Few books are like those movies where you need to leave behind your analytic and thinking mind outside the movie theater in order to enjoy the movie. If one fails to do so, for that person the movie is a complete bogus. Karl, Aaj Aur Kal by Cyrus Broacha is one such book which I picked up to read.
I started reading the book, as usual with my brains over my shoulder, but was quick to realize that this is not the right strategy to read such a book. So I asked my brain to take some rest and let me enjoy this so called funny book.
The story is about basically about Karl Marshall. He has a indispensable friend Kunal. Both are together since their pre-school days and are always together in all (mis)adventure and (mis)deeds.
Two things happen hand in hand for both the friends. One is girls in their life and another is acting career. Or rather both friends chased girls and acting was the by product.
So in order to impress girls they participated in school play, join the theater play for girls. From there both became serious about acting and decided to take acting classes in America as they have heard a lot about American girls.
Lady luck was never in their favor when it comes to girls but their acting career took off. Both became famous comedian until one day Karl decides to dive into politics as he wanted to do something for the people and country and politics was the best way to do so.
There are a few hilarious scenes in the book though completely non-sensical, some cheeky one liners which were old and banal, stupid characters like Karl’s father, Yusuf Khan, the superstar. Yusuf character seems to be the mixture of three Khans of Bollywood. I find him funny yet irritating at the same time.
The author has entered into the minds of young teen boys who at the onset of their puberty can’t think about anything except girls and pornography. The whole plot revolves around this concept. It was like reading same thing again and again in different words.
Enjoying these kinds of books solely depends upon the reader’s choice. For me the entire plot was illogical and no-brainer just like the meaningless movies bollywood churns out regularly in the name of entertainment.
The Verdict
This book is a complete no-no for the readers who like to read books with some meaning be it fiction. Even for non serious readers this book is a complete no-no as Cyrus tried hard to make this novel funny but each time it fall flat. The book is not funny nor interesting to read.
A complete waste of money and time.
Cyrus Broacha could be brilliant on screen cracking those jokes on the TV but books are different medium and the same tone doesn’t work here.
