Recently I
have discovered the new language with which the Indian English writers express
themselves. Is it a new way of rebelliously telling the British, that you left
your language behind and now we will handle it the way we like it? I am not
sure how any foreigner will understand the sentence, ‘Arre, bakwas! Don’t be a
cartoon yaar!’ or Abhe gadhe’, but being an Indian I feel connected to the
characters and love it.
Unfortunately,
I have missed the first novel of Jack Patel – ‘Jack Patel’s Dubai Dreams’. I
have to find time and the book to go through it sometime later. No regrets for
now, because the book which narrates how young corporate handle their
challenges, with an insidious, tongue in cheek humor has given me enough to
smile about for a while.
The book
begins with witty digs at cricket and cricket loving Indians. I could help but
feel a guilty shame when the author brings how Indian’s want the Pakistan to
lose to Australia after India’s loss in the WC. I would go through those
emotions too. In cricket, there is no subcontinents; joy is India winning or Pakistan
losing. There is no shame in it for cricket fans either.
A former
colleague offers Jack Patel and his best friend Kitch with a conservative
British Bank in Dubai. Jack takes up the job as though he is embracing his
dreams. Like every corporate structure, there are power struggles, hurdles,
problems to be solved and quite a few nearly impossible tasks posing a
challenge to this ambitious young man.
One of
the witty highlight is the way Jack handles an interview about football, naming
Pele as his favorite player, when the world cup 2010 is going on, that too to a
diehard Spanish fan, who had enough power to make or mar his career. The quiz
is one of the most hilarious events happening in the book, especially if you
are a football fan.
As the
football world cup turns this world of cricket lover topsy-turvy, he jumps from
one hilarious situation to another tickling your ribs all the way. What amazed
me about the novel is the way the writer has handled the topic of recession,
unemployment and corporate problems, all quite serious issues of today’s
business world in a way that makes you laugh at it. Starting with the 1st
chapter of ‘Déjà vu Dubai’, the story snickers down to the 20th
chapter ‘The End? Or the Beginning?’, the story is a witty delight that makes
you cherish and savor all the 300 pages of fun, excitement and adventure of
Jack Patel.
The novel
is full of Indianisms, love for cricket, the silly poems, die hard friends, grand
weddings, well wishing uncles and aunts, high emotions, tears and ghosts, all
narrated in the humor with great Indian touch. I am really beginning to love
the books written by the new generation of Indian authors, who have put aside
the traditional style and developed their own style which is endearing. I am
already hunting for the first book by P.G. Bhaskar and also looking forward to
read another book, which I am sure he is already writing.
Those
looking for something light to read and enjoy, I strongly recommend this book.
Book Review: Jack is Back in Corporate
Carnival
Author: P. G. Bhaskar
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publishers India
ISBN: 978-93-5029-351-5
ISBN: 978-93-5029-351-5
Pages: 305
Price: - Rs 150
Price: - Rs 150