what the whole of India is reading. And well, was I disappointed?
At the end of the read (296 pages, takes some 4-5 hours) I merely shrugged my shoulders, nodded my head and smiled..cos Chetan Bhagat does it again! Writes a book instead of a movie script!!
The setting of Varanasi, using names that all Indians can correlate to, and pitching in a love story where love is expressed and yet not winning is the magic formula for this one.
Gopal, the lead character, is supposed to be having some grey shades. Unfortunately, CB fails in creating neither a positive or negative character outa him. There were times that you could relate to him, but turn the page and the connection is over. None of the characters for that matter leaves a profound impact on you. The book's title supposed to be revolving around the second guy, Raghav, is falling short of anything sensational.Rather name the book LoveStory..or Pyaar ke problems...or alike!
CB has tried to portray the eminent corruption in our education system, but covering it with a love story did not go well with this one. The humour, which more often that not, is the highlight of many of his books, was also missing in this one.
Aarti. The female lead. I wonder whether she was supposed to have a positive or negative trait to herself. How can someone be so confused about their lives, and yet were shown to be strong and solid. Weird.
The end spoils it all! You would rather expect a better twist..but this was too much!
Bottomline: Avoid if you are lookng for some good CB stuff, read if you are tempted, like I was and then lament!
November 13, 2011
hlf done....its boring!!!!!
a bigggg disappointment...
i jus realise i dint update dis review ....
lolzz its fully done.....stil boring!!!!!! (lolzz)
evn bigger disappointment.....lolzzzz (donno y m stil laughing )
a bigggg disappointment...
i jus realise i dint update dis review ....
lolzz its fully done.....stil boring!!!!!! (lolzz)
evn bigger disappointment.....lolzzzz (donno y m stil laughing )
October 27, 2021
The title of this book was very appealing so I obviously wanted to read this even though I am not a Chetan Bhagat fan. But I thought may be his writing has matured or he's trying a different track in this book and I might like it but it didn't happen.
I honestly don't understand how someone can even come up with such a stupid plot to write a book about. There's a love triangle and one of the guys fails at school, but he becomes successful and earns a lot of money through corruption and all that drama, rama.
I was waiting for a revolution to happen the entire time reading this book and it didn't happen. I skim-read the last few chapters to be honest. I don't recommend this to anyone.
0 stars
I honestly don't understand how someone can even come up with such a stupid plot to write a book about. There's a love triangle and one of the guys fails at school, but he becomes successful and earns a lot of money through corruption and all that drama, rama.
I was waiting for a revolution to happen the entire time reading this book and it didn't happen. I skim-read the last few chapters to be honest. I don't recommend this to anyone.
0 stars
October 10, 2020
I’m simply astounded that this came to be one of the most popular, and liked YA novels in India. Okay. Skip the lecture. Everyone to his or her choices and all that. But if, I say, if after reading this entire ‘book’ you agree with the author that our so-called protagonist is a good guy, then shame on you.
I had no intention of reviewing this book, but I’m through the massive David Copperfield, and that demands me to stop reading more than one at a time. Also, the title in here says 2020, so I thought its probably good to unload the cart full of dung that the plot is within this very year. Honestly, I do see a revolution this here at almost the same place this novel is based on, but let’s save that until later.
I won’t be speaking anything of the story here. Those who have read it, already knows, and those who will want to read it after reading my review, kindly find out yourself. All I intend to put in here is some personal opinions.
Look, I liked the author’s What Young India Wants. I also liked his Two States. So, don’t mistake me as one of those who involve intellectuality with disliking Chetan Bhagat in India. But you can’t expect a girl to like you back just because you were obsessed with her since your careless youth. Honestly, if you had spent a couple of hours studying instead of thinking about her bodily beauty, you would probably have made more of an impression on her. And also, if you love someone, not necessarily a girl, like, even infinitesimally, you don’t even think of forcing her. To kiss you. Or to sleep with you. And after all that, what exactly was that you had in mind in having a dual play with a couple of escorts on your birthday, when you know she was going to show up?
And you still dare to ask if you are a good guy?
Take it from me: No, you aren’t. and if somebody tells you that you are, trust me, he’s from the same pile of uneducated misogynistic hypocrites that still comprise your birthplace, Uttar Pradesh. Look, I’m not slightly interested in their way of trying to preach Hinduism is the best. Or any of that stuff regarding cow-urine and all, trust me, I haven’t read the newspaper in last 3 years. But a young girl being raped does deserve more administrative attention than celebrities doing drugs. And the Hathras incident really is one of the very few incidents the injustice of which we come to know of. People call me anti-social for not being aware of the recent news of our country. Trust me, if this s what you lot keep on justifying, not just me, most of us will be better off as anti-socials.
And the title is entirely irrelevant. There's not even a glitch of revolutionary thought in here.
I had no intention of reviewing this book, but I’m through the massive David Copperfield, and that demands me to stop reading more than one at a time. Also, the title in here says 2020, so I thought its probably good to unload the cart full of dung that the plot is within this very year. Honestly, I do see a revolution this here at almost the same place this novel is based on, but let’s save that until later.
I won’t be speaking anything of the story here. Those who have read it, already knows, and those who will want to read it after reading my review, kindly find out yourself. All I intend to put in here is some personal opinions.
Look, I liked the author’s What Young India Wants. I also liked his Two States. So, don’t mistake me as one of those who involve intellectuality with disliking Chetan Bhagat in India. But you can’t expect a girl to like you back just because you were obsessed with her since your careless youth. Honestly, if you had spent a couple of hours studying instead of thinking about her bodily beauty, you would probably have made more of an impression on her. And also, if you love someone, not necessarily a girl, like, even infinitesimally, you don’t even think of forcing her. To kiss you. Or to sleep with you. And after all that, what exactly was that you had in mind in having a dual play with a couple of escorts on your birthday, when you know she was going to show up?
And you still dare to ask if you are a good guy?
Take it from me: No, you aren’t. and if somebody tells you that you are, trust me, he’s from the same pile of uneducated misogynistic hypocrites that still comprise your birthplace, Uttar Pradesh. Look, I’m not slightly interested in their way of trying to preach Hinduism is the best. Or any of that stuff regarding cow-urine and all, trust me, I haven’t read the newspaper in last 3 years. But a young girl being raped does deserve more administrative attention than celebrities doing drugs. And the Hathras incident really is one of the very few incidents the injustice of which we come to know of. People call me anti-social for not being aware of the recent news of our country. Trust me, if this s what you lot keep on justifying, not just me, most of us will be better off as anti-socials.
And the title is entirely irrelevant. There's not even a glitch of revolutionary thought in here.
July 27, 2013
This the first Chetan Bhagat's boook i have read....
I really love this book ..... The triangle love between Gopal , Aarthi and Raghav...
Very good fiction that makes me to feel like in reality....when i started reading this book . its moves slowly after some pages...i get in through the books. That it makes me to feel i am inside the story....
Gopal : the real hero of the book who had tough time to get struggled with his family...and get a wish and settled in life with the help of MLA Shukla ji...and want to more rich
Raghav : raghav is a good guy but when raghav corrected the girl who is close to gopal makes some bad impression on him when reading. After sometimes the raghav character makes more interesting that he fighting for revolution pin to the youngster...and he is from middle family
Aarthi : Aarthi the beautiful girl i Can't imagined as per they said in this book. beacuse i didn't see that much beautiful girl. though she a DM daughter he is had well settled family.
The girl the problem for the both guys who makes some twist in there life and raghav and gopal clash and finally gopal gives the great satisfaction makes the book more effective ...and love the epilogue too...that chetan bhagat finally sees aarthi and raghav's pic and final dialogue... ur a gud person gopal said by chetan bhaghat makes this book beautiful finish ....
Luv u chetan because of this book.....
I really love this book ..... The triangle love between Gopal , Aarthi and Raghav...
Very good fiction that makes me to feel like in reality....when i started reading this book . its moves slowly after some pages...i get in through the books. That it makes me to feel i am inside the story....
Gopal : the real hero of the book who had tough time to get struggled with his family...and get a wish and settled in life with the help of MLA Shukla ji...and want to more rich
Raghav : raghav is a good guy but when raghav corrected the girl who is close to gopal makes some bad impression on him when reading. After sometimes the raghav character makes more interesting that he fighting for revolution pin to the youngster...and he is from middle family
Aarthi : Aarthi the beautiful girl i Can't imagined as per they said in this book. beacuse i didn't see that much beautiful girl. though she a DM daughter he is had well settled family.
The girl the problem for the both guys who makes some twist in there life and raghav and gopal clash and finally gopal gives the great satisfaction makes the book more effective ...and love the epilogue too...that chetan bhagat finally sees aarthi and raghav's pic and final dialogue... ur a gud person gopal said by chetan bhaghat makes this book beautiful finish ....
Luv u chetan because of this book.....
May 12, 2012
this was a good chetan bhagat book. the ending wasnt convincing. Country over love so suddenly didnt appeal to me
November 17, 2011
Revolution 2020??? For what? Love?, Ambition?, Money?
A really heart touching story driven by Chetan Bhagat.
The first time in my life i was not able to control my emotions at the end of the story & resulted into frustrate which became serious concern to my Parents seating beside me. :)
Life doesn't provide second chance to fetch your true which once lost before.
Fortunately Mr. Gopal Mishra got this opportunity, but Fuck Off Gopal!!!, how can you let your love go by giving such a disaster hurt???
If i find him anyway in my life i would definately tell him that he is a real Fucking Loser..
Some persons in their life loves a girl Unconditionally & more than their own life, but unfortunately the girl never take it seriously or just seem to take it as a time being humour.Only marginal get the chance to succeed in expressing their true feeling for girl & in return girl commits the same to the person she is being loved.
I think after such a struggle Mr Gopal got an opportunity to have his love back in life, but surprisingly that fucking guy let his love go away for Raghav!!!
Who was Raghav by the way in story?? A fucking editor writing something to change the world & a crap who fortunately cleared JEE Entrance came into Aarti's life, with No deep feelings or Love as compared to Gopal.
Gopal's true love for Aarti can't be compared with that Bullshit Raghav at all.
Fuck Off Gopal, Fuck Off Raghav, if i would have been instead of Gopal, I would never let my Aarti go from my life.
Gopal, Gopal, Gopal, you were fucking lucky, but with your own hands you fucked up your life.
Finally i will say Chetan Bhagat Rocks & Mr Gopal too as a Story Provider for expressing his own Unconditional & True Love fucked by his own.
A really heart touching story driven by Chetan Bhagat.
The first time in my life i was not able to control my emotions at the end of the story & resulted into frustrate which became serious concern to my Parents seating beside me. :)
Life doesn't provide second chance to fetch your true which once lost before.
Fortunately Mr. Gopal Mishra got this opportunity, but Fuck Off Gopal!!!, how can you let your love go by giving such a disaster hurt???
If i find him anyway in my life i would definately tell him that he is a real Fucking Loser..
Some persons in their life loves a girl Unconditionally & more than their own life, but unfortunately the girl never take it seriously or just seem to take it as a time being humour.Only marginal get the chance to succeed in expressing their true feeling for girl & in return girl commits the same to the person she is being loved.
I think after such a struggle Mr Gopal got an opportunity to have his love back in life, but surprisingly that fucking guy let his love go away for Raghav!!!
Who was Raghav by the way in story?? A fucking editor writing something to change the world & a crap who fortunately cleared JEE Entrance came into Aarti's life, with No deep feelings or Love as compared to Gopal.
Gopal's true love for Aarti can't be compared with that Bullshit Raghav at all.
Fuck Off Gopal, Fuck Off Raghav, if i would have been instead of Gopal, I would never let my Aarti go from my life.
Gopal, Gopal, Gopal, you were fucking lucky, but with your own hands you fucked up your life.
Finally i will say Chetan Bhagat Rocks & Mr Gopal too as a Story Provider for expressing his own Unconditional & True Love fucked by his own.
January 27, 2016
I am in the midst of a reading challenge that is leading me to some quirky book choices. "A famous author's first book" gave me The Mysterious Affair at Styles, "A book by an author with your initials" led me to Winnie the Pooh, etc. When I arrived at "A book with bad reviews", I would have been betraying everything I stand for as a human being if I had not selected a Chetan Bhagat novel. So, with the indulgent chuckle of a sommelier sipping a mango lassi, a Chetan Bhagat I did choose: the one with the tackiest cover and the second-tackiest title, to be precise.
How can I describe my vast and unimaginable horror on discovering that the book was mildly engaging? Yes, it is a mercy that the abominable sentence construction still persists. The juvenile misogyny and sexual frustration are thankfully as fervent as ever, and the characters are still rickety and comical pastiches of middle-class cliches. But I am forever altered by the knowledge that Chetan Bhagat used "macabre" in a sentence. There are amusing one-liners in this book, and the involuntary laughs that escaped me on three separate occasions will haunt me till my deathbed. Many a night from this day on, I will wake up bathed in cold sweat, realizing with terror that Bhagat used the word 'ironically' correctly.
How can I describe my vast and unimaginable horror on discovering that the book was mildly engaging? Yes, it is a mercy that the abominable sentence construction still persists. The juvenile misogyny and sexual frustration are thankfully as fervent as ever, and the characters are still rickety and comical pastiches of middle-class cliches. But I am forever altered by the knowledge that Chetan Bhagat used "macabre" in a sentence. There are amusing one-liners in this book, and the involuntary laughs that escaped me on three separate occasions will haunt me till my deathbed. Many a night from this day on, I will wake up bathed in cold sweat, realizing with terror that Bhagat used the word 'ironically' correctly.
June 14, 2012
Every time Chetan Bhagat comes out with a new book, he manages to capture the interest and the awe of today’s youth. Every book brings out a bigger level of expectation than the one before. But unfortunately the book does not fulfill the craving of a book worm like me and leaves me disappointed.
“Revolution 2020” the title is irrelevant till the last few chapters of the book. The tag line “love, corruption, ambition” describes it perfectly. The story is set in Varanasi, one of holiest places in India, considered as a places to cleanse oneself from sins. It’s a tale of three childhood friends, Gopal, Aarti and Raghav, who struggle to find their place in Varanasi. This story is about three friends who grow up in holy city of Varanasi. Two of the boys, both love the same girl, their third friend and girl is completely confused about both of them. Both the boys also have strong ambition. One wants to bring in a revolution and other wants to become rich. What happens in the end is a very messy affair between all of them and you left wondering about the aim of the book.
This book was rarely light and entertaining. In fact, it is only in the last fifty pages that I found really interesting and worth reading. Mr. Bhagat says that only the reader can decide whether Gopal is a nice person or not. I agree with him. Chetan Bhagat always writes in simple English and this is no different. The plot confuses you even though it tries to cover so many topics in one story. The end spoils it all! You would rather expect a better twist.But this was too much.
It is always easy to review someone else's work, but doing it yourself is much more difficult. Ultimately, his books sell like hot cakes and that is what matters the most. Whether you love it or hate it, you'll end up reading it.
“Revolution 2020” the title is irrelevant till the last few chapters of the book. The tag line “love, corruption, ambition” describes it perfectly. The story is set in Varanasi, one of holiest places in India, considered as a places to cleanse oneself from sins. It’s a tale of three childhood friends, Gopal, Aarti and Raghav, who struggle to find their place in Varanasi. This story is about three friends who grow up in holy city of Varanasi. Two of the boys, both love the same girl, their third friend and girl is completely confused about both of them. Both the boys also have strong ambition. One wants to bring in a revolution and other wants to become rich. What happens in the end is a very messy affair between all of them and you left wondering about the aim of the book.
This book was rarely light and entertaining. In fact, it is only in the last fifty pages that I found really interesting and worth reading. Mr. Bhagat says that only the reader can decide whether Gopal is a nice person or not. I agree with him. Chetan Bhagat always writes in simple English and this is no different. The plot confuses you even though it tries to cover so many topics in one story. The end spoils it all! You would rather expect a better twist.But this was too much.
It is always easy to review someone else's work, but doing it yourself is much more difficult. Ultimately, his books sell like hot cakes and that is what matters the most. Whether you love it or hate it, you'll end up reading it.
April 8, 2017
Đọc cuốn sách này trong một ngày thật sự đẹp trời mà đọc xong thì thấy đời thật âm u :(((
Sao dạo này hay đọc phải những cuốn sách có cái kết gây buồn khó tả thế nhỉ, mặc dù ừ thì kết vậy là hợp lí rồi, haiz...
1. Bìa màu xanh, đẹp, thể hiện được mối quan hệ giữa các nhân vật.
2. Nam chính 1 - Gopal là một nhân vật khá tiêu biểu: trẻ, ít đẹp trai, học ít giỏi, nhà ít giàu nhưng lại nhiều ngông cuồng, nhiều cái tôi và nhiều tình yêu dành cho một cô gái. Chính vì cái gì cũng ít, chỉ có yêu là nhiều nên Gopal quyết định kiếm tiền bằng mọi giá. Khi lâm vào cảnh túng quẫn và bị chà đạp bởi vì nghèo, nếu bạn không bị đạp bẹp dí thì hẳn khi bạn ngoi lên được - đa số trường hợp là bạn sẽ giàu đến mức chả ngán bố con thằng nào luôn :v Nhưng phàm ở đời, những thứ gì mà bạn đoạt được bất chấp thủ đoạn, bạn sẽ phải đánh đổi nhiều thứ khác...Gopal là nhân vật cho đến cuối cùng vẫn khiến mình giận thì ít nhưng thương rất nhiều, chỉ có điều hơi thấy bức xúc vì Chetan Bhagat xây dựng nhân vật này vào những phút chót hơi bị "cao thượng hóa" -> chả có lí do gì để cuối cùng lại phải từ bỏ thứ quý giá nhất trong bấy nhiêu năm của mình như vậy, lí do thật không chấp nhận được. Này với mình gọi là giàu quá hóa hâm dở chứ không phải là cao thượng. Tình yêu vốn chẳng phải là cái bánh chocolate để đem ra nhường nhịn như vậy được >''<
2. Nam chính 2 - Raghav là nhân vật mờ nhạt nhất trong số 3 nhân vật chính. Raghav là type người luôn bận rộn theo đuổi lí tưởng của bản thân (nhất là những lí tưởng có liên quan đến chính trị) thì lại càng dễ được xây dựng như một người hùng. Riêng mình, mình ít có cảm tình với nhân vật này nhất. Một người ở thời điểm xuất phát có gia đình êm ấm, đẹp trai học giỏi lại có được mọi thứ một cách chả mấy khó khăn nên dễ trở nên cao ngạo, bảo thủ và xem thường người khác. Mình cũng không ưa loại người đem sự bận rộn của bản thân ra để bỏ mặc người khác rồi lại đòi hỏi người ta phải thông cảm và luôn ở bên cạnh - cũng chính vì lí do này mà xém nữa thì Raghav ế truyền kiếp.
3. Nữ chính duy nhất - Aarti là minh chứng rõ nét cho câu "đẹp là được", đằng này bả còn vừa giàu vừa đẹp. OK fine, vậy nên bả có quyền yêu người này xong bả bị bỏ xó do người ta bận quá xong bà bay qua ngủ với người khác vì tình yêu, xong vì hiểu lầm lại bay về cưới người lúc đầu. Bay qua bay lại bay tới bay lui, cuối cùng bả vẫn đẹp, vẫn giàu và đã có thể yên bề gia thất. Aarti là nữ chính gây ngán ngẩm nhất cho mình trong toàn bộ các tác phẩm của Chetan Bhagat. Rốt cuộc thì định nghĩa và cách nhìn nhận về tình yêu của cô nàng này hình như hơi có chút vấn đề...
Tóm lại thì đây là một tác phẩm hay, Ngày đẹp hơn sẽ tới thật sự có cái kết khiến con người ta tin vào cái tựa đề này, ừ thì hẳn sau tất cả, ngày đẹp hơn sẽ tới nhưng trước khi cái ngày đẹp hơn ấy tới, mình vẫn thấy thương và buồn cho Gopal vô hạn :(((
À, 4* là vì tại làm mình buồn nên trừ hẳn 0.5*, chứ mình thích cuốn này lắm í :P
Sao dạo này hay đọc phải những cuốn sách có cái kết gây buồn khó tả thế nhỉ, mặc dù ừ thì kết vậy là hợp lí rồi, haiz...
1. Bìa màu xanh, đẹp, thể hiện được mối quan hệ giữa các nhân vật.
2. Nam chính 1 - Gopal là một nhân vật khá tiêu biểu: trẻ, ít đẹp trai, học ít giỏi, nhà ít giàu nhưng lại nhiều ngông cuồng, nhiều cái tôi và nhiều tình yêu dành cho một cô gái. Chính vì cái gì cũng ít, chỉ có yêu là nhiều nên Gopal quyết định kiếm tiền bằng mọi giá. Khi lâm vào cảnh túng quẫn và bị chà đạp bởi vì nghèo, nếu bạn không bị đạp bẹp dí thì hẳn khi bạn ngoi lên được - đa số trường hợp là bạn sẽ giàu đến mức chả ngán bố con thằng nào luôn :v Nhưng phàm ở đời, những thứ gì mà bạn đoạt được bất chấp thủ đoạn, bạn sẽ phải đánh đổi nhiều thứ khác...Gopal là nhân vật cho đến cuối cùng vẫn khiến mình giận thì ít nhưng thương rất nhiều, chỉ có điều hơi thấy bức xúc vì Chetan Bhagat xây dựng nhân vật này vào những phút chót hơi bị "cao thượng hóa" -> chả có lí do gì để cuối cùng lại phải từ bỏ thứ quý giá nhất trong bấy nhiêu năm của mình như vậy, lí do thật không chấp nhận được. Này với mình gọi là giàu quá hóa hâm dở chứ không phải là cao thượng. Tình yêu vốn chẳng phải là cái bánh chocolate để đem ra nhường nhịn như vậy được >''<
2. Nam chính 2 - Raghav là nhân vật mờ nhạt nhất trong số 3 nhân vật chính. Raghav là type người luôn bận rộn theo đuổi lí tưởng của bản thân (nhất là những lí tưởng có liên quan đến chính trị) thì lại càng dễ được xây dựng như một người hùng. Riêng mình, mình ít có cảm tình với nhân vật này nhất. Một người ở thời điểm xuất phát có gia đình êm ấm, đẹp trai học giỏi lại có được mọi thứ một cách chả mấy khó khăn nên dễ trở nên cao ngạo, bảo thủ và xem thường người khác. Mình cũng không ưa loại người đem sự bận rộn của bản thân ra để bỏ mặc người khác rồi lại đòi hỏi người ta phải thông cảm và luôn ở bên cạnh - cũng chính vì lí do này mà xém nữa thì Raghav ế truyền kiếp.
3. Nữ chính duy nhất - Aarti là minh chứng rõ nét cho câu "đẹp là được", đằng này bả còn vừa giàu vừa đẹp. OK fine, vậy nên bả có quyền yêu người này xong bả bị bỏ xó do người ta bận quá xong bà bay qua ngủ với người khác vì tình yêu, xong vì hiểu lầm lại bay về cưới người lúc đầu. Bay qua bay lại bay tới bay lui, cuối cùng bả vẫn đẹp, vẫn giàu và đã có thể yên bề gia thất. Aarti là nữ chính gây ngán ngẩm nhất cho mình trong toàn bộ các tác phẩm của Chetan Bhagat. Rốt cuộc thì định nghĩa và cách nhìn nhận về tình yêu của cô nàng này hình như hơi có chút vấn đề...
Tóm lại thì đây là một tác phẩm hay, Ngày đẹp hơn sẽ tới thật sự có cái kết khiến con người ta tin vào cái tựa đề này, ừ thì hẳn sau tất cả, ngày đẹp hơn sẽ tới nhưng trước khi cái ngày đẹp hơn ấy tới, mình vẫn thấy thương và buồn cho Gopal vô hạn :(((
À, 4* là vì tại làm mình buồn nên trừ hẳn 0.5*, chứ mình thích cuốn này lắm í :P
October 13, 2011
2.5 stars is the most i can give it to dis book..!!
When you pick a chetan bhagat's book, you dnt expect that the book would be intellectual or have good english literature..! So dnt expect these..!!
The story is abt three childhood frndz Gopal, Raghav and Aarti..!
The story is told frm Gopal's point of view.
Gopal is a ordinary a bit frustated guy wants to make more and more money in his life..!
Raghav is a scholar guy who wants to bcm a journalist and have sparks of revolution in him..!
Aarti is a pretty dumb gal who gets confused in every aspects of her life.. frm her goals to the person she actually loves..!
The problem is that both of them loves the same gal Aarti..!!
The starting and ending of the story is pretty good. In mid-way somehow the book loses the pace.. :(
There is nothing new in dis book to cherish..! The corruption stories mentioned in dis book are known.(*India is a home to every kind of corruption*)
The ending of dis book contains a little suprise..!!
This book is ideal to read(*if u want to*) in the weekdays when you have to squeeze your time in btwn work, since dis book does't recquire brain-storming as it is written in easy language..!
One good thing abt dis book is that it can be made into a typical bollywood masala film..!
When you pick a chetan bhagat's book, you dnt expect that the book would be intellectual or have good english literature..! So dnt expect these..!!
The story is abt three childhood frndz Gopal, Raghav and Aarti..!
The story is told frm Gopal's point of view.
Gopal is a ordinary a bit frustated guy wants to make more and more money in his life..!
Raghav is a scholar guy who wants to bcm a journalist and have sparks of revolution in him..!
Aarti is a pretty dumb gal who gets confused in every aspects of her life.. frm her goals to the person she actually loves..!
The problem is that both of them loves the same gal Aarti..!!
The starting and ending of the story is pretty good. In mid-way somehow the book loses the pace.. :(
There is nothing new in dis book to cherish..! The corruption stories mentioned in dis book are known.(*India is a home to every kind of corruption*)
The ending of dis book contains a little suprise..!!
This book is ideal to read(*if u want to*) in the weekdays when you have to squeeze your time in btwn work, since dis book does't recquire brain-storming as it is written in easy language..!
One good thing abt dis book is that it can be made into a typical bollywood masala film..!
April 30, 2015
Chetan Bhagat's heroines are horny, good looking, birdbrained creatures who inspire contempt in me and I absolutely dote on Bhagat for his vivid imagination in developing such chimeras.
September 17, 2012
You may love Chetan Bhagat (CB), You may hate CB, but you can't just ignore CB.
I love him because he forced a generation to read and inspired a breed of authors to follow his footprints.
I (pretend to) hate him because he has not authored anything great as compared to the rich literature India already had produced......still my generation find him the only author to be read.
I did not like him much except in Five Point Someone, and to some extent in 2 States. Still I have read all of his works and follow his articles on regular basis.
The Cover Design by Rachita Rakyan is good.....I knew from the cover itself that which city was there in the backdrop.
After reality shows like KBC, now authors trying to lure the audience from small town India....So CB has set the story in Varanasi...and a part of it in Kota.
R2020 is the story of three childhood friends - Gopal, Raghav and Aarti......their different path of life....their struggle to achieve their dreams. One uses the corrupt system to achieve success, whereas one wants to change the corrupt system. Politicians, as usual, shown in their true colors.
The plight of an Engineering - aspirant has been beautifully illustrated by these lines - "...Kota now had small coaching shops to coach you to get into the top coaching class. From there, you would be coached to get into an engineering college. Once there, you study to become an engineer. Of course, most engineers want to do an MBA. Hence, the same coaching-class cycle would begin again. This complex vortex of tests, classes, selection and preparations is something every insignificant Indian student like me has to go through to have a shot at a decent life."
Superb lines - "In most part of the world, speaking about your income is taboo. In India, you share the figures like your zodiac sign, specially if you have lots."
........and more - "Regret - this feeling has to be one of the biggest manufacturing defects in humans." There are too many.
When you start reading, you find it a very good plot and as the story progresses, you find yourself in a strong bond with the main protagonist. The struggle of the main protagonist has been authored quite well, and the USP of the novel. But once he finds the way to achieve success, the story becomes predictable, the characters becomes more confused and the climax.....too melodramatic....the author looses his grip.
At one point, you may realize that the author has done good research to make the story a real one. e.g. the description of the Ghats, coaching institutes of Kota, the real face of mushroom growth of technical institutes etc. But the research work is not upto mark. e.g. Godowlia turns Gadholia, there is no NIT Lucknow in existence, Lucknow is not located at a 5 hr. distance from Varanasi, considering the status of roadways.
Not surprized. I can recall the mistake Mr. Bhagat made in '3 Mistakes of My Life' - Bhajji took hat-trick on the first day (Australia's first inning) of Kolkata test 2001, whereas in his novel, Bhajji does the trick in Australia's second innings.
Likewise, Here also, Chak de India was released in August 2007 (not around JEE as shown in the novel), three years later the characters cancel a movie plan for Rock On (released in August 2008) and then after two more years the marriage took place on March 1st 2010. Mr. Bhagat - an IIT-alumnus is weak in simple Maths or am I expecting too much from a story based on social issues.
Wait, Social issues? The omnipresence of corruption and the failure of system has been aptly illustrated in R2020. The timing of his novel is perfect after Anna ji's movement against corruption. The novel does raise the issue of corruption and makes a call for a revolution to change the rotten system. It says that "One person can't change the system. We all have to do our bit. For change we need revolution. A revolution can only happen when people ask themselves - what is my sacrifice?"
However, apart from these lines, there is hardly anything in R2020 which raises hope for a revolution that could change the system. Even revolution has not been discussed properly........again, am I expecting too much from Mr. Bhagat? Certainly.
Mr. Bhagat, you could have introduced some good revolutionaries and their thoughts, instead of including MJ's number as a symbol of revolution. A wasted opportunity.
There is no student Union in BHU since 1997.....and NO ONE in Varanasi calls the city Varanasi....they call their city Banaras.
Why to read R2020: To have a closer look on the struggle aspirants of every competition in India go through....its true not only for Engineering, but for every other competition like Medical, Civil Services etc. The struggle of main protagonist as an engineering aspirant is the highlight of R2020. Mr. Bhagat has dedicated this novel to the Indian Student....and justified. Overall, its a good read.
Why not to read R2020: If you are looking for path breaking, revolutionizing stuff. The book is dedicated to Varanasi....but it lacks the colors of Banaras.
Disclaimer: This review was written within days of the release of R:2020, just in order to meet the demands made by my friends....I do not consider myself worthy enough for this job.
I love him because he forced a generation to read and inspired a breed of authors to follow his footprints.
I (pretend to) hate him because he has not authored anything great as compared to the rich literature India already had produced......still my generation find him the only author to be read.
I did not like him much except in Five Point Someone, and to some extent in 2 States. Still I have read all of his works and follow his articles on regular basis.
The Cover Design by Rachita Rakyan is good.....I knew from the cover itself that which city was there in the backdrop.
After reality shows like KBC, now authors trying to lure the audience from small town India....So CB has set the story in Varanasi...and a part of it in Kota.
R2020 is the story of three childhood friends - Gopal, Raghav and Aarti......their different path of life....their struggle to achieve their dreams. One uses the corrupt system to achieve success, whereas one wants to change the corrupt system. Politicians, as usual, shown in their true colors.
The plight of an Engineering - aspirant has been beautifully illustrated by these lines - "...Kota now had small coaching shops to coach you to get into the top coaching class. From there, you would be coached to get into an engineering college. Once there, you study to become an engineer. Of course, most engineers want to do an MBA. Hence, the same coaching-class cycle would begin again. This complex vortex of tests, classes, selection and preparations is something every insignificant Indian student like me has to go through to have a shot at a decent life."
Superb lines - "In most part of the world, speaking about your income is taboo. In India, you share the figures like your zodiac sign, specially if you have lots."
........and more - "Regret - this feeling has to be one of the biggest manufacturing defects in humans." There are too many.
When you start reading, you find it a very good plot and as the story progresses, you find yourself in a strong bond with the main protagonist. The struggle of the main protagonist has been authored quite well, and the USP of the novel. But once he finds the way to achieve success, the story becomes predictable, the characters becomes more confused and the climax.....too melodramatic....the author looses his grip.
At one point, you may realize that the author has done good research to make the story a real one. e.g. the description of the Ghats, coaching institutes of Kota, the real face of mushroom growth of technical institutes etc. But the research work is not upto mark. e.g. Godowlia turns Gadholia, there is no NIT Lucknow in existence, Lucknow is not located at a 5 hr. distance from Varanasi, considering the status of roadways.
Not surprized. I can recall the mistake Mr. Bhagat made in '3 Mistakes of My Life' - Bhajji took hat-trick on the first day (Australia's first inning) of Kolkata test 2001, whereas in his novel, Bhajji does the trick in Australia's second innings.
Likewise, Here also, Chak de India was released in August 2007 (not around JEE as shown in the novel), three years later the characters cancel a movie plan for Rock On (released in August 2008) and then after two more years the marriage took place on March 1st 2010. Mr. Bhagat - an IIT-alumnus is weak in simple Maths or am I expecting too much from a story based on social issues.
Wait, Social issues? The omnipresence of corruption and the failure of system has been aptly illustrated in R2020. The timing of his novel is perfect after Anna ji's movement against corruption. The novel does raise the issue of corruption and makes a call for a revolution to change the rotten system. It says that "One person can't change the system. We all have to do our bit. For change we need revolution. A revolution can only happen when people ask themselves - what is my sacrifice?"
However, apart from these lines, there is hardly anything in R2020 which raises hope for a revolution that could change the system. Even revolution has not been discussed properly........again, am I expecting too much from Mr. Bhagat? Certainly.
Mr. Bhagat, you could have introduced some good revolutionaries and their thoughts, instead of including MJ's number as a symbol of revolution. A wasted opportunity.
There is no student Union in BHU since 1997.....and NO ONE in Varanasi calls the city Varanasi....they call their city Banaras.
Why to read R2020: To have a closer look on the struggle aspirants of every competition in India go through....its true not only for Engineering, but for every other competition like Medical, Civil Services etc. The struggle of main protagonist as an engineering aspirant is the highlight of R2020. Mr. Bhagat has dedicated this novel to the Indian Student....and justified. Overall, its a good read.
Why not to read R2020: If you are looking for path breaking, revolutionizing stuff. The book is dedicated to Varanasi....but it lacks the colors of Banaras.
Disclaimer: This review was written within days of the release of R:2020, just in order to meet the demands made by my friends....I do not consider myself worthy enough for this job.
October 8, 2011
Storyline: Revolution 2020 is a story about 3 childhood friends Gopal, Raghav and Aarti. They have their own ambitions. Aarti wanted to become an air hostess. Raghav gets a rank in IIT-JEE and joins IT BHU. Though he joined in engineering, journalism was his passion and he wanted to bring a change in the country. Gopi’s only wish is to make lots of money. He couldn’t get into IIT in his first attempt. So he joins as a ‘repeater’ in a coaching centre in Kota, spending the entire savings of his father. But fate offers him an opportunity to start his own engineering college, with the support of Shukla, an MLA. To start the college he follows the corrupt path as he did not have another way.
After college Raghav joins as a reporter in a newspaper. His profession creates some problem to Gopi. Shukla, the person behind Gopi, stamps Raghav as much as he can with his political power to get him out of his way. Raghav fights back and starts his own newspaper...Revolution 2020!!
Both Raghav and Gopi like Aarti. Aarti likes Raghav and Gopi was her best friend. How did the relation between Raghav and Gopi change due to their common love?? Can Raghav achieve what he wanted to with Revolution 2020?? Did the relation between Aarti and Raghav continue in spite of his unsettled and busy career which leaves very little time for her?? How can Gopi become the director of an engineering college without even a college degree?? How far did Gopi go on his path?? Can Gopi compete with Raghav to get Aarti??
These are some parts I think you should know by reading the book.
Chetan Bhagat did a great work here. To tell in one line about his style in this book… “He first entertains you, grabs your attention and then says what he wants to.”
This is an absolute page turner right from the first page…till the end!!! The ending was really touchy… did not expect it. I didn't even expect that the book focuses on the IIT coaching institutes.
Most of the story took place in Varanasi except for some part in Kota.
This book has many shades. It first showed the chaos that is there through out India in the name of ‘IIT coaching centres’. Then it focused on the corruption in private engineering colleges. Even the pollution problems in Varanasi are raised many times. It ended with a message that “Everyone should sacrifice a bit for the change they want to see.” On the other side it shows how the relation among Gopi, Raghav and changes dramatically as the story precedes.
The story is said from reference to Gopi and the highlight of the book is how relation between Gopi and Aarti developed. Just like his other books even this one has lots of CB trademark one-liners.
I liked the way CB described Gopi’s feelings when he was a repeater in Kota and his feelings towards Aarti even when she is in relation with someone else.
I personally loved Revolution 2020.
After college Raghav joins as a reporter in a newspaper. His profession creates some problem to Gopi. Shukla, the person behind Gopi, stamps Raghav as much as he can with his political power to get him out of his way. Raghav fights back and starts his own newspaper...Revolution 2020!!
Both Raghav and Gopi like Aarti. Aarti likes Raghav and Gopi was her best friend. How did the relation between Raghav and Gopi change due to their common love?? Can Raghav achieve what he wanted to with Revolution 2020?? Did the relation between Aarti and Raghav continue in spite of his unsettled and busy career which leaves very little time for her?? How can Gopi become the director of an engineering college without even a college degree?? How far did Gopi go on his path?? Can Gopi compete with Raghav to get Aarti??
These are some parts I think you should know by reading the book.
Chetan Bhagat did a great work here. To tell in one line about his style in this book… “He first entertains you, grabs your attention and then says what he wants to.”
This is an absolute page turner right from the first page…till the end!!! The ending was really touchy… did not expect it. I didn't even expect that the book focuses on the IIT coaching institutes.
Most of the story took place in Varanasi except for some part in Kota.
This book has many shades. It first showed the chaos that is there through out India in the name of ‘IIT coaching centres’. Then it focused on the corruption in private engineering colleges. Even the pollution problems in Varanasi are raised many times. It ended with a message that “Everyone should sacrifice a bit for the change they want to see.” On the other side it shows how the relation among Gopi, Raghav and changes dramatically as the story precedes.
The story is said from reference to Gopi and the highlight of the book is how relation between Gopi and Aarti developed. Just like his other books even this one has lots of CB trademark one-liners.
I liked the way CB described Gopi’s feelings when he was a repeater in Kota and his feelings towards Aarti even when she is in relation with someone else.
I personally loved Revolution 2020.
March 22, 2013
Pretentious idealism crossed with clear dreams of a Bollywood adaptation. And yet Bhagat talks of a revolution. How I ask, with that content in your book, do you intend on stirring people into a revolution? All you do is point out the obvious flaws noticeable to everyone, what have you suggested to battle it?
I'll go out on a limb here and call Chetan Bhagat an idiot. Usually, I avoid namecalling authors but he does consider himself to be India's literary saviour, prides himself on it infact and hands us this pseudo-idealistic garbage. Please, NO.
Better watch the Hindi movies of the 60's and 70's. Much more effective in sending a message.
I'll go out on a limb here and call Chetan Bhagat an idiot. Usually, I avoid namecalling authors but he does consider himself to be India's literary saviour, prides himself on it infact and hands us this pseudo-idealistic garbage. Please, NO.
Better watch the Hindi movies of the 60's and 70's. Much more effective in sending a message.
February 18, 2021
Re-read second time:I probably would have hated this book were it not for the timing(read in starting of 12th class) and whole coaching thing,Gopal being insecure,it felt really relatable.I actually loved the whole book except Aarti,not because of she did to Gopal but because what she did to Raghav and also what Gopal did in ending-which I found pretty lame but because I loved this book so much I ignored the negative things(I know , I know I am doing injustice to other books blah blah blah I don't care!).This shit book always makes me cry,my eyes are still red and oh dear god! Please give my Gopal someone! This book was recommended to me by my history sir more like he recommended it to whole class and I was like What kind of sir recommends their students trashy romance novel but I am glad he did(no judgements) , this book is not romance though not really
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This book was really very good,as shown on the cover page,this book is about love ,dream,corruption.If you are in 11th or 12th or ever been a student(especially a science student)then this book is for you .It shows reality of coaching centres , a life of student in competitive world.You will find it relatable.I cried many times.Although I didnt like Aarti's character but that can be ignored ., I feel like Aarti was not good for any character(Raghav or Gopal).It was like her being very beautiful is excuse to her all actions,but as I said it can be ignored because it happens in real life ,other than that it was really good.I am in love with this book and the avg. rating up there does no justice to such a good book.
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This book was really very good,as shown on the cover page,this book is about love ,dream,corruption.If you are in 11th or 12th or ever been a student(especially a science student)then this book is for you .It shows reality of coaching centres , a life of student in competitive world.You will find it relatable.I cried many times.Although I didnt like Aarti's character but that can be ignored ., I feel like Aarti was not good for any character(Raghav or Gopal).It was like her being very beautiful is excuse to her all actions,but as I said it can be ignored because it happens in real life ,other than that it was really good.I am in love with this book and the avg. rating up there does no justice to such a good book.
November 12, 2011
I liked a Chetan Bhagat book. (Confesses and dies).
:P
Rupa has given Chetan a better editorial team this time around. But really, not bad at all and very apt for the current mood in the country with the anti-corruption drive.
:P
Rupa has given Chetan a better editorial team this time around. But really, not bad at all and very apt for the current mood in the country with the anti-corruption drive.
October 29, 2011
Two words: terrible book.
March 7, 2017
I was just humbugged by the reviews given by my frnds & others....it was just waste of time....i dont no why the story is so horrible...
September 15, 2012
Storyline: Revolution 2020 is a story about 3 childhood friends Gopal, Raghav and Aarti. They have their own ambitions. Aarti wanted to become an air hostess. Raghav gets a rank in IIT-JEE and joins IT BHU. Though he joined in engineering, journalism was his passion and he wanted to bring a change in the country. Gopi’s only wish is to make lots of money. He couldn’t get into IIT in his first attempt. So he joins as a ‘repeater’ in a coaching centre in Kota, spending the entire savings of his father. But fate offers him an opportunity to start his own engineering college, with the support of Shukla, an MLA. To start the college he follows the corrupt path as he did not have another way.
After college Raghav joins as a reporter in a newspaper. His profession creates some problem to Gopi. Shukla, the person behind Gopi, stamps Raghav as much as he can with his political power to get him out of his way. Raghav fights back and starts his own newspaper...Revolution 2020!!
Both Raghav and Gopi like Aarti. Aarti likes Raghav and Gopi was her best friend. How did the relation between Raghav and Gopi change due to their common love?? Can Raghav achieve what he wanted to with Revolution 2020?? Did the relation between Aarti and Raghav continue in spite of his unsettled and busy career which leaves very little time for her?? How can Gopi become the director of an engineering college without even a college degree?? How far did Gopi go on his path?? Can Gopi compete with Raghav to get Aarti??
These are some parts I think you should know by reading the book.
Chetan Bhagat did a great work here. To tell in one line about his style in this book… “He first entertains you, grabs your attention and then says what he wants to.”
This is an absolute page turner right from the first page…till the end!!! The ending was really touchy… did not expect it. I didn't even expect that the book focuses on the IIT coaching institutes.
Most of the story took place in Varanasi except for some part in Kota.
This book has many shades. It first showed the chaos that is there through out India in the name of ‘IIT coaching centres’. Then it focused on the corruption in private engineering colleges. Even the pollution problems in Varanasi are raised many times. It ended with a message that “Everyone should sacrifice a bit for the change they want to see.” On the other side it shows how the relation among Gopi, Raghav and changes dramatically as the story precedes.
The story is said from reference to Gopi and the highlight of the book is how relation between Gopi and Aarti developed. Just like his other books even this one has lots of CB trademark one-liners.
I liked the way CB described Gopi’s feelings when he was a repeater in Kota and his feelings towards Aarti even when she is in relation with someone else.
I personally loved Revolution 2020.
After college Raghav joins as a reporter in a newspaper. His profession creates some problem to Gopi. Shukla, the person behind Gopi, stamps Raghav as much as he can with his political power to get him out of his way. Raghav fights back and starts his own newspaper...Revolution 2020!!
Both Raghav and Gopi like Aarti. Aarti likes Raghav and Gopi was her best friend. How did the relation between Raghav and Gopi change due to their common love?? Can Raghav achieve what he wanted to with Revolution 2020?? Did the relation between Aarti and Raghav continue in spite of his unsettled and busy career which leaves very little time for her?? How can Gopi become the director of an engineering college without even a college degree?? How far did Gopi go on his path?? Can Gopi compete with Raghav to get Aarti??
These are some parts I think you should know by reading the book.
Chetan Bhagat did a great work here. To tell in one line about his style in this book… “He first entertains you, grabs your attention and then says what he wants to.”
This is an absolute page turner right from the first page…till the end!!! The ending was really touchy… did not expect it. I didn't even expect that the book focuses on the IIT coaching institutes.
Most of the story took place in Varanasi except for some part in Kota.
This book has many shades. It first showed the chaos that is there through out India in the name of ‘IIT coaching centres’. Then it focused on the corruption in private engineering colleges. Even the pollution problems in Varanasi are raised many times. It ended with a message that “Everyone should sacrifice a bit for the change they want to see.” On the other side it shows how the relation among Gopi, Raghav and changes dramatically as the story precedes.
The story is said from reference to Gopi and the highlight of the book is how relation between Gopi and Aarti developed. Just like his other books even this one has lots of CB trademark one-liners.
I liked the way CB described Gopi’s feelings when he was a repeater in Kota and his feelings towards Aarti even when she is in relation with someone else.
I personally loved Revolution 2020.
December 23, 2019
A typical love triangle with as much realistic characters as Ninja Hattori.
Aarti, the girl in love triangle is nothing but a gold-digging bitch. She wanted to be just friends with Gopal when he didn't get into a good engineering college and had a insecure future. She's all "No, I don't want that kinda realtion with anyone..." Then goes to become the girlfriend of Gopal's bestfriend, Raghav. Conveniently Raghav is rich and ranker in JEE...
And when the tables turn....when Gopal is rich and Raghav is jobless, guess what Aarti does. Yes! She cheats on Raghav and is about to dump him when his life is at the lowest point possible. How convenient for her that she stoped having 'feelings' for him when he's completely broke. And she has the guts to blame her cheating on that poor boy. Obviously when Raghav has no job, no money he should focus on calling his girlfriend everyhour instead of trying to find a job.
What perplexees me is that, apart from being hot, what exactly made Gopal fall hopelessly in love with Aarti. She's as smart as mint plant and is just as intruiging. She's neither funny, nor sympathatic. Lust I can understand but how the hell did Gopal manage to fall in Love with her. ( The same question applies to Raghav too) But maybe that was his type...who am I to judge.
What really gets on my nerves is that the supposedly noble deed Gopal does in end isn't that noble if you really look at it.
Aarti, the girl in love triangle is nothing but a gold-digging bitch. She wanted to be just friends with Gopal when he didn't get into a good engineering college and had a insecure future. She's all "No, I don't want that kinda realtion with anyone..." Then goes to become the girlfriend of Gopal's bestfriend, Raghav. Conveniently Raghav is rich and ranker in JEE...
And when the tables turn....when Gopal is rich and Raghav is jobless, guess what Aarti does. Yes! She cheats on Raghav and is about to dump him when his life is at the lowest point possible. How convenient for her that she stoped having 'feelings' for him when he's completely broke. And she has the guts to blame her cheating on that poor boy. Obviously when Raghav has no job, no money he should focus on calling his girlfriend everyhour instead of trying to find a job.
What perplexees me is that, apart from being hot, what exactly made Gopal fall hopelessly in love with Aarti. She's as smart as mint plant and is just as intruiging. She's neither funny, nor sympathatic. Lust I can understand but how the hell did Gopal manage to fall in Love with her. ( The same question applies to Raghav too) But maybe that was his type...who am I to judge.
What really gets on my nerves is that the supposedly noble deed Gopal does in end isn't that noble if you really look at it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2016
If you really love, let it go.
This is not my theory at all but a conclusion I perceive the author believes based on reading this book.
When you read a book were the three main characters are two guys and a girl you kind of have an idea of where the plot will take you. The girl will be the adored prize for which the two guys will duel. This story is no different. The two guys are Gopal and Raghav. The source of their admiration and desire is Aarti. It's a coming of age story in the way that this competitive three person tale goes back to elementary school into adulthood. As is customary with these types of stories, one person loves more, one loves from the sidelines, they all vey for one another's attention, one person makes the ultimate sacrifice for love, one person gets the girl and one person will forever pine for her.
I give it 3 stars. I liked listening to this book. Would I have had the same patience if I was reading it in paper? I don't know. I did however prefer Two States to this book. Yes, I will read other books by this author. Yes, I do recommend this if you like reading Indian themed books.
This is not my theory at all but a conclusion I perceive the author believes based on reading this book.
When you read a book were the three main characters are two guys and a girl you kind of have an idea of where the plot will take you. The girl will be the adored prize for which the two guys will duel. This story is no different. The two guys are Gopal and Raghav. The source of their admiration and desire is Aarti. It's a coming of age story in the way that this competitive three person tale goes back to elementary school into adulthood. As is customary with these types of stories, one person loves more, one loves from the sidelines, they all vey for one another's attention, one person makes the ultimate sacrifice for love, one person gets the girl and one person will forever pine for her.
I give it 3 stars. I liked listening to this book. Would I have had the same patience if I was reading it in paper? I don't know. I did however prefer Two States to this book. Yes, I will read other books by this author. Yes, I do recommend this if you like reading Indian themed books.
May 7, 2016
Totally HATE the ending!
March 9, 2012
This is one of the best Chetan Bhagat books I have read. The previous Chetan Bhagat book I liked was One Night at Call Center. There could have been lot of thing which would have gone wrong with this book but author made the right decision at the right time.
We are presented with another love triangle. Two good friends are in love with a girl. One of them is intelligent and wants to start a revolution, another one wants to make lots of money. The girl is besties with the guy who wants to make money and is in love with guy who wants to start a revolution. The guy who wants to make money is madly in love and devoted to the girl. Is that complicated enough for you?
This might seem complicated but the story is not complicated at all. It flows nicely. There are almost no boring moments in the storytelling. And by the end you will be in awe of the protagonist.
I am not sure about the girls but guys would definitely find the story very interesting because it touches some of the stuff which most of us have faced in life - complicated fucked up relationship. The language and the lines used are not only interesting but also amusing - "Love, officially, is nothing but a bitch." ;)
Finally at page 279 when you realize what the protagonist is actually going to do. That's when you know and resign at the direction the story is going.
A must read for Chetan Bhagat fans as was as for those who have never read a Chetan Bhagat novel.
We are presented with another love triangle. Two good friends are in love with a girl. One of them is intelligent and wants to start a revolution, another one wants to make lots of money. The girl is besties with the guy who wants to make money and is in love with guy who wants to start a revolution. The guy who wants to make money is madly in love and devoted to the girl. Is that complicated enough for you?
This might seem complicated but the story is not complicated at all. It flows nicely. There are almost no boring moments in the storytelling. And by the end you will be in awe of the protagonist.
I am not sure about the girls but guys would definitely find the story very interesting because it touches some of the stuff which most of us have faced in life - complicated fucked up relationship. The language and the lines used are not only interesting but also amusing - "Love, officially, is nothing but a bitch." ;)
Finally at page 279 when you realize what the protagonist is actually going to do. That's when you know and resign at the direction the story is going.
A must read for Chetan Bhagat fans as was as for those who have never read a Chetan Bhagat novel.
October 12, 2011
Well just completed reading the book at one go, I could not put it down after reading a 100 pages or something. Many of the students out there would be able to identify with the main characters failure in getting an admission into an iit or getting a better rank.
It very rightly brings out the issues of corruption in the Indian educational system. In fact many of the Indian students would have came across this type of malpractices.
The book using these issues as the background starts really very well and let me say it concludes with a tragic love story with a great finesse.
Somehow the cause of 'corrupt education system' gets lost somewhere in the book towards the end but the love and affection of gopal towards aarti makes up for it.
As the main character gopal says that you may find me villain in these story, and rightly so for almost first 150 pages you would agree with his views but in the end your views would be completely different.
All the hatred for gopal turns into sympathy towards the end. The climax was a bit melodramatic and filmy. But it has its desired effect towards the end. As it says 'Life may not offer you the same chance twice'.
So grab the first oppurtunity to read this book,
It very rightly brings out the issues of corruption in the Indian educational system. In fact many of the Indian students would have came across this type of malpractices.
The book using these issues as the background starts really very well and let me say it concludes with a tragic love story with a great finesse.
Somehow the cause of 'corrupt education system' gets lost somewhere in the book towards the end but the love and affection of gopal towards aarti makes up for it.
As the main character gopal says that you may find me villain in these story, and rightly so for almost first 150 pages you would agree with his views but in the end your views would be completely different.
All the hatred for gopal turns into sympathy towards the end. The climax was a bit melodramatic and filmy. But it has its desired effect towards the end. As it says 'Life may not offer you the same chance twice'.
So grab the first oppurtunity to read this book,
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,506 reviews