"How About A Sin Tonight" by Novoneel Chakraborty : A Review

On The Jacket –

This book is a fictional thriller that reveals the dark side of the Hindi film industry through the intertwined stories of its five protagonists.

This book features the lives of five diverse people as they become intricately enmeshed within the glamorous world of the Hindi film industry.

The five people are top actors brought together for a new movie. One of them, Kaash, is secretly pining for a love from his past. Neev and Reva are two newcomers in the industry, who bond over the ups and downs of their shared journey. The fourth actor is Nishani, who is out to seek revenge for her celebrity father’s death. Shahraan, a veteran in the industry, is not over the loss of his first love.

As the lives of these five people become intertwined, caught in a myriad emotions ranging from love to jealousy, from ambition to fear, the grimy underbelly of the industry is exposed for all to see. From raging insecurities to unexpected compromises to shocking betrayals, the gossip columns have a field day capturing the appalling, depraved, dark side of the human psyche.

This book was published in 2012 by Ebury Press. It has received positive reviews for its thrilling plot and rich characterization.
 

Now, Review Time –

The story revolves around five characters, which’s difficult to manage when it comes to character development and justifying their presence. It is not another college love story. And this is the best thing about book as story is set in Bollywood and it has something new for readers. Bollywood where a superstar, two struggling actors Neev and Reva, a childhood love Kash and a girl who has vowed revenge for her father’s suffering come together. Very rarely is a story so well researched.

Coming to the book, it’s divided into six sections where the first narrates the superstar’s past. Next part is the life story of Neev and Reva. It’s about the struggle of debutants who have no inside connection in the industry.

The third part traces Nishani’s life, from her childhood to her present. The boys might fall in love with Nishani and start wondering whether you’ll ever have a girlfriend like her.

The fourth part focuses on Kash, where his life comes alive through letters.

The fifth part is where all the characters’ paths connect through a single incident, a very well thought plot but it’s a little slow. The media has been portrayed perfectly and the ending is not predictable.

 

The basic story is interesting – love and hate and lust and revenge all set in Bollywood. There are some interesting reflections on love and relationships. The letters Kaash writes (but never posts) to Nishani are nice, though sometimes it’s hard to believe that those deep reflections could come from the pen of a young man.

The story starts well, but the writing starts getting on your nerves very soon.

Final Verdict –

Overall a Good read. All the quotes that are the soul of the book. I would like to rate it 4 out of 5. It definitely worths a read. I would like to recommend this book to everyone out here.