CHENNAI: While social media is flooding with nasty reviews, mocking memes and a plea to him to stop writing, Chennai’s love for Chetan Bhagat on Friday evening was certainly an odd spectacle. No wonder Chetan keeps his cool through the twitter rampage!
Like Justin Beiber’s followers, Chetan’s fans are nothing if not loyal. Some were holding his book and sitting on the ground in front of the dais at LandMark, Ampa Skywalk, while he was talking about One Indian Girl, his latest book. “Writing this was my greatest challenge. I wanted to write a story through the eyes of a woman seven years ago, but was not confident. I vowed that after 10 years of writing experience, I will do it. After the release of Half Girlfriend in 2014, I knew it was now or never. Thus began the research,” says Chetan.
Turns out, Chetan’s research was talking to 100 women (yes, he kept count), asking them questions, observing the different answers each one gave and a very painful episode of getting waxed. “It was literally blood, sweat and tears. The women gave me varied perspectives. I couldn’t generalise and so I titled my book ‘One’ Indian Girl. I don’t want you to believe that my character carries the reflection of every woman.”
Coming back to his latest book and much-noted page 57, Chetan was asked if everything was based on his personal experiences. He laughs. “I am a paavam boy. At least in Chennai, I don’t want to get into trouble. I feel like my in-laws are seated here. Look, for waxing, I got waxing done and for other things… I had to do other things.”