Ache Din Aa Rahe Hain! Unreal Elections?

Author: C.S. Krishna, Karthik Laxman
Publisher: Penguin
Year: 2014
ISBN: 9780143423119
Rating:

Unreal Elections is satirical delight, essentially meant to paint a facetious image of the elections. The sense of humour is vivid and writing style is lucid. Every politician has been distinctively covered, taking into account the preconceived notions that rest in the mind of the reading audience.

I began reading this book as just another “Namo vs Raga” match. However, it covers myriad shades of politics with a pinch of salt and pepper to make the content tangy. The anecdotes are filled with Facebook posts, likes and shares of politicians. Somebody’s loss is somebody else’s gain. The authors leave no opportunity to take a dig at every politician.

There are reminiscences of R.K Laxman’s comic lampooning, but it would be unfair to categorically put it in the league of just another “Pull the leg of the Politician”. The book is copiously filled with histrionics and melodrama. A lot of cues have been taken from media (both print and electronic), but it has a nice flavor to it.

The clichés of Ravi Shastri’s commentary have been surgically used to break the ice. Scams, dynasty politics, the media’s glare and bare attitude, the subtle discourse between Jija and Sala and the 56-inch chest of Modi are just some of the highlights of this book. The roles of Karan Johar (from Koffee with Karan) and Amitabh Bacchan are incorporated to provide the sting in the tail. The book is packed with hackneyed statements and comes up with loads of joyous moments.

I may have to suggest that the book is not exactly a new idea. There is abundance of such political satire everywhere, whether it’s T.V, radio, newspapers, or blogs; however, this book doesn’t demand much of your intellectual acumen and is easy on the wallet as well. This is just the kind of book that I would pick for a train journey or just merely to take my mind off work.

The P.M proclaimed post-elections “Ache din aa rahe hain” (Good days are coming). I’m not sure about Ache Din, but achi books aa rahi hain (Good books are being released)!

For a second opinion, check out TOI’s review of Unreal Elections here.