Book Review: Bhavna Rai's Fate, Fraud & A Friday Wedding

Bhavna Rai’s Fate, Fraud & A Friday Wedding

I got this book on Saturday from the flipkart guy, who had some confusion with the delivery-the parcel had two telephone numbers and the first number he called went to Punjab and our flipkart delivery guy couldn’t make a sense out of the conversation. He then called me, as my number was the second telephone number written in the consignment. Once I came out, he called his boss to report: “There were two numbers, I called the first number, it went to Panjab, then I called the second number, which belongs to the recipient whose name is there on the parcel”. His boss asked if the consignment is prepaid or cash on delivery. After getting his boss’s permission the flipkart guy handed it over to me. “If you’re coming on Saturday, please call and come. You’re lucky I am in office today”- I told him

That night I read first 50 pages of "Fate, Fraud & A Friday Wedding". It looked little lengthier than the other book I had read recently (The Comical Saga), so I thought this may take more time. Had a quick communication with the author that I'm likely to finish reading it in next few weekends.

I was wrong. I ended up spending my Sunday evening, Sunday night and Monday night with this book and relaxed only after finishing it. This should give a feedback/verdict on the book. Rest of the post is a review of the book.

Summary: "Fate, Fraud & A Friday Wedding" runs in several parallel tracks, which seem to be independent but are cleverly interwoven.

On one track there’s Anand, founder & CTO of a security solutions company, who is not getting support from other partners for the investments he wishes to make. He has made it big but has bigger and hidden plans which we reveal only in the end.

On another track there’s a young executive, Neel, who found his love in Boston and relocates with her to India, only to ask her to stay alone and away in a separate house, as he fears his parents. Will they unit in the end or not is something I shouldn’t review in the review. Also this person has lot of career ambitions and dreams to make it big in an IT company.

Next track will be of a lady, Tara, who has not been able to identify Mr. Right yet.

The plot is well laid and interwoven. An IT company based in Noida is desperate to get an outsourcing contract (worth at about US$ 80 mil) from a US security solutions company, which has Indian founders. The security solutions company has its own problems such as security breaches of its solutions, falling stock prices and difference of opinion among founding partners. There’re some love stories and break up stories among the characters involved. Cultural shock suffered by the Boston lady as she relocates to India in an attempt to save her job and her love is well narrated. Author’s real life industry experience has aided in storytelling. The Business scenarios are very life like and helps understand how business leaders think.

Couple of takeaways for me:

• Anand thinking “They may be top 2 IT companies in India, but are we an important enough customers for them? They’ve not customized the presentations even a bit for us. A smaller company might give us more dedication and better access”
• Srinivasan thinking: “The revenue sharing model suggested by my subordinate is great, but it will take 2 years to materialize. Will I be around that time? Why should I approve a plan for which only my successor will be able to take credit of, however good it could be”
• Anand’s stand of refusing to check-in unknown people’s luggage as his own
• Anand’s way of manipulating…. Err, let me not reveal the plot. Read the book.

The pages related to wedding, wedding related talks and womenfolk’s approach towards selecting right groom for their girls was little boring for me due to repetitive nature of such stuffs in other novels. (Read something similar in 2 states by Chetan Bhagat). But this aspect might click with female audience of the book, just the way male audience might like the corporate angle. I shouldn't be complaining then.

I learnt this is Bhavna Rai’s first book. Good job done and best wishes for the future books.

If you’d forgotten the first paragraph by now, Book is available on flipkart and other sites. Priced at Rs 150, published by Cedar books. Image sourced from pustakmahal.com

More:
Topgear magazine * Comical Saga * Fate, Fraud and Friday Wedding * Other Reviews: I am Number 4 *