Debutant author Anirban Bose, in his semi-autobiographical work of fiction, ‘Bombay rains and Bombay girls’ looks at the city from an outsider’s perspective. Though in many ways the book is not about Bombay but about the people and experiences of the city. Like the central character of the story even Bose who hails from a small town came to Bombay to study medicine. A doctor by profession and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Rochester, Bose's story revolves around a small town boy who comes to the metropolis to pursue studies in medicine.
Adityaman, an eighteen year old from a small town lands in Bombay to study medicine and the turn of events in his life teach him a lesson or two about growing up and life itself. Adi is not only infested with inferiority complex but also a great need to be the good guy amongst his peers which often leaves him making a choice between the devil and the deep sea. Lost for choices, he deals with his life single-handedly, making new friends, sending out roses to girls and garnering a dream of becoming the CR (Class representative), a goal he sees as a stepping stone for popularity.
Adi’s friends Pheru, Sam, Rajiv, Harsha and Toshi make this journey interesting with their distinct way of looking at life. Right from being ragged by a bunch of scary seniors to regionalism in college elections to giving him dating tips, they support him in every way by offering their valued advice. As a matter of fact, the author very poignantly touches upon issues like regionalism which has given birth to the “we and “they” feeling among migrants in the city after the recent string of attacks launched on outsiders by a certain political party. The book takes a ghastly turn as one of Adi’s hostel mates; Toshi dies in a plane crash. As Adi and his friends leave on a journey to Arunachal Pradesh, Toshi’s hometown, to visit his parents in a pursuit to bring their friendship to a closure, a series of unplanned experiences followed by a murder mystery leaves Adi and his friends bewildered.
It takes a student’s union strike and Adi’s unconditional attraction towards a classmate to create a rift in their friendship. Will he stand by his friends or offer his services to the ill-staffed obstetrics department at the coercion of his new found love? Will Adi complete his journey towards the far-east to meet Toshi’s parents? As one proceeds through the thirty odd chapters in the book, it gives one a sense of relatedness. As the plot thickens it leaves the readers wanting for more not out of curiosity but out of pity for the protagonist, at certain point even making the reader cringe because of repeated twists and turns in this campus novel. Bose’s narrative style of writing reflects on his choice of words which are over dramatic and sometimes over the top. As the story’s hero heals from his Achilles heel, his journey reminds us of similar experiences that we might have shared leaving us feeling sympathetic towards the hero in the end. The book is titled so because every newcomer in this city often ends up admiring the Bombay Rains and the Bombay Girls.
The journey that Adi embarks upon leaves the reader wanting to know more not out of curiosity but out of pity for the character. The book takes the readers through unexpected twists and turns like a typical Bollywood pot-boiler.
P.S. -Perfect for reads during tedious train journeys. But if you are thinking of buying it, wait till it reaches the local raddiwalah. Not worth spending on a first copy.
Available at all leading bookstores
Price- 195/-
