book review of two states by chetan bhagat

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Review: 2 States by Chetan Bhagat

In country like India, a love affair converted into marriage is no less than a battle won. When the two halves of the couple are from two opposite regions, things are set to get tricky. Chetan Bhagat ’s fourth novel, 2 States, revolves around this theme – way before Chennai Express was in the works!

The story opens when Punjabi-boy Krish Arora, meets Tamil-Brahmin-girl Ananya Swaminathan in the IIMA mess, where they are both studying. Ananya gets into a tiff with the mess worker, and Krish helps both of them to settle it, in return sacrificing his sweet dish, to the Ms. Popular of the college. Quite predictably, both of them fall in love and what follows is their journey of convincing their parents.

Chetan Bhagat is one of my favourite authors. Though there are numerous issues in his books and his style of writing, but we can’t dispute the fact that this man has changed the face of Indian reading. I have read this book 5 times. The New York Times called him the biggest-selling English-language novelist in India’s history . Here in India, the record breaking success of his books and the movies based on them conveys all. As anticipated, 2 States was a bestseller as well. The fact that the book is somewhat inspired from his own life, makes it more believable, and consequently popular among his fans.

The story moves between three cities – Ahmedabad, Delhi and Chennai (with a snapshot in Goa). While we are shown just a glimpse of the first city, the other two are described in full vigour. The writer intelligently captures the cultures of north and south India. While Krish’s mom and aunt will make you remember all your neighbourhood aunties, Ananya’s parents are shown as typical conservative Tamilians. Though the story is told from the point of view of the male protagonist, the writer never takes sides and brings out the best and the worst in both the communities. Needless to mention, the book is filled with humour, like a Tamil-speaking Sardar and verbal fights between Krish’s and Ananya’s mothers. The sarcasm used never fails. In fact, in some instances I was rolling on the floor.

Both protagonists are likeable. While Krish juggles between his job and different cities in his attempt to marry the love of his life Ananya, she is sorting out problems as her marriage is fixed with some other guy by her parents.

In all, this book is the best from this author. He gives you a clear perspective of life in India. Though it is surely not a literary piece, but book is well written. People looking for intellectual stuff may not like it. But all romance-lovers should surely go for it. It is a light read. The book may not be an emotional roller-coaster, but you will be surely left with a smile after you complete this one!

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5 times? Seriously!! I have to agree with you when you say this is the best of CB’s books.

This is one of the best seller book of Chetan Bhagat. I hace read this books two times. It is based on real life story of Chetan Bhagat, Chetan Bhagat’s Books are basically combination of some fiction and real story that attract any reader easily and attach him with its life’s experience.

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2 States (2009) by Chetan Bhagat – Book Review

When I used to discuss literature with my university classmates, the name Chetan Bhagat and his novel 2 States always seemed to pop up during our frequent conversations. I’ve been aware of Bhagat ever since the movie 3 Idiots was released in 2009—as its script is based on Bhagat’s 2004 venture Five Point Someone—and following the international success of that movie, it came as no surprise that his other books were also cinematically adapted later on by Bollywood.

Whoever is reading this review should first be made aware that I’ve read another Indian scribe who wrote in the English language, R.K. Narayan, so Bhagat is definitely not the first non-native author of English that I’ve come across.

2 States, as the name implies, follows Krish and Ananya who are from distinct regions of India but end up becoming a couple during their MBA years. Krish is a Punjabi from Delhi and Ananya is a Tamilian from Chennai. Now, the plot does feel clichéd at the initial reading, and the book was more than generic in its opening chapters, but it later on becomes so witty that you forget the romantic angle and are forced to focus on the humor instead.

The funniest bits are when the couple have to convince their in-laws to approve of their intended marriage. What’s the issue? Their parents are as traditionalist as any Asian family could be. Krish’s parents want the boy to marry a Punjabi girl. And Ananya’s parents want the girl to marry a Tamilian guy. The destination that the story is slowly but surely leading you to is extremely foreseeable from the get-go—the book’s tagline is The Story of My Marriage, after all—but the journey is far from tedious.

This is not only the foremost Bhagat novel that I’ve read, but also the first one I’ve gone through that belongs to the romantic genre. The writing style is so suited to the YA genre that I wasn’t surprised that most of Bhagat’s readers are teenagers and adolescents. Many sections of the book brought back memories of my own high-school years, not because of the content, but due to the way the plot was followed through. I used to cherish reading young-adult authors such as R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike back in the day, and thus, nostalgia was inevitable. By the time I completed 2 States, I felt ten years younger, and I guess people who used to read a lot of YA fiction, and then progressed to adult-orientated tales, will most probably end up sharing my feelings.

Bhagat’s flair for social commentary through minimalistic wording constantly reminded me of Narayan. One factor where Bhagat failed at but Narayan always seems to succeed at is going into the depth of the multitude of primary characters that were depicted in the novel. I reckon that if Bhagat had written this in the third person instead of the first person perspective, though that would’ve been unlikely owing to the semi-biographical nature of the storyline, then 2 States would’ve been a must-read.

In the initial half of the novel, we see a more than needed percentage of Krish’s outlook on South Indian customs and traditions. But when it comes to the love of his life, Ananya, we only get to read about a handful of her opinions on the North Indians—specifically through the heroine’s interactions with her potential mother-in-law. Of course, both our main characters had many conversations with members of their own family and the other’s relatives, but there was a chance for advanced character development which was never taken upon by the wordsmith.

Narayan has always been an expert in societal storytelling. One example is his novel which I have always deemed as his magnum opus, Mr. Sampath: The Printer of Malgudi. There were about four to five major individuals, and a ton of secondary figures, but they were handled so well that I was surprised that Mr. Sampath wasn’t originally penned as a play. Bhagat failed to utilize the literary entourage he had outlined. And the primary reason for this, in my opinion, was his choice of writing the book in the first-person point of view. Again, that perspective almost always suits any written work that is intended to be semi-biographical.

Nonetheless, Bhagat has impressed me in the vein of Narayan by showcasing that the pen will always be mightier than the sword when you have to win over people’s mindsets. Just like Krish and Ananya tried their utmost to convince their respective families to honor their dreams of a peaceful wedding, Bhagat has shown me through his hard work how complicated Indian marriages really are.

He never showcased that love marriages are more difficult than arranged marriages or vice versa. He remained diplomatic in his prose whereas any other author might’ve given a hint to which state of India he favors more. The paperback version that I’ve read is close to 300 pages but I felt that it was only novella-length long owing to how well-paced it was.

In conclusion, Chetan Bhagat is a master of satire, and he joins R.K. Narayan and Mohammed Hanif in my list of favorite non-native authors in the English language. Not only is this Bhagat’s fourth novel but the quality of the book’s penmanship also complements that fact. Inequality seems to exist, more or less, in every part of the world; but it’s through literary works such as these that show us that love truly does conquer all in the end.

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2 States the story of my marriage by Chetan Bhagat – Book Review

After the first publication by Bhagat, this was the novel that prepared the base for his instant launch in the world of Indian English fiction. Two States is primarily a love story with some extra ingredients that have been attracting readers of young age until now. However, it is not a simple love story that you read every day. Chetan Bhagat’s Two States, the story of my marriage attempts to portray a modern love story set against the backdrop of cultural differences in India. Two people from two distant states of the country with subtle and visible differences in their lifestyle and everything else somehow come together to form a very distinct relationship that leads to an incredible marriage. The novel became very popular among young readers instantly after the launch (aided by a vehement marketing drive by the author). However, despite its popularity, the novel falls short in terms of writing style and overall literary merit. In this review, I will put everything about the book and its content. Let’s begin the review!

The story of the novel in a nutshell:

The story, if you observe carefully, is linear and simple. The novel discusses the story of Krish, a spirited Punjabi lad, and Ananya, a vibrant Tamilian girl, who embark on a tumultuous journey of love amidst the clash of their diverse cultural backgrounds. Though this clash is largely because of their families, their upbringing and social backgrounds also come into play. As they navigate the hurdles of societal expectations and familial resistance, their bond grows stronger, fuelled by their unwavering commitment to bridging the gap between their communities. The story is tilted towards a rather humorous description of events that will amuse many readers. And thus, through vivid anecdotes, humorous encounters, and heartfelt emotions, Bhagat explores the complexities of intercultural relationships. The story has its communication in the simplicity that it offers. However, this simplicity, most of the time, betrays readers who want something extra rather than plain storytelling when they read a novel.

Critical Insights:

Except for the fact that the novel is a simple read, a mono-layered, straightforward tale of a love marriage that does not fail despite so many hurdles, there is nothing more that adds to its value. Albeit, there are many things in the novel by Bhagat that call for critical scrutiny eliciting the downsides or the negatives that expose the author’s literary prowess. Let me discuss these things in detail. Well, if you are wondering why is the author so popular despite his works having too little value in terms of literary merits, you may be interested in reading this helpful analysis – Why is Chetan Bhagat Popular? (Link opens in a new tab.)

Let’s begin directing this novel with the obvious concern – the writing style itself. Ask anyone who is into reading English fiction at large, they will tell you what makes Two States too shallow. If you believe something as Bhagat’s prose exists, it certainly lacks depth and finesse, often resorting to clichés and simplistic language that fail to engage the reader. And we can discuss the dialogues between characters, for instance, that lack authenticity and sophistication, undermining the emotional depth and complexity that the novel aims to convey. The dialogue often feels contrived and lacks the natural flow of genuine conversations. Otherwise, the novel’s premise is too good to be put at the altar of Chetan Bhagat’s poorly managed narrative in the novel.

Coming to the second point, I will like to discuss the character development in Two States. Let me admit, at the outset, it is underwhelming. The protagonists, Krish and Ananya, come across as one-dimensional and lacking in complexity. The most disappointing part of the character development aspect in the novel is that the motivations and inner struggles of the protagonists are presented in a shallow manner, leaving the reader disconnected from their emotional journey. Bhagat’s attempt to depict the complexities of intercultural relationships falls short due to the superficial portrayal of the characters and their development. It seems, like the author himself, the characters in the novel are in an absurd hurry to reach the last page of the novel. Hurray! Story narrated!

And of course, like any regular Hindi movie made by the Bollywood dynasty, the novel too has a predictable plot and progress. Anyone who reads literary works can easily understand in which direction the storyline is headed. It follows a linear narrative that offers little surprise or originality. The conflicts and resolutions are often conveniently resolved without delving into the deeper complexities of the issues at hand. This lack of depth robs the story of its potential to be thought-provoking or challenging, reducing it to a mere surface-level exploration of cultural differences. And, let me tell you a secret, you can know such things better by reading some real-life stories of people who have crossed the lengths of their states to get married to people from other states in India. You will find these stories in plenty on the internet and some might even be more complex and interesting than the one presented in Two States.

Though it might seem outright futility, if we compare Bhagat with other novelists of the time, we can easily find out that Bhagat’s writing style lacks more than it has. Authors like Jeet Thayil, Kiran Desai, or Jhumpa Lahiri skillfully tackle complex themes, employ nuanced language, and create multidimensional characters that resonate with readers on a profound level. Even Shobha De, at times, promises more than Bhagat despite her limited sources in terms of themes and subject matter at hand. In contrast, Bhagat’s novels lack the depth, nuance, and literary craftsmanship that elevate a book to the status of a significant literary work.

So, to conclude this review of Two States by Chetan Bhagat, let us understand that it fails to deliver a compelling narrative due to its shortcomings in writing style, character development, and plot structure. Though the novel may have enjoyed popularity because of its easy-reading storyline and no-nonsense development of the plot, it sticks to being a one-time hear-say story rather than a full-fledged novel or merit. Chetan Bhagat’s simplistic language, superficial characterisations, and formulaic storytelling prevent the novel from achieving a deeper exploration of its central themes. And therefore, let me admit and conjecture, readers who are seeking more nuanced and sophisticated narratives about intercultural relationships would be better served by exploring the works of other talented Indian authors. And that explains why while Bhagat may have found his place among casual readers of English fiction in India, he could not secure a place for himself in the contemporary discourses on Indian English literature .

Review by Adarsh for Indian Book Critics

Two States the story of my marriage by Chetan Bhagat – Book Review

• Critical Rating

One time read to understand, with an exaggeration, how Bhagat got married to his wife. If you are looking to have some literary pleasure, you won’t find it here. Just a story. Dry story. This happened. That happened. And that happened thereafter. That’s it.

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5 comments . leave new.

Achha likha hai bhai! I also read Chetan Bhagat a few times. He just repeats the same kind of S@#t every time! Nothing new. This was some different bt the same in many ways.

Aptly written and very objective book review of 2 States by Chetan Bhagat… I agree with many points raised here.

Totally agreeable review… I am sometimes shocked to read some ‘critics’ appreciating the novel and finding ‘positives’ only…

Wow! It reads more like an intellectually written literary roast… should not offend the author and yet able to transfer meaningful thoughts to readers… amazing guys! I liked the review of Chetan Bhagat’s 2 States novel.

that’s what I call an amazing book review! chetan bhagat has certainly not contributed to the foundation of Indian English literature in the modern era. however, I do believe the guy has democratised the process of literature in India. 2 states the story of my marriage has resonated well with casual fiction readers.

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Hari Shanker R

Open Source Program Manager at Automattic

Two States by Chetan Bhagat – A review

Three books and one movie strong, Chetan Bhagat has indeed become a name to reckon with. More than a youth icon, he’s become a celebrity himself. Fact is, it actually took him three years to graduate to being a full-time writer. And with each book, he’s improved a lot. A hell lot, I’d say.

‘Two States’ catapults the 35 year old author to the top rung of all Indian authors in English.

I was actually smiling for at least two of the three and a half -odd hours spent on Two States. 😀 Yes, the first thing that strikes you is the endearing quality of the prose. I’d clearly vote for ‘Two states’ as the most endearing work by this youth icon writer. Chetan has actually tried out an entirely different layout for the book, quite different from the usual crop. So, we have book that’s written like  the script for a drama or even a teleplay, for that matter. Yes, the chapters are divided into Acts I, II, III, IV and V! The language is simpler, the descriptions are more vivid and the plot is better-laid-out. Bhagat has carefully edited out the sex though! 😛 Yet, the chemistry between the protagonists is much more evident. The pacing of the book is again perfect – not one boring moment in the book! Once you start reading, you’d only put the book down when you’re done with it.

However, the most spectacular feature of the book is the autobiographical element .

It all starts with the subtitle of the book – “the story of my marriage”. Bhagat himself has admitted that the story is inspired from his own life. Yes, he’s a Punjabi and his wife Anusha  is from Tamil Nadu, and they did study together at IIM Ahmedabad. Krish and Ananya have twin kids (yeah, I spoiled your climax! :P) just like Mr. Bhagat and his wife do. Plus, the book seems to be a straight part 2 of ‘Five Point Someone’. ‘Hari’ has apparently become ‘Krish’. There are mentions of ‘lost semesters’, ‘affairs with the prof’s daughter’, ‘traveling in car with the professor’, and there’s even a detailed chapter regarding how the old affair didn’t materialize. And to top it all, we have Krish’s repeated affirmations about his ambition to be ‘a full time author’. Krish actually goes about saying that he’d resign his well-paying Citibank job some years down the line! 😛 The parallels with real-life scores a high score in the endearing-meter. 🙂

Not everything about the book  is rosy, though.

Even though Bhagat has been maturing progressively as an author, the looks of his cover-pages are on a clear downward spiral. Five point someone had a snazzily-designed, awesome cover page. But, the cover page of Two states sucks ass! Even going by the adage about not judging a book by its cover, the first-appearance does give a stunning visual impact about the contents. The jarring-red outer-cover with a classless silhoutte-graphic might’ve scared at least a few thousands of potential readers, I’d daresay!  Besides, on the whole, the book’s story is straight out of a bollywood movie – perhaps, this has something to do with Bhagat’s newfound tryst with the industry. Like ‘Three Mistakes’, ‘Two states’ has its ultra-corny moments. The way Ananya and Krish impress the others’ parents – that’s way too good to be true. Agreed, ‘Two states’ is fiction, but for a book that has autobiographical content, Bhagat could’ve been more realistic. Talking about Bhagat’s ‘common-man-style’ – many critics continue to denigrate it.  In a way, the style is a double-edged sword for Bhagat. It has endeared the author to the masses, but has given him only brickbats from ‘high-brow’ critics. Maybe, Chetan would silence them in his next work.

Minus non-realism, minus the cover, Two States shares space with ‘Five Point Someone’ in terms of awesomeness! 🙂 I’m strongly recommending the book. It’d be a proud addition to your library, and for 95 rupees, it’s very much affordable and worth every pie. I loved it for the chemistry between the protagonists, the endearing moments, the tongue-in-cheek humor, the simple-yet-poignant ‘Bhagat-logic’, and of course, the central theme – LOVE!

Guess what, I badly wanted to get  married after reading the book! 🙂

My Rating: 9.2/10

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!

Observation:

Have you noticed something? All of Chetan Bhagat’s books have got to do something with numbers! I’m assuming it has got to do something with the author’s IIT education.

Five Point someone

One Night @ The Call Centre

Three Mistakes of my Life

The next book will have something to do with ‘Four’ . 😛

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A twenty-something support engineer, web developer, blogger and journalist who makes the web a better place for a living, at Automattic. Immensely passionate about WordPress! Also loves books, music, movies, and drinking hot cups of coffee on rainy evenings. Dreams of writing a book, someday.

27 comments

'Two States’ catapults the 35 year old author to the top rung of all Indian authors in English.

I must say that such a claim is outlandish and Chetan Bhagat deserves no such honour. There are far FAR FAAAAR better writers than him around. If Salman Rushdie had a pet dog and that dog could write, I'm sure that animal would come up with something better than 'Two States'. Some good points about the book:

1) It costs Rs 95/- (Thanks to Rupa)

2)um….nothing else really. It's too filmy type. It might make a wathcable movie.

Lol @ Rushdie and his pet dog! 😛

I take your point, but see… the reason why I listed him as a top author is just because he appeals to the lowest common denominator. 🙂 And of course, sales volumes would agree. 🙂

I thought the book was written more like a screenplay and it had all the stupid elements of a soap opera. It is extremely stupid to please the girls' or guys' families in reality and the way its written in the book is like it is taken out of some K series TV soap.

The rona dhona of the serials is there, but in addition the way two IIM grads are shown to be life savers in too many occasions in the book is too hard to believe. Maybe Mr Bhagat gets his money from the movies now; but then he shouldn't forget that he has just written his 4th book and people go to watch his screenplay's in the multiplex's just coz the books were good. Already they had a shock with Hello. If 3 Idiots also goes the same way(which I hope not); then that will be the END of the Most successful English author from India!!

Totally. I concur. There are Masala element and there's C-L-I-C-H-E written down in virtually every line and paragraph.

And yeah, lets hope the next movie doesn't go the Hello way.

You know I am critical of Bhagat's writing. 5 point someone was novel , the other two were a step down each. So I am predisposed to diss the new book and hence the comment in orkut.

The thumbs-up from you is surprising and hence am very eager to get my hands on it. The 2 negative comments above have only made me so curious as to what caused such a difference in opinions.

I will be back to comment here once I do get to read it.

Dont hold Hello against Chetan Bhagat, I don't expect even an advertisement to break even if it features Sohail Khan. 😀

Raouf, since you already have a negative predisposition about the author, I don't think you'd like this one. You're the high brow guy, and I'm sure you'd return with a scathing comment on this one too.

Btw, I've got the book with me. Feel free to ask if you don't get a copy. 😛

And Sohail Khan. God, it's high time he left to Himalayas in search of nirvana. 😐

ive not read this book yet.but hari's review is so good that the next thing im gonna do is to pick this book from a near by store n read.i think harishankar is a chetan bhagat in the making..

Lol, thanks chechi. 🙂 But I don't wanna be a Chetan Bhagat (although I wouldn't mind studying at IIM-A! 😛 ) I would ideally love to be a Jeffrey Archer. 🙂

Chetan Bhagat caters exclusively to the railway station bookstore population. Good stuff for a journey, with no embellishments or flourishes. Good for one, and one read only. Just timepass. But he does it well, even Ranjeet will admit that. But nothing more.

Guru's taken the words right out of my mouth.Timepass level book and void of flowery language and embellishments.But The Inconvenient Truth (as far as I'm concerned) is that when you look at the sales volumes- that indicates the measure of his success. The bottomline(butt crack?) is :- he knows how to cater to popular demands and can sell books. As far as publishing houses are concerned, that's good enough to promote his work.

And I guess it's something you OUGHT to read( whether you like it or not is not the question here).

Nice summing up. 🙂

I would like to contest the 'one-read' part. As I write this comment, I've finished reading the book twice. 😛 And yeah, it's timepass.

Not everyone's a Bhagat fan. 🙂

got a glimpse of this now ……….i have read all cb books at least 10 times each and this one too didnt disappoint me . It talks about social evils , conservative stupidities and the concept of a rich getting richer india which is dished tuned to the reading taste of an average joe . The fact that even my cousin who just got to class 8 enjoyed it as much as i and even my mother did makes this book SIMPLE enough to be succesful. The humour was good too .

hey guys……what u expect in 95 rupees yar………….just take some pocorn sit in ur balcony………..n enjoy three hrs journey from ahemadabad –> delhi –> chennai……..thats it !!!!……… it filmy………take it in that way…….

Hey that observation in the end was nice. Anyway I have heard that book is about Chetan Bhagat's own life, is it true?? is he married to a Tamil girl?

First- The book name should have been "Two families" and not "Two States"… With just his wife's family he cant judge the entire state…

Second- Though some of his views about girls may be correct not all are true…

Private things could be avoided… Girls today are not vulnerable as he thinks…

I wish atleast in his next book the story goes without "I"… Means he describing the story…

Yes Ajay… U r absolutely right… The South Indian criticisms must have been avoided…

This was my first read to chetan bhagat & let me tell u ,i actually enjoyed it a lot.In today's fast and tensed life all u need is a light stuff that makes u feel easy and this book does it well enough. I was in a new city , new job and new atmosphere when i read it and frankly speaking i completely lost in my memories while reading it.One negative thing in this book is that KRISH does a lot to convince ANANYA'S family but when it is her turn to , she just hands down.Just after one meeting with his mother ,she immedieately denied from any possibility to be able to serve his mother.So the moral of thebook is –boys do anything for their lovers but what abt the female side. i wish if HARI replies it. ONLY FOR HARI- HEY BUDY PLEASEMAIL ME PERSONALLY AS I WANA TALK TO U ABT SOMETHING SERIOUS. YOU HAVE MY MAIL ID SO PLZ………….

I would correct you :-). I would say that Chetan 'also' appeals to the lowest denominator. Most of our 'celebrated' desi English language authors express themselves so self-consciously and are so over-nuanced… it hurts!! They can only appeal to the equally stilted high-brow minority. And some prize-giving institutions. Chetan's deliberately simple style mixed with observation, insight, delightful humour and an endearingly sensible perspective on things is path-breaking for an Indian author, no matter how contrived some of the plot solutions. He is going to make a lot of Indian young people think and observe!

way to ruin the suspense. i was just reading the book..now i know what happens..nevertheless, good review 🙂

Chetan bhagat’s books usually tend to follow a set formula. Somehow I feel his books are ‘aspirational’ in nature.

This has also resulted in a lot of chetan bhagat clones. Take a look at this interesting and hilarious article to see what I am talking about – http://www.whackk.com/july-2010/book-wars-attack- …

*i posted this comment on another page by mistake. my bad. *

The book is awesome, even better than Five Point Someone. The only thing that disappoints me is that this guy Krish(or Hari) just starts falling for any girl who is pretty. Love doesn't happen like that. Is not there a difference between love and lust? Other than that, everything is fine- a simple plot with an entertaining style of representation. Plus it is affordable.

awesome.. i love it ..

Its really agreat book.The story looks very live. And their love making and the chemistry is the great thing of this book. generally it happens that parents dont let their childrent to marry with the girl or boy of some other cast, religion or the state. They are very much orthodox. And this book shows that what is the real love.Peole can do anything to get their love.

And i hope that Chetan will continue on writing on such books…….

I AGREE TO TAPU…AND MOREOVER..TWO STATES IS A KIND OF STORY WHICH INCLUDES EVERYTHING WHICH A READER WANTS TO CREATE HIS MOOD..ANYWAY I LOVE TIS BOOK..AN D I AM WANTING TO READ THE OTHER BOOKS TOO..

It is a nice book. Chetan knows hot to convert the dramatic situation to appear as if it is going exclusive in front of one's eye by using his expert experience in the field of english. Five point someone was also an overwhelming novel.

I have to say I disagree with your review. I just got around to writing a very detailed reason for that: http://readingaftermath.blogspot.in/2012/06/two-s …

If I hadn't known that Bhagat was trying, through this book, to revolutionise Inter-State marriages, I would have liked the book.

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By chetan bhagat.

Chetan Bhagat is one of the most commercially successful novelists in India at the moment. I find him a very entertaining and revealing writer. It’s a boy-meets-girl story, about Krish and Ananya.

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“Chetan Bhagat is one of the most commercially successful novelists in India at the moment. I find him a very entertaining and revealing writer. It’s a boy-meets-girl story, about Krish and Ananya.” Read more...

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2 States: The Story of My Marriage by Chetan Bhagat | Book Review

Book review of 2 States: The Story of My Marriage by Chetan Bhagat

When a boy meets a girl, both fall in love. What follows is not the usual “happily ever after.” It is kinda tricky this business. Why? Caste barriers exist between a simple Punjabi boy and a Tam-Brahm girl. Wait, is it only that or more? Get on this roller coaster of a love story, exploring love, resilience, fun, and most importantly, a slice of India, all at once. A review perusing the finer undersides of Krish and Ananya’s brilliant tale of love and the path towards marriage.

2 States: The Story of My Marriage

Neelam Sharma www.booxoul.com Author: Chetan Bhagat

So, let me start today by telling you a story. Huh. A romantic tale, my lovelies. Doston, kuch romance ka mood hai. Because I had barely discussed a nice, romantic lighthearted book with you guys recently, I thought – chalo, let’s sprinkle some love in everyone’s lives today.

A girl from South India and a boy from North India met, and it wasn’t all hunky dory, easy-peasy, and rosy-posy on the way to happily ever after. Hmm, that is not how it is in this brilliant love story, a fun amalgam of the North and the South, where the story revolves around Krish and Ananya, whose love affair converted to marriage, which is no less than a battle won.

Having come way before we even met “Chennai Express,” the story opens with Punjabi boy Krish meeting Tamil Brahmin girl Ananya Swaminathan in the IIM mess. What follows is the usual fireworks, and with one thing leading to another, these two eventually fall in love. However, things do not appear to be going as smoothly for the two, who have decided to marry for life. Why? Simple. Well, in “the Chennai trysts, LOL. It then moves to Delhi, where it is now Ananya’s turn to try and convince the infamous would-be Punjabi mother-in-law, aka Krish’s mom, aka Kavita. Well, both of these are my favourite parts to read in the book since I feel like I am diving into a slice of life and dousing through the traditions of these places. I could almost smell Ananya’s mother’s strange snacks cooking through, her father’s constant scowl, and the Swaminathan household’s usual melancholy atmosphere. not to forget Ananya’s brother Manju and his gawky geekiness. I could completely fathom Krish’s quandaries, his struggles, and his challenges in trying to please Ananya’s parents. To avoid sounding stereotypical, it is always difficult to persuade a “highly educated,” “well-placed” girl’s parents to agree to an intercaste marriage, especially one as drastically and diametrically opposed as South to North.

Related: Exploring Love in Infinity and Beyond-An Imperishable Promise by Sarathi Sabyasachi Sahoo: a Book Review

Then there were the “Delhi files,” aka Ananya’s pursuits towards understanding the Punjabi, her “much dreaded” mother-in-law and her idiosyncrasies. What fun! I mean, the tete-a-tete between Kavita and Ananya, the chemistry Ananya shares with his side of cousins during Minti’s wedding, and the way she manages to impress them all was like zip zap zoom! The way she won over the crowd by resolving the bottlenecks in Minti’s wedding and overcoming all issues was incredible. Having finally overcome and won over his side of relatives, I personally felt victorious in this scenario.

Reading through the highs and lows of these two, sailing in the same boats as them, understanding their struggles, and finally reaching that high point when both families agreed. Whoosh, what a feeling it was! 

When it comes to writing style, I’ve always said and felt that Chetan and his writings connect very well with Indian audiences because of his ability to connect with them at the grassroots level. Chetan has always identified the emotional needs of any reader and tried to keep his story and his plot in such a way that they are simple, relatable, and, most importantly, believably appealing to the end readers. That is what makes most of his writing such a huge commercial success, especially in Indian markets. Be it the plot, the characterizations, or the style, Chetan manages to carve it all in your mind’s eye so that eventually, at least for me, I could well imagine this one even before the movie adaptation of it was released. I mean, I was already living “Locha-e-Ulfat” in my dreams before Arjun Kapoor jiggled along to its tunes, and yes, Ananya was Alia!

FAQs for the book 2 States: The Story of My Marriage by Chetan Bhagat

Q: who is the author of the book ‘2 states’.

A: The author of the book ‘2 States’ is Chetan Bhagat.

Q: What is the genre of the book ‘2 States’?

A: The genre of the book ‘2 States’ is a romantic comedy novel.

Q: What is this book about?

A: The book ‘2 States’ is about a couple, Krish and Ananya, who fall in love while studying at IIM Ahmedabad. They belong to different cultural backgrounds, and their parents are not happy with their relationship. The book describes their struggle to convince their families to accept their relationship and their efforts to overcome cultural differences.

Q: When was this book published?

A: The book ‘2 States’ was published on October 8, 2009.

Q: Is the book ‘2 States’ based on a true story?

A: The book ‘2 States’ is inspired by the real-life story of the author Chetan Bhagat and his wife Anusha.

Q: How many pages does the book ‘2 States’ have?

A: The book ‘2 States’ has 269 pages.

Q: Has this book been adapted into a movie?

A: Yes, the book ‘2 States’ has been adapted into a Bollywood movie with the same name. It was released on April 18, 2014.

Q: What is the target audience for this book?

A: The target audience for the book ‘2 States’ is mainly young adults and people who enjoy romantic comedies.

Q: Is the book ‘2 States’ available in multiple languages?

A: Yes, the book ‘2 States’ has been translated into multiple languages, including Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and Telugu.

Q: Is this book worth reading?

A: The book ‘2 States’ is a well-written and entertaining novel that offers an insightful look into the complexities of Indian society and culture. If you enjoy romantic comedies or want to learn more about Indian culture, then it is definitely worth reading.

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Learning India

Making sense of the subcontinent

Neil Miller April 7, 2014 Filed Under: #IndiasNotIndia , Book Reviews

Book Review: Two States

If you interact at all with 20-30 year olds in India, you should minimally be aware of who Chetan Bhagat is. He is a famous author whose books about call centers and Indian education systems (and cheaply priced books) really found a huge market among millennials in India.

Some people find his writing style too elementary and complain that his approach to issues is too juvenile, but his appeal is massive, and his books are easy to read. Two States is one of his better books, in my opinion.

Two States is the story of a Punjabi boy from Delhi who falls in love with a Tamilian girl and decides to get married. The book is full of examples of #IndiasNotIndia . My favorite one is where the boy walks into the girl’s family home and says “The long rectangular room looked like what would be left if a Punjabi drawing room was robbed.” (Tamil homes are quite bare in decoration.)

Apart from giving endless examples of inter-regional differences, Two States also gives a picture of modern romance. It may not be typical of most modern-day relationships, but it is at least one to look at. Nearly all films and books about romance in India will deal with the love marriage vs. arranged marriage tension in families, and this book is no different, albeit not as dramatized as a typical film.

Regardless of your opinion of Chetan Bhagat’s quality of writing, Two States is worth the price (about Rs. 100 in India) to get a glimpse into mainstream literature and these two important themes of regional differences and modern romance.

Who would like it: People looking to see more of the pulse of mainstream India, especially if you are working around young people.

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May 15, 2014 at 3:13 am

I just finished reading this book and liked it a lot. I could really relate being part of a Tamilian family! It was an easy read. My review: http://madh-mama.blogspot.ca/2014/05/book-review-2-states-by-chetan-bhagat.html

May 15, 2014 at 3:11 pm

Nice review! With the movie release, I know a lot of people think these stereotypes are outdated, and in certain circles I think they are right. However, a lot of the trends are still there, at least from an outsider’s perspective.

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2 States by Chetan Bhagat

After One Night @ the Call Center and The 3 Mistakes Of My Life , Chetan Bhagat has a new novel – 2 States. This latest book from Chetan Bhagat is about two individuals’ love saga from different geographical states in India! As the name suggests, it is not about 2 States in India, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi but the diverse state of mind of people hailing from the 2 States also!

Written with an easy-to-read prose style, the plot is about two individuals Ananya Swaminathan , a Tamil Brahmin from Chennai, and Krish from Delhi, who meets at IIM Ahmadabad. They start as friends and agree to keep their friendship to academics’ confines against the backdrop of practical thinking.

But their focused joint study sessions gradually meander from the world of academics into the irresistible domain of love and romance. And for two years, they go around happily, but as all good things must come to an end, so also does this hunky-dory love story. This is where the story actually begins.

What follows is a series of endeavors undertaken by both Krish and Ananya in bridging the gap of differences, mainly cultural between their families, to make their relationship gain acceptance. In the process, Chetan Bhagat brings out the subtleties that exist in the lifestyle and outlook towards people from different states. The effect is accentuated further when the reader views these idiosyncrasies from the eyes of another state’s character.

So, Krish finds life in a track of its own in Chennai where people tend to be conservative, love Carnatic music, and go to bed early apart from having a penchant for South Indian food. If this is one side to the coin, then the other side to the coin is also well showcased. And that is about Delhi, where people have an air of haughtiness and an unseen halo of wealth and ego which surfaces at every possible occasion without a miss.

A gaudy display is best seen at a get-together or marriage, and the book vividly brings it out! Apart from this, there is great emphasis on what one looks like, and perhaps “All that glitters is gold”! The gorge in the mindsets is well showcased through the characters in the book. The characters are well constructed though maybe not in detail, the plot’s incidents make up for it.

While Ananya has her conservative family to convince, Krish has a task even tougher than Ananya. He has an emotional mother and irate father with whom he shares a non-functional fractured relationship.

Whether the endeavors of the two love birds meet an all-happy ending is something I leave the reader to figure out. But what the reader would get in the course of reading 2 States are a series of some hilarious moments and instances that bring out the idiosyncrasies and dogma practiced by the 2 States.

Also, there would be instances that would draw the reader’s thoughts to the notion of being an Indian before a South Indian or a North Indian. In a world where borders are getting dissolved slowly with technology and development, such a thought carries a lot of weight.

And in a country like India which has many India’s in it, the magnitude of such a thought gets magnified! So, enjoy reading this latest novel from Chetan Bhagat and hope you love it and don’t forget to leave your thoughts about the 2 States novel.

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2 States – Kahaani Poori Filmi Hai

‘When I started reading it – even though our life had its quota of dramatic situations and characters, especially with me the drama queen being a part of it -the book seemed so far from reality.’

Book Review Title:  2 States Author: Chetan Bhagat Pages: 268

2 States by Chetan

There is Fiction, then there is Drama and then there is Bollywood…well 2 States is definitely not the former 2…being Bollywood end to end. At time you think it is a script written for a movie and by chance printed as a book.

Long back when I read Chetan’s 5 point Someone , I liked it, as in it was a fresh perspective touching the educated youth of today; it wasn’t a movie stuff but definitely a piece of my life or those around me. Then came One Night at the Call Centre .  It was ok, not so real especially the God part.

But then came 3 Mistakes of My Life and it was a complete disappointment with shallow characters having no purpose in life except cricket; I understand the craze of cricket but I still don’t treat it as a life and death matter, and that is what Chetan was trying to capitalize on. I think the film Kai Poche (based on ‘3 mistakes of my life’) has done a better job.

Now the 4th Book, 2 States , is actually so typical, there have been 100s of movies made already. The situations and characters are most predictable and shallow. Well I was very excited to read it because my marriage has the same elements, if not the story. I am a Punjabi girl married to a Tamil Brahmin Boy.

We also faced oppositions, threats, long distances, break ups, emotional blackmails and cultural gaps etc. So when my husband read it he vouched that I should read it and I would find similarity between them and us.

But when I started reading it, even though our life had its quota of dramatic situations and characters especially with me the drama queen being a part of it, the book seemed so far from reality. The characters are so unlike what they stand for:

1. The boy Krish broke up with his first girlfriend for no reason, except the deal he had with the girl’s professor father. Now how shallow is that, he broke up one relation for no reason and now he is all out to make his second relationship successful even though when it is more tedious than the first one. Probably the first one was just puppy love.

2. The girl Ananya seemed to be just a pretty face with loads of attitude and no substance. She had no clue why she was with the guy. Not for a single moment I felt that they both loved each other.

3. The Girl’s parents were strict and were totally against the marriage. But they allowed the Boy to come every day to their place to teach the younger brother because the guy was an IITian. Now which parents feel that the girl and the boy would separate and forget each other like this.

4. The guy wanted to be a writer from Day 1 but what he does is a silly corporate job, and also obtains IIT and IIM degrees and a great job in a big bank by speaking the well-practiced management statements in the Job interviews.

He is just idling in his jobs and easily manages to blackmail his boss, easy transfers and placements in jobs, with quality time and events to manage the whole drama to impress the girl’s parents. This theme has emerged for the first time in Chetan’s books, probably only after he has quit to do full time writing. But Citi does show as a lousy employer, with lousy people who either don’t work just like Krish or who don’t let others work just like Krish’s boss Bala.

5. Most of all the South and North cultural clashes, where Ananya seemed to be an exception as she was fair (unlike other South-Indian girls) and Krish seemed intelligent being an IIT – IIM pass out despite being a Punjabi. The cheap remarks on both the cultures are not something you want to judge it with. They seemed shallow and quiet lowly in presentation.

Anyway, overall a below average Book and a waste of Time. Don’t indulge in it, if you want to, then watch its movie adaptation.

Read the movie review of 2 States:  2 States Review: Melodramatic Love

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2 States: The Story Of My Marriage Paperback – January 1, 2014

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Print length 280 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Rupa Publications Private Limited
• Publication date January 1, 2014
• Dimensions 8 x 5 x 0.59 inches
• ISBN-10 8129135523
• ISBN-13 978-3636344441
• See all details

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About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rupa Publications Private Limited; First Edition (January 1, 2014)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 8129135523
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-3636344441
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.9 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 5 x 0.59 inches
• #60 in Zoroastrianism (Books)

About the author

Chetan bhagat.

Chetan Bhagat is the author of nine blockbuster books. These include seven novels—Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ the Call Center (2005), The 3 Mistakes of My Life (2008), 2 States (2009), Revolution 2020 (2011), Half Girlfriend (2014) and One Indian Girl (2016) and two non-fiction titles— What Young India Wants (2012) and Making India Awesome(2015). His upcoming book 400 Days is now available to preorder and will release on 17th September 2021. Chetan’s books have remained bestsellers since their release. Four out his five novels have been already adapted into successful Bollywood films and the others are in process of being adapted as well. The New York Times called him the ‘the biggest selling English language novelist in India’s history’. Time magazine named him amongst the ‘100 most influential people in the world’ and Fast Company, USA, listed him as one of the world’s ‘100 most creative people in business’. Chetan writes columns for leading English and Hindi newspapers, focusing on youth and national development issues. He is also a motivational speaker and screenplay writer. Chetan quit his international investment banking career in 2009 to devote his entire time to writing and make change happen in the country. He lives in Mumbai with his wife, Anusha, an ex-classmate from IIM-A, and his twin boys, Shyam and Ishaan. You can email him at [email protected] or fill in the Guestbook with your feedback. You can also follow him on twitter (@chetan_bhagat) or like his Facebook fanpage (https://www.facebook.com/chetanbhagat.fanpage).

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The Story of My Marriage

Chetan Bhagat | 3.82 | 82,364 ratings and reviews

Ranked #5 in Indian Author , Ranked #86 in Indian

Reviews and Recommendations

We've comprehensively compiled reviews of 2 States from the world's leading experts.

Patrick French Chetan Bhagat is one of the most commercially successful novelists in India at the moment. I find him a very entertaining and revealing writer. It’s a boy-meets-girl story, about Krish and Ananya. (Source)

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Book Review: 2 States by Chetan Bhagat

This is the first book I’ve read by an Indian author. I wanted one which was set in India, but didn’t have India or “Indianness” as the theme of the book as such. I tried reading Midnight Chidren by Salman Rushdie and abandoned it because I found it too boring. Everyone assured me that “2 States” wasn’t about India as such, but about two people. They were right…and a bit wrong as well. The story is about how two people from different states fall in love and can’t get married because the parents will object to it.

I was shocked by how big a jerk the main protagonist was. It’s written in the first person, but I can’t feel any sympathy whatsoever for the lead character. He’s thoughtless, puts up with all kinds of rudeness from his overbearing and nauseatingly bigoted mother and doesn’t utter a peep when she openly insults the girl he loves. In one situation his mother complains about how she’s too independent, and thinking themselves alone he assures her that she’ll be brought under control once married. The girl overhears this and predictably leaves him in a fit of rage. He goes to pieces and we’re supposed to feel sorry for him.

Sorry dude, but if you act like an asshole you deserve to be treated like one.

After they both have sex for the first time, the girl begins to ask him about their future. Granted it’s a bit naive for her to simply assume that there’s going to be a future and I can’t blame the guy for not really thinking about it. But even after he becomes aware of how important the question is for her, he pretends not to understand what she’s talking about and keeps putting her off. Total jerk material.

Usually in books written in the first person, the author makes the reader sympathetic to his cause. Reasons are given for even shameful conduct and while the reader may not approve of his or her actions, they can at least understand the motivations. But Chetan Bhagat gives nothing – no explanations for why he acts like a prick. He completely alienated me and made me feel he deserved his misfortune.

His final plot resolution came out of nowhere. A complete deus ex machina . In real life he would be reaping the consequences of his actions to this date. Only in the middle of the book do I begin to like him when he’s trying to win over the girl’s parents. But then he falls back into prickiness again.

The girl is only slightly better. She’s unable to see how insulting her own parents are and refuses to say a word against them. She doesn’t want to marry anyone else, but still allows her parents to fix up meetings with other men. It’s not only unjust to the guy she’s in love with, it’s also unfair to the men who come to see her.

The book is full of stereotypes. No attempt is made at character development and our author happily judges people based on their hair do, their accent and the food they eat. Granted lots of people judge in this way, but I read an author for his superior insight into the world not for his superficial judgement of appearances.

My wife tells me that all people are like this. That almost everyone in India is entirely beholden to their parents. I can’t and won’t believe this. It’s not possible for everyone to be such a big asshole as the main protagonist. Perhaps he exaggerated and actually did try and restrain his mother when she behaved in such a shocking manner towards the girl and his parents. I certainly hope so. If my wife is right and most people in India are like this I’m gonna get real depressed.

• Agree   ( 24 )
• You're an asshole   ( 19 )
• Don't Agree but Interesting   ( 15 )

56 thoughts on “Book Review: 2 States by Chetan Bhagat”

i think bhagwad u did a wonderful job telling the truth. though not a chetan fan i read the book coz my frends askd me to nd cudn’t go more thn the first half coz it was too. . offensive nd boring. its like a story(wn’t call it a love story coz its insulting to all the romance authors out there) where everyone is just out to insult everyone else. the mothers made me wana scratch their eyes out, felt like hitting the crap out of the protagonist like a gazillion times. honestly i lOVE ur review. totally second everything

In reply to Alisha

Thanks Alisha :)

Bhagwad, I liked your review, it helped me look at the book and its characters in a new light. The main character does come off as a jerk but I have to say that I did find it a tad bit funny :) I just picked this book up yesterday to read and being from punjab can relate to a lot that he is going through with his mother. I have a very close friend who married a Tamilian and believe me I have almost seen this whole story unfold before my eyes which makes this even more interesting. It does potray a very real part of our society. It is sad that even though we all come from educated families, sometimes we are over powered by the stereotypes in the society.

According to me, Chetan Bhagat’s male and female protagonists were both rash and immature. The whole series of events that led them to get into a relationship and certain incidents during their courting proves this. The fact that this kind of relationship, which started off when two study-partners ended up in a physical relationship(that too within 2 weeks as mentioned in the book), ended up in marriage is itself surprising. Its nothing but a bad message to the youth of India.

Its hard to say whether the way they tackled their parents was right or wrong, since in India (esp. since this book is set in a society that existed about 15-20 years ago) sons and daughters need to keep their moths shut in front of their parents as much as possible.

Anyway, in my opinion, no matter how engrossing Chetan Bhagat’s books are, he always messes up at some point. In two states, this happens when Ananya convinces the future husband of one of Krish’s sisters to disobey his parents and call off the dowry. The whole situation as to how Ananya calls all the siblings together and convinces them and how even the grown-ups listen to her seems ridiculous.

Personally, I think Chetan Bhagat’s success as a writer was just meant to be temporary, especially after revolution 2020. Moreover, if indeed his stories are based on his true life, then I think he is an immature person himself too.

In reply to Jenni

Yeah – you can’t change a person’s entrenched mindset with words, no matter how impassioned or persuasive. Especially if you’re an outsider with no stake in the affair.

“…male and female protagonists were both rash and immature.” As are a lot of young Indian men and women in real life. The average middle class twenty something in India grows up in a prudish and protective bubble that makes them emotionally very naive, impulsive and immature – well into their adulthood. I have peers my age with an irrational fear of authority (including their teachers), a very contrite sense of what it means to be ‘liberal’, very easily impressed with emotional pleas AND an 11-year-olds’ maturity towards love, sex and relationships. They make a European high school kids look like Frederic Nietzsche.   The book might seem very juvenile if you are used to people who function on a much higher cognitive plane; but having dated Indian women AND having a varied insight in how a lot of Indians think, I can see the shallowness outlined in the book totally panning out in real-life India. Live in this country long enough and you’ll get used to it.

In reply to Akhim Lyngdoh

OMG! I AM SOOOO LOVING THIS FORUM! I am sooo glad to learn that there are people who have the same opinion as I do on Indian young people. This forum is so funny yet so very real specially Akhim’s comment “They make a European high school kids look like Frederic Nietzsche”.. haha! I COULDN’T AGREE WITH YOU MORE! Indian youth are brought about in such a prudish manner and their families play such a strong influence upon them that they cannot think for themselves at all and they are truly naive and immature. I am specially impressed with Akhim Lyngdoh review and agree with him. I used to read John Grisham and Jeffery Archer when I was 17 years old and when I read Chetan Bhagat’s one night @ a call centre , I was so embarrassed of this guy. In fact, even my Eng. Lit. Professors are embarrassed of him. I used to work in a BPO and his book are the furthest from the truth regarding the BPO work. I guess he needs to work in one to understand the issues of stress and everything. But I guess that is too “low status for him”.. haha! ;)

i like and lov ur reveiw…. but i dont think chetan bhagat is that much immature as tagged by u guys…

I actually liked this book, though. It felt very real.

In reply to B

the langue of book is very good. humor is there.

Chetans bhagaths books are so simple to read. this book remind my love story. each session in the story went soo different and romantic.

may be u dont know that how should be a conservative family. The plot of His family and their Punjabi behavior was awesome. dude, I think u are not well versed with Delhi typical Punjabis, but I like them.

The plot of how can he win the hearts of her family is also good. It is like a bollywood movie, but what do u think bollywood cant be real. Life is different for different people. And Life plays this to him.

I have not seen the movie, as far as i read the 2 states books. he was very much criticising madrasis. Few of the points mentioned in the book of 2 states were: 1. “Tamil men don’t believe in pants and wear lungis even in shopping districts.”- he mentions this to tell that tamil people have no dressing sense and as though he has never seen anyone in pants in chennai. 2. “The city is filled with film posters. The heroes’ pictures make you feel even your uncles can be movie stars. The heroes are fat, balding, have thick moustaches and the heroine next to them is a ravishing beauty. Maybe my mother had a point in saying that Tamil women have a thing for North Indian men. “ – you don’t need better statement than this, insulting tamil people, as though tamil girls are all falling for north Indian guys. If this statement is welcomed then he also criticizing tamil superstar rajini, kamal, sathyaraj, telugu stuper siranjeevi, venkatesh, Malayalam superstar mamooty, mohanlal. 3.” Tamilian, please be precise. In fact, Tamil Brahmin, which is way different from Tamilians.I am born into the purest of pure upper caste communities ever created.” …………… Why should these lines be mentioned ? why cant he love just a madrasi girl? these lines indicate that a punjabi guy loves only girl from the upper caste of south indian society. he wanted to mention no north indian will fall for ordinary madrasi girl. 4.” Their white teeth glistened in the night.”- he criticized the auto drivers colour which is absolutely colour racism that he has. He has also mentioned the bad word told by auto drivers as though common people of north india never knows to speak any bad words. And all of sudden sardarji came and saved this guy from auto men..chetan bhagat must have been watching shaktiman in his childhood which has influenced to him write so…. 5. “I had to supervise eight bank representatives. The bank representatives were younger, typically graduates or MBAs from non-blue-blooded institutions.” – Here mentions that mba or graduate schools in chennai were not noble and putting down that he has come to manage these poor mba guys in Chennai. Infact he insults DGV, Pachayappa, Loyola, SRM and other educational institution. 6.He describes a girl came to ask permission for toilet and she was from Coimbatore, He describes her like “ adjusting her oversized spectacles with cockroach-coloured borders. Fashion is not a Chennai hallmark”- He is just project that people from tamil nadu are like school children. These above points are just sample to mention how keeps insulting madrasis, the fact he criticizes his own community some what intellectually not like in this way. In my opinion chetan bhagat is racist and biased person.

sorry guys u r wrong… first of all u urself put u on the same situation than ask.. how u acted? the boy n girl who r wd each other more than 20 hours obviously fall in love and have sex too.. and girl must think about mrg. their parents wrd abt them …it is natural… but at last they united.. hows u guys expect maturity from young people who have no exp. of life…

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Love marriages around the world are simple:

Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy.

They get married.

In India, there are a few more steps:

Boy loves Girl. Girl loves Boy.

Girl’s family has to love boy. Boy’s family has to love girl.

Girl’s Family has to love Boy’s Family. Boy’s family has to love girl’s family.

Girl and Boy still love each other. They get married.

Welcome to 2 States, a story about Krish and Ananya. They are from two different states of India, deeply in love and want to get married. Of course, their parents don’t agree. To convert their love story into a love marriage, the couple have a tough battle in front of them. For it is easy to fight and rebel, but it is much harder to convince. Will they make it?

From the author of blockbusters Five Point Someone, One Night @ the Call Center and The 3 Mistakes of My Life, comes another witty tale about inter-community marriages in modern India.

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2 States | Chetan Bhagat | Book Review | The Story of My Marriage

2 States by Chetan Bhagat is, according to the author, the story of his marriage and is a contemporary romance set in India. So, read the book review, book summary, book quotes and similar book recommendations in the post below.

2 States by Chetan Bhagat Book Summary:

Boy loves Girl. Girl loves Boy.Girl’s family has to love boy. Boy’s family has to love girl.Girl’s family has to love Boy’s family. Boy’s family has to love girl’s family.Girl and Boy still love each other. They get married.” Book Quotes from 2 States by Chetan Bhagat

  2 States by Chetan Bhagat is the story of Krish and Ananya who are from two different states of India, “stupidly in love” and want to get married not by eloping but with their parent’s consent. Everything looks easy except Ananya is from a conservative Tamil family and Krish is from a typical Punjabi family. There are fireworks from the first time that their families meet and it looks like Krish and Ananya’s love story is doomed from the start.

Can they convince their families that they are made for each other? Can a Punjabi and Tamil family forget their differences of culture, values and behavior to come together as  one family? As it’s said “it is easy to fight and rebel, but it is much harder to convince”, can they make their love story into a love marriage?

2 States by Chetan Bhagat Book Review:

Chetan Bhagat is one author you cannot ignore. I am not a big fan of his but I do respect that fact that he revolutionized the literary market and lured back the younger generation in India which had started to drift away from reading books. He gave people simple day to day events with uncomplicated everyday dialogues that anyone could understand. His books follow the Hindi-film style settings with every masala present to entertain you.

Things I liked:

According to me, 2 States is his best work so far and though we cannot term it a literary classic, it is a fitting leisure read that we enjoy while traveling or lazing on a couch. The dialogues are simple and though I sometimes felt them wanting in their construction and their clarity still they achieve their purpose. The musings of Krish are funny like

She’ll never date you, it is a rasgulla down the drain…” Book Quotes from 2 States by Chetan Bhagat

Buddy, pretty girl goes her way, rasgulla-less loser goes another.’ Book Quotes from 2 States by Chetan Bhagat

and also give an insight into the thought process of boys like

Why should any guy want to be only friends with a girl? It’s like agreeing to be near a chocolate cake and never eat it. It’s like sitting in a racing car but not driving it.” Book Quotes from 2 States by Chetan Bhagat

Then the characterisation is noteworthy. The characters are sketched in a comic light like

‘… Ankur and Aditya, both IITians who had already proposed to her without  considering the embarrassment of being rejected and then sitting next to the rejection for the whole year.’ or Kanyashree ‘who took notes like a diligent court transcripter’ , ‘wrote so hard I could feel the seismic vibrations from her pen’s nib.’ or Ananya who had  ‘perfect features, with her eye, nose, lips, and ears the right size and in right places. ‘

Conclusion:

So, I thoroughly enjoyed the contrasts that Chetan Bhagat draws between his dysfunctional Punjabi family and Ananya’s strict Tamil family.

All in all a quick and light read. A one time read in my opinion. So, definitely not a book you will keep in your classics bookshelf and a misfit for the company of serious readers.

I give 2 States by Chetan Bhagat 4 out of 5 stars simply because it entertained me and that’s what a good book should do. So, Njkinny recommends this true romance to all romance lovers.

You will also love these Chetan Bhagat Books:

• 400 Days by Chetan Bhagat Book Review
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• You are the Best Wife by Ajay K Pandey Book Review
• Making Faces by Amy Harmon Book Review
• Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks Book Review

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