Review: An Indian Loser

An Indian Loser by Uzma Hameed
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An Indian Loser centers around the story of the ambitious Peeyush. He has the aspirations that many of the middle class have – of obtaining a good education and getting a decent paying job. As he looks forward to his 10th standard, everything looks promising. Peeyush, however, fails his chemistry exams and gives up hope, well almost. He runs away from home and goes on to become a labourer at a construction site. His friends though encourage him, and he takes the supplementary exam, this time clearing it.

Life now seems to be returning on track, though he has to downgrade his educational aspirations by enrolling in an arts course. He grows to be especially close to Mustang, who is his roommate. Peeyush thinks of a good social experiment as a project, but backs off from participating actively in it. This offers the chance for his friend Mustang to emerge as a leader. Jealousy bites Peeyesh, and he grows distant from Mustang. His relationship with Radhika, and later Swati go through ups and downs as a result of his mood swings.

Peeyush, fancies a career in politics and grows close to Chunnu Bhaiya, who is himself looking to win an election. Peeyesh has an idea of starting coaching centers for students (a chain named Prayas) as a way to improve political clout with the youth. This hits it off well with the local youth, and the initiative is a great success. And yet, the hard work and demands of politics causes his relationships with his parents as well as his girlfriend Swati to suffer.

It requires a moral crisis during the election campaign for Peeyush to rethink his priorities and approach to life.

The story is good, and the treatment is very detailed - from Peeyush’s aspirations early on to his emerging political career. The narration though could have been a lot crisper, would have benefitted with either more humour or pace to enliven proceedings, and the relationships approached with more depth.

This is a very credible story for a first book by the author. I read and reviewed this book at her request.

My rating: 3.25 / 5.

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