the 3 mistakes of my life...













I finished reading Chetan Bhagat’s new offering “The 3 mistakes of my life”. It’s the story of one Govind Patel, a 25 yr old businessman. The story is set in Ahmedabad. Chetan’s story telling abilities come to the fore as he takes the story through different different episodes, spanning three years or so…

The reason why 5 point someone, Chetan’s first book, was such a hit, coz he made the story seem like his own. His writing is blog like, no hi-fi words, no phrases, just simple feel good stories… Btw, if you thought Chetan was actually a 5 pointer, u are mistaken..Chetan has always dodged questions related to his GPA in IIT.. But the point is, the fabulous characterization makes readers believe that he is incidents which actually took place.. This superb semi-fictional style of writing coupled with fantastic characterization makes Chetan such a favorite among twentysomethings..

Coming to 3 mistakes.. 3 mistakes, as far as characterization is considered is a sequel to 5 point… The characters Govind, Ishant, Omi and Vidya are photocopies of Hari, Ryan, Alok and Neha respectively.. Vidya whos Govind’s love interest is precariously close to Neha’s character.. She has the same smile,same hair, same round face.. She even wears the same clothes as Neha.. Sometimes I had to wonder if Vidya was actually wearing Neha’s hand-me-downs.

The story goes through many episodes- Bhuj earthquake, terrorist attack on the two towers, Godhra riots.. While it may be unnerving for any other writer to research and write about all this, Chetan does it with flair..

Would I recommend “3 mistakes..”?? Ofcourse I would, read it if you liked “5 point..”. If you didn’t like 5 point, which is weird, then don’t read it.. I think only if you read books like - The Alchemist and The Fountainhead in the 8th grade, and don’t like light reading should you keep away from “3 mistakes..”, else, it’s a buy!

Like Govind would say -
Its a straight 6!..

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Editor in chief Arshat Chaudhary

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9 letters to the editor:

    On July 1, 2008 at 12:18 AM     
     Unknown said...

    hey actually i just read 100 pages of 3 mistakes and uptill now i didnt read 5 point some one :(
    But in short chetan bhagat roxs but in future whenever i will get time i will read chetan bhagat's book.
    I dont what things will happen after govind started teaching vidya and took her to bookshop
    mala vachu de :D
    but chetan bhagat writes in very simple language
    in short ur comparision between 5 point and 3 mistakes is good

    On July 3, 2008 at 1:13 PM     
     Srinivas said...

    hmm..seems to be a good book,noted!

    On July 7, 2008 at 5:14 PM     
     aroop said...

    the 3 mistakes of my life are the 3 books i have read in my long 22 years of being alive

    1)Journey to the centre of the earth

    2)Harry Potter

    3)Shantaram

    no offence, those books were great, but make a movie man..

    3 hours in a comfy seat swapped for long hours on the bed in dim light, rolling over and over until your back can't feel anything..

    and please don't throw the books are better than movies..

    i can fight abt it all night long, but the forte of my verdict, is that a movie lets the writer realise his imagination and the chance that ur imagination which may be way off than what the writer intended is negated..

    On July 7, 2008 at 10:16 PM     
     Arshat Chaudhary said...


    @omkar
    Read it, you will love it.. esp since u havent read 5 point.. :)

    @ sri
    :)

    @aroop
    Wrong man u chose to fight mate.. I wont need all night to make a point here..

    1.Forrest Gump : Read the book then see the movie.. The movie is a malnutritioned version of the book.. The only saving grace in the movie is Hanks.

    2.Catch me if you can: The movie is not even half as interesting as the book.

    I can go on with such examples..

    I think tweaking with the story is no way to justify the director's incapability to do justice to a book..

    Like they say in Crossword -
    Dont judge a book by its movie...

    I rest my case..

    On July 8, 2008 at 5:30 PM     
     aroop said...

    and i say yet again.. it's a mental block in people when they say the movie is not as good as the book,

    movies can be just as good and even better and can be very poathetic too.. but you have to view the movies with an open mind..

    when i go to a movie based on a book, the person who has read the book, always says" i know the books gonna be better but i thought i'd watch it"

    why watch it then, when you have a preconcieved notion..

    On July 8, 2008 at 10:19 PM     
     Arshat Chaudhary said...


    @aroop
    I dont think ts mental block or anything.. Like in my case, I saw "Catch me if you can"-The movie, before i read the book..
    I liked the movie, but then I read the book and I realised they had done little justice to the book.. The movie could have been so much better..

    On July 9, 2008 at 5:51 PM     
     aroop said...

    then get ur lazy ass off the seat and make a better movie.. :P

    On July 9, 2008 at 11:46 PM     
     Arshat Chaudhary said...

    hehehe...
    Yeah.. We will mate..We will

    On August 27, 2012 at 10:54 PM     
     soni said...

    hey i have read your this novel it was seriously amazing i like it very much and by going hrough this novel now i will read your some more novel i hope they will be too interesting and congrates about your movie realizing on 3 mistakes of my life

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