Five point someone by Chetan Bhagat

"Five point someone" by Chetan Bhagat - Finally read it!

This book is published by Rupa Publications India in 2004. Second edition was published in 2014 and has 267 pages. This is Chetan's debut novel. 

Hari, Alok and Rayan meet during their ragging in 1st year at IIT Delhi and become fast friends. Their friendship flourishes but it's not without trouble. They get a GPA of five point something, hence they are five point someone. Lowest in the class. 

What troubles will they face? Is there a love story? What are their aspirations? Why are they five point someones? Are their careers at risk?

Author takes us through the life of IITians. What ticks them? What do they do? How do they live? It also comments on the education system of IIT and criticises too many assignments and lack of practical work & research.

Readers sympathise with the three protagonists and worry about their future looking at the way they jump from one trouble to another. It takes the reader back to some part if their college life. Author succeeds to create emotions in readers. 

While narrating the fiction, author makes some important comments about education system, in general, and that of IIT, in particular. However, he does not try to provide solutions. 

Character of Rayan remains mysterious. Character of Hari, the narrator, is not complete,  there is hardly any mention of his family. Author alludes that this was on purpose through another character. Alok gets due space for character development and so does Neha.

End of the book is not satisfactory. It appears a bit hurried and tentative. I had a feeling that author was unsure about, at which turn he wants to conclude the story.

3 idiots was the movie based on this book. Generally any movie differs from the book for many reasons like format, visual effects, artistic liberty etc. This film also has numerous differences with the book. I will list the major ones as most of you must have watched the movie. Neha is girlfriend of Hari in the book, she is Rancho's (Rayan) girlfriend in the movie. She has a sister in movie, not in book. Consequently the book doesn't have sister's delivery either. Phunsuk Wangdu is invention of the movie. So, there is no search for Rayan (Rancho) in the book. Character played by Rajesh Vaidya is a very minor character in the book. 

This book was the start of Chetan's career as author. Chetan was responsible to re-inculcate reading culture in India and attract the youngsters to reading books. He started the golden age of Indian English fiction writers, many of who came from IIT and/or IIM.

Why did I read this book? Author.

What I didn't like? The end. 

What did I like? Recreation of hostel life. 

Read, if you have not already watched the movie.