For a long time, this book Five Point Someone was never on my ‘to be read’ list. But last week at Crossword, don’t know why I picked it up and started reading. I was very skeptical when I started reading this and carried the same impression through the first few pages. But as I read it further, I found it interesting. Though the author has written it from the point of view of underperformers at IIT, there are other facets of student life that come across.
Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat
There are a lot of people and incidents that you can connect with. Especially if you have lived in a hostel and that to through a high-pressure course. It portrays a good picture of the way students in hostels learn to deal with the outside world. Learn to build their own relationships. And learn to live with what they have and what they do not have. How the roadside paranthas, something that you get outside almost all hostels in North India, are the most cherished thing to have.
How is ice cream a weakness, with your love interest, can mean so much to you? And how you end up coming up with crazy ideas to deal with what you feel at that point in time ‘emergencies’ or ‘do or die’ situations. How it’s only during those student days could you have actually gone ahead and implemented those ideas.
How you learn to deal with the never-ending classes, by dividing the courses and assignments amongst yourselves, to ensure you get some time to enjoy your student life.
Nice weaving of relationships of three protagonists in the book. And their relationship with everyone else in their environment, in college, with their families, and amongst themselves.
You may buy this book by Chetan Bhagat at Amazon.
More books by the author reviewed 2 States.
Updates
What Not to Do at IIT is a 2004 novel written by Indian author Chetan Bhagat. The book is a coming-of-age story about three friends, Hari, Ryan, and Alok, who are struggling to cope with the pressures of life at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). It explores the themes of friendship, love, loss, and the importance of following your dreams.
The book begins with Hari, Ryan, and Alok failing their first class quiz. This sets the tone for the rest of the book, as the three friends struggle to keep up with the demanding academic workload at IIT. They also face challenges in their personal lives, as they deal with issues such as parental pressure, romantic relationships, and financial hardship.
Despite the challenges they face, Hari, Ryan, and Alok eventually find their way. They learn to balance their studies with their social lives, and they find their true calling in life. The book ends with the three friends graduating from IIT and moving on to successful careers.
Five Point Someone is a humorous and heartwarming novel that offers a realistic portrayal of life at IIT. The book is also a valuable lesson in the importance of following your dreams, no matter how difficult they may seem.
Ideas from the book
- Importance of friendship and support during difficult times.
- The need to balance your studies with your social life.
- The importance of following your dreams, even if they seem impossible.
- Power of love and laughter to help you through tough times.
Five Point Someone is a well-written and engaging novel that is sure to stay with you long after you finish reading it. It is a must-read for anyone interested in Indian culture, coming-of-age stories, or the power of friendship.
The book was adapted into a Bollywood film in 2009, titled 3 Idiots. The film was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to introduce Chetan Bhagat’s work to a wider audience.
Nice review. Will read it when I get the chance.
I had a totally different feeling reading the book…I bought it mainly because it was cheapo…
I found the book so very stereotypical…I am from IIT Delhi myself, and though I dont argue that fiction should resemble reality, in this case it should have because that was the selling point of the book… Specifically, professors have been stereotyped in the “Brick in the Wall” fashion which is not at all true…
I was also totally disgusted the way sex was unneccesarily brought into the story…I feel Indian writers in English invariably try to bring in sex in their stories..and sometimes it becomes really distasteful as sex in the aeroplane toilet in “Inscrutable Americans” and in “Five point”
Shiva,
To be honest, I also bought it for the same reason. I agree with everything you say, but I think what it did was take me back to my hostel days. May be a nostalgia factor.
I am sure the USP is IIT, atleast the alumni and wannabe’s IITians are all going to read it, and it is temptingly priced. I did not like the ‘ Inscrutable Americans’, you are right these are all very stereotype books, where author is trying encash a emotion.
-Anu
Well – just realized that you have read The Inscrutible Americans and you did not like it 🙂
Should have read your blog in the chronological order!
But, just happened that i was educated out of India and found that i could relate to the book at many times…though not always.
As far as sex in concerned and about Inidan authors writing in english bringing it purposely – well i don’t agree so much – rarely would you find a book – written by non-indian authors too – that do not touch the subject of sex. Isn’t it integral to humans?
Interesting. Probably I need to take a look. Does the book explore the poverty of student life and the implications of it on personality, social life et al?
hey!!
i feel FPS is an ulti classic in itself…after all how many books have been able 2 xplore student psychology in the manner he has done?? i am an engg grad n i cud vibe myself with whatever he had written….its basically a gross entertainer n a heck lot of fun…i cudnt put down the book even 4 a sec after i started reading it….bravo bhagat!!!
u hav done a gr8 job!!!
Hey guys…the novel…i guess it would be the wrong verbatim to be used for Chetan Bhagats “Five Point someone” rather it is a masterpiece which would take you for a flight, it is funfilled and allure u as u read it…also u can relate your college days in some way or the other and if ur graduation life has been in a hostel than u can easily camouflage urself in the shoes of one of the characters…Alok,hari,Ryan or maybe othrs….In short its just amazing and at times heart touching.
Amit jain
Chethan is coming out with his second book.Apparently,he realised that FPS is not dealing with indian-youth as such(?).The new book is about a group of call-center employees (3B,3G) receiving a call from God.
Gawd!