Battle for Bittora - Lok Sabha Elections Just Got Sexy!

Battle for Bittora, the latest from Anuja Chauhan, of 'The Zoya Factor' fame (soon to be made into a major motion picture produced by Red Chillies Entertainment Ltd. :D) is everything you expect from her and more. :) I just read it over the weekend, started on the 25th, finished last night, reading like I was racing against time. It's bigger than The Zoya Factor, and in mine (and others') opinion slightly better as well! :D

I couldn't wait till the 14th of Jan (which is when my exams end) to read this book. So i figured, if I finish it fast enough, I could study for my exams properly after that. :D Written in Anuja Chauhan's unmistakeable style, this book was totally worth it.

Ok, so the main protagonist is this spunky, cool, and lots-of-fun Jinni Pande (short for 'Sarojani Pande') who hails from a poltical 'dynasty' so to speak. Now the story really, truly starts when her grandmother, Pushpa Pande (PP) of Pragati Party comes to request her to help with campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections in Pavit Pradesh (It doesn't take a genious to figure out the reference to Uttar Pradesh). Little does she know, Jinni herself has to end up standing for elections at Bittora, their constituency, and that too against her childhood friend "with whom she shares a complicated past" (in the words of the author). Zain Altaf Khan, the smoulderingly sexy and incredibly hot male protagonist is more than what she bargained for.

With beautifully real, inadvertently funny characters, this book was a VERY enjoyable read. It's so Indian. I'd say it was better than Zoya Factor, simply because it's deeper, not all fun and games. It just has much more to talk about, and more to offer. Zoya Factor is just about cricket. Battle for Bittora covers a diaspora of topics ranging from the dirty politcs in India, to social customs, prejudices, all the while keeping the light and breezy feel of a chiclit alive. :D All in all, I loved it. :D  I didn't cry until towards the end. But then I made up for that right at the end of the book. :)

As for the pertinent question, 'Who's better Zain or Nikhil?', I don't think I can answer that. My sister has no such problems though, she's says Zain without batting an eyelid. I like Zain, but I also like Nikhil Khoda. Though, I guess Zain is maybe a little bit cooler? :D Considering Nikhil's just a cricketer after all. Lol. I know this is probably the weirdest, strangest, vaguest answer to a question, but that's seriously the best I can come up with. Maybe it doesn't need to be answered.
Though, I have no such problems with deciding who's better between Zoya and Jinni. I like Jinni better! :D

Ok, now for what all i liked-->
Ammaji (her granmom) is really cute. :D What with the "Life is sort", and "Pleej Sarojini" she's just TOO cute! :D
Her mother is the usual funny, witty, sardonic mother of any Chiclit. :D
Zain...is awesome. Straightforward and just plain sweet. :)
Other memorable characters like "Awaar (Our) Pappu", Munni, Hasina Behenji, Jugatram ji (HILARIOUS, esp. towards the end), "Tawny", Gudia Aunty, Titu, Rumi, Nauzer have been brilliantly thought out and are very funny.

With all the political references that are so witty, this book made me lot of laugh out loud at dozens of places. Philosophical in parts, Speculative in parts, Witty, Funny, Smile-Enducing in others, and just plain FUN in the rest. I loved this book. Anuja Chauhan sure knows how to write her chiclits. :) I want to write books the way she does. I like her style.

I never thought campaining for Lok Sabha elections could be this much fun, but this book has opened my eyes. :) It truly is a passionate fight for the "elecsun."

It's a must read guys. :) And you'll love Zain. N Jinni. :D

This book made me so happy. :)