Kaleidoscopic campus life portrayals

Short takes

By

Randeep Wadehra

Prankzz by Harish Sharma

Rupa. Pages: 318. Price: Rs. 250/-

Practical jokes are part of hostel life, more so in professional institutions where, thanks to all sorts of pressures, students use these as stress busters. Moreover, pranks even help break ice between students who come from different parts of the country, families as well as socio-economic backgrounds. After all they have to stay and study together for some years. Often pranks are harmless or mildly stressful. But, sometimes, they trigger off ego play and lead to rather tragic results.

Krish, Kamal, Sanjay, Rosie, Shivani and Uma are members of the same study group in the Rajiv Gandhi Academy of Medical Sciences. Barring Krish the others are hostellers. When Kamal and Sanjay’s friendly overtures are rudely snubbed by the three girls they react rather rashly, setting off a chain reaction. Soon, from mere drenching in coloured water, pranks turn ugly, leading to physical harm and, eventually, a bloodbath despite mediation by Krish.

Although laced with humour the narrative mainly focuses on the dramatic. Realistic characterization makes teachers like Professor V appear so familiar; there are other interesting characters like the caretaker who remains perpetually engrossed in Principia Mathematica, and is in the habit of hurling empty threats at the reputedly delinquent hostellers, even as he helps them in their escapades. A good read.

Mediocre but arrogant by Abhijit Bhaduri

Harper Collins/India Today. Pages: 311.

This novel, too, is campus based – in the Management Institute of Jamshedpur. The characters are mainly hostellers. However, the canvas comprises both MIJ and Delhi University. Abbey lived in New Delhi’s Railway Colony with his parents and had graduated from Delhi University’s SRCC. As was usually the case with students during the late 1970s and early 1980s he was not sure what he should do after graduating from the college. The Civil Services didn’t appeal to him, and higher studies offered more than one option. However, his friend’s rather unintended help facilitates his entry into the MIJ.

Although the story deals with hostel life and quirks and traits of different teachers like Professors Chatto, Hathaway et al its main focus is on Abbey’s love life. Four women become his friends. The first one, Jaspreet, refuses to go beyond casual acquaintanceship, Priya is devoted to him but he treats her worse than a doormat, and Ayesha is the one who dazzles him but he is unable to go beyond casual sex with her. He loves Keya but she walks out on him when she comes to know of his egotist and philandering ways – an indecisive cad who wants relationships without serious, lifetime commitments.

This novel’s strong points are humour, smooth flow of narrative and quite a bit of food for thought.

Love or arranged…just marry me! By Hemangi Gawand

Frog Books. Pages: 227. Price: Rs. 200/-

Set in a software company having hi-tech professional environment, the narrative is mercifully free of distracting jargon. It focuses on human relationships, essentially on inter-caste marriage and the reactions it generates. The story begins in the AKS Ltd’s office premises with Shubhangi as the narrator. Her colleagues have varied temperaments and inclinations but have one striking feature in common. Most of them are single and are preoccupied with finding a life mate either among their colleagues or on the internet, while some – especially women – go through the usual pre-arranged marriage routine of chaperoned “meetings” and “seeings”.

Ashwini, the project leader, and Aditya, a software expert, are poles apart in temperament and family background – even their castes are different. However, once they are sent to the United States for an onsite work, the romance blooms after initial hiccups. Emotional blackmail and opposition from family members follow.

If you are the one for light reading this shouldn’t disappoint you.  

Published in The Tribune dated July 15, 2012