Have you read a Chetan Bhagat book? I haven't.
The sales figures of his books are, I am told, through the roof.
Somewhat mystified I decided to talk to my friend the erudite Musty Bookwala, a third generation bookseller.
"Chetan Bhagat! That man is a genius I tell you"
Then spying the blank on my face.
." Are dikra, tame khuch khabar nathu. His books are in what I call Fraille. Nathi samjhu?
Let me explain like Braille is for the blind, Fraille is for today's young"
" Musty are you saying the reading habits of today's young are kind of kinky?"
"Oye Aggie what reading habit? Unless of course you mean Nike or somebody is going to market clothes to read in. Boss they buy Chetan Bhagat because they find they can read them, one SMS at a time. Also when you no longer buy a newspaper what do you think you can carry with you to the bogs?"
Next time I spied Chetan on a current affairs programme on TV I stopped surfing and paid attention. I saw the man in a new light. Was I beholding, I wondered, India's Steve.
Steve started with the iBook and went on to the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. Having single handedly reviving the Indian publishing industry with iPulp, Chetan can perhaps re-invent the fashion industry in India with iKitsch and then perhaps take the film industry out of the hands of Idiots like Aamir Khan and Hirani with iMasala.
Carry on Chetan. Keep reaping India's wonderful demographic dividend. Regardless.
No comments:
Post a Comment