Mini Book Review: Netagiri by Cyrus Broacha

Title:Netagiri

Author:Cyrus Broacha

Price: 250 INR/-

Pages: 240+

Source:Personal Copy

Publisher:Random House India 

    

          ‘Netagiri’ is the third book by VJ-turned-author Cyrus Broacha .I haven’t had the chance to read his first two works, but after reading this one, I can confidently claim to  have got a somewhat rough idea about what to expect from those two.’Netagiri’ is a wannabe political satire which is as amusing as getting yourself a root canal (without the local anaesthesia,obviously!).

          Set in a fictional country called Gyaandostaan, Cyrus narrates the political events unfolding in the nation following the accidental death of Jay Huskee,the grand patriarch of the Huskee Clan.His grandson,Paul Huskee quite legitimately stakes claim of his legacy and is made the Financial Minister of the Country,which incidentally is in deep debt.The book is all about his efforts to save his ‘country’ from the tyrannical rule of Lt Col Jagee,the President ruler of Gyandoostaan.

          The basic and the most important issue with this book is that it’s not as funny as it was intended to be.Hilarious sequences are far and few and whatever little potential the book had is spoilt by bad writing and un-necessary word play.The book mostly reads like a script written for a stand up comedy show and as a (humorous) novel, it doesn’t work at all.Wordplay and verbal jugglery might work in a T.V comedy show, but not in a 240 page book,definitely! Replete with silly situations and flat jokes,’Netagiri’ is too long and ultimately turns out to be a massive disappointment.You can easily give it a miss!

Verdict- Wasted Opportunity! Rating-2/5

-nikhimenon