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Word of caution, this review of mine is not for the story, but mostly a crazy fangirl's rant about Flying Officer Ishaan (Shaanu) Faujdaar aka Baaz,
Pride of the batch of '68
Param Vir Chakra
Bir Putro
Medal of Valour
Lion of the Soviet Unio. (Mighty impressive, yeah?)
From the very beginning Baaz had a certain je ne sais quoi that has everybody fawning over him! In the 300 something pages of the book, I've fallen deep, deep in love w
I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that Baaz is dead..Word of caution, this review of mine is not for the story, but mostly a crazy fangirl's rant about Flying Officer Ishaan (Shaanu) Faujdaar aka Baaz,
Pride of the batch of '68
Param Vir Chakra
Bir Putro
Medal of Valour
Lion of the Soviet Unio. (Mighty impressive, yeah?)
From the very beginning Baaz had a certain je ne sais quoi that has everybody fawning over him! In the 300 something pages of the book, I've fallen deep, deep in love with Baaz's every smile and quip, his cool cat cockiness and his never say die attitude and the whole 'I don't give a flying fuck' swagger he had going on, his super hot dancing skills but most of all, his ability to love, be it his Country or his girl, that boggles the readers' minds. The hold this 20 something adrenaline junkie had on my heart was so fricking strong that his abrupt death left me a blubbering mess.
The ending had me screaming 'Why God Why???!!!' in a very joey like fashion coupled with a stream of tears and a bunch of unladylike (or rather Tinka like) expletives.
With the only consolation that he lives forever young (courtesy-the sweet-ish epilogue), I stop my tirade.
Now to the author, Whyyyyyy, just why did you do this to us?????
...more Let me begin by saying that i am a huge fan of Anuja Chauhan. As all her books, i finished this book in one go (3 chapters were read in my office.....in my defense i had been waiting for this book since the longest of time!)
Unlike her previous books based primarily on women, this one is centered around a man. A man no less than a dishy looking air force officer with steel grey eyes and insufferable cockiness, Ishaan Faujdaar a.k.a Shaa
Actually its 3.5, but Goodreads does not allow .5 in ratings.Let me begin by saying that i am a huge fan of Anuja Chauhan. As all her books, i finished this book in one go (3 chapters were read in my office.....in my defense i had been waiting for this book since the longest of time!)
Unlike her previous books based primarily on women, this one is centered around a man. A man no less than a dishy looking air force officer with steel grey eyes and insufferable cockiness, Ishaan Faujdaar a.k.a Shaanu. His heroine is Tehmina Daddyseth a.k.a Tinka, a ballsy pacifist who has captured the imagination of men throughout the country by appearing in a green bikini under a waterfall. The officer is flanked by his best friends and can't wait for the 1971 war to break out to flex his muscles.
As i have read a lot of Chauhan and multiple times, i have realized like every writer she has some familiar tropes
1. Dishy looking heroes. Really, the way she describes them makes them uber desirable. Before this book the number 1 spot was Given to Khoda from 'The Zoya Factor' but now i love Shaanu
2. Feisty supporting female charcaters gets the best line - Monita in 'Zoya factor', Amma in 'Battle for Bittora', Chachiji and Anjini in 'Pricey Thakur Girls' and the 'The house that BJ built'. In this book its Kung Fui, Tinka's paternal aunt who gets the sauciest of dialogues. My favorite is her very first encounter with Ishaan
3. This point is something that i have long suspected, Her books are written like two parts- pre interval and post interval. Very filmy. This one especially, before Tinka goes to Decca is pre inetrval and the part that plays out in Decca is post interval.
4. Taking on the filmy factors, you can literally pick up the points where a bollywood song can be placed. Even in this book, some spots are perfect for a song and dance sequence, like the one where two protagonists dance at a club.
5. The woman knows her romance. The romantic scenes are a complete mush, toe curling and endorphin inducing. The men have sinewy arms, there are kisses on the nape of the neck, palpating hearts and stroking fingers.
6. Rib crackling hinglish. I have had a lot of discussion with other people who don't like her language. As for me i cant get enough of it. Me and the author come from the same city - Delhi. I can totally relate to this lingo and the gaalis that are peppered throughout.
In all her previous books, these tropes have worked effortlessly to create a story full of emotions and laughter. In this book, some of the tropes work and some not.
The story starts out with a bang, we are introduced to Shaanu, adrenal loving 10 year old kid who jumps over open wells and baits trains, settled in the small village of Chakakhera in Haryana. The story steadily progresses with his joining the army, creating friends for life by doing something insane together and charming his seniors. He meets Tinka and their first encounter is classic Chauhan - hilarious yet emotional. You see, in their first meeting itself they have a 'connection'. The story shift to the airbase in Eastern India and the hero heroine encounter again. Sparks fly. War starts. It all goes downhill from there (just like a lot of movies do post interval)
To her credit, Chauhan handles all fight sequences with aplomb. The romantic scenes are obviously better. But they come after such long gaps that as the book was nearing its end, i was screaming for another romantic encounter between the protagonists before it all ends. When Shaan lands in Decca, the plot also gets ridiculous. There are too many coincidences and half baked characters here. But my biggest problem lies with how the end was handled.
You can see the end coming from a mile, but you don't expect is to pan out like that. Again its too filmy and illogical. Shaanu deserved a better end to his story, I deserved a better closure. The ending really let me down. I literally recoiled from the book and felt a little cheated.
Reading the book is like one of those girls night out, you take in heady colorful looking cocktails and dance the night away. But in those last critical moments, right before the night can be termed 'epic' somebody orders a cheap vodka shot that burns your throat. You suddenly remember all that is wrong in your life, you start crying (okay fine puking!) and wake up the next day with killer hangover and plain cold regret.
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sobbing.gif
Why do they call you Baaz?
It means falcon, he replies solemnly. Or bird of prey. Because I swoop down on the enemy planes just like a Baaz would.
Then he grins. The grey eyes sparkle.
It's also short for bastard.
Looking for a character to fall in love with? Ishaan 'Baaz' Faujdar, who is initially just a bastard son, becomes a Gna
One of the best books I've read so far, Baaz steals the show. Chauhan has created such a captivating and loving story and I instantly fell in love with her writing. Why do they call you Baaz?
It means falcon, he replies solemnly. Or bird of prey. Because I swoop down on the enemy planes just like a Baaz would.
Then he grins. The grey eyes sparkle.
It's also short for bastard.
Looking for a character to fall in love with? Ishaan 'Baaz' Faujdar, who is initially just a bastard son, becomes a Gnat pilot in the Indian Air Force. He is confident, smart, witty; waiting to be a part of the Indo-Pak war, and is flanked by his friends Maddy and Raka. Tehemia Dadyseth, a budding journalist, is a character you fall in love with a little more than the protagonist.
This book is full of action, love and emotions, of war, friendships, family and romance. I loved every bit of this book. It's an absolute page-turner. It is well paced, the character development is amazing and the plot is incredible. The book is detailed and I'm stunned with the amount of research the author has done to get everything related to the Indian Air Force on point. Been born and brought up in the society of IAF, I could relate to every little detail; that being said, this book is written so beautifully that no reader would face any problem understanding the fauji parlance.
This book is an absolute stunner and I would definitely recommend everyone to read this book.
RATING: 5 / 5 STARS :)
*Thank you HarperCollins India for sending me a copy of this book.*
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First, you'll make us fall for "The Baaz" and then.... Why did you do that?!
Okay, so the story is really fictional- Very, very fictional.
I truly enjoyed reading it and was almost at the verge of falling for Ishaan unless things started to go exceedingly heroic.
Since I myself is the part of the same organization. So, for that reason as I kept on reading further I could feel "ab ye toh kuch zyada hi ho gaya".
I am impressed by the way she has showed trenchancy and mor
What is this behaviour Anuja?First, you'll make us fall for "The Baaz" and then.... Why did you do that?!
Okay, so the story is really fictional- Very, very fictional.
I truly enjoyed reading it and was almost at the verge of falling for Ishaan unless things started to go exceedingly heroic.
Since I myself is the part of the same organization. So, for that reason as I kept on reading further I could feel "ab ye toh kuch zyada hi ho gaya".
I am impressed by the way she has showed trenchancy and mordancy in her writing. Also, the military slangs she has used is in fact unfeigned.
The romance between the main characters has been so good that almost everyone would crave for that similar spark, exoticism, and ardour. Likewise the comradeship between Shaanu, Maddy and Raka that is filled with great joie de vivre.
But the ending, Darn it!
Why every hero has to be inconceivably heroic? *facepalm*
The ending was so made up and devised and for some it may be a little heartrending such that either you'll guffaw saying "what the heck!" or you'll turn on the water works.
I would give this book 3.5/5.
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So conflicted about this book. It wasn't really moving along until I was almost halfway through, but after that, it was an engaging read.
I do understand that given the kind of story that this is, the characters had to be established well before all the action began. And Anuja Chauhan is so bloody good at this. But the beginning lagged a bit. More on that later.
(view spoiler)[Oh, but why. I cannot deal with characters dying. I just can't. I hate it when they do. Especially when it is s 3.5 stars.
So conflicted about this book. It wasn't really moving along until I was almost halfway through, but after that, it was an engaging read.
I do understand that given the kind of story that this is, the characters had to be established well before all the action began. And Anuja Chauhan is so bloody good at this. But the beginning lagged a bit. More on that later.
(view spoiler)[Oh, but why. I cannot deal with characters dying. I just can't. I hate it when they do. Especially when it is seems so contrived.
Also, I was not a big fan of the romance in this novel. This kind-of ties in with the death of a character, or the emotional impact it delivers, but honestly, I think this book could've toned down the romance(and the cliches) a lot more, and would've still been a great book. The two didn't really have a lot of chemistry, didn't seem like they'd fit well together. People hardly fall in love over a span of ten encounters, give or take. It began as an Imtiaz-Ali-encounter and ended in a Karan-Johar-tragedy. Even though the romance didn't appeal to me, I think the people involved in that equation were individually such memorable characters. Maybe she could've explored the relationship these characters had with their respective fathers a bit more.
The best thing about this book were the characters. I still think Anuja Chauhan has a army-brat filter while writing about characters that probably come from a more provincial household. It shows when she describes Baaz or his family in this book. But that's just a minor qualm. The dynamics between the characters were great, and the characters were, in general, fun to read about. They really were the sort you could get invested in and root for.
The book, just the way it is now, can easily be turned into a movie - what with the sudden resurgence of patriotism in Hindi film these days. Well, this one at least won't be as preachy as they are now.
(hide spoiler)]
She never disappoints. I love this book. I went in knowing that I'd love it, because it's Anuja Chauhan, and I did. She's just that reliable. I just wish, it rose a bit over what it is right now. (No pun intended haha) ...more
(There might be some spoilers ahead)
I recommend Anuja Chauhan's books to pretty much everyone I know. I think her writing kicks ass when it comes to capturing modern day India, injecting scenes with humour that sometimes only desis will get and giving us characters that we can all relate to in some way or the other. I had the opportunity to watch her participate in a panel discussion a few months ago at a lit fest in Bangalore, and I was excited to say hello. She's extremely observant
So. Baaz.(There might be some spoilers ahead)
I recommend Anuja Chauhan's books to pretty much everyone I know. I think her writing kicks ass when it comes to capturing modern day India, injecting scenes with humour that sometimes only desis will get and giving us characters that we can all relate to in some way or the other. I had the opportunity to watch her participate in a panel discussion a few months ago at a lit fest in Bangalore, and I was excited to say hello. She's extremely observant and isn't afraid to speak her mind, and that's a lethal combination of skills for a writer - I love that.
This book is peppered with many examples of her typical Anuja Chauhan writing style: hip burn, tell-me-na, kota stone coloured eyes - I could go on. While I got through the book mostly because of her enjoyable writing style, I think what let me down (completely personal opinion) was the plot itself.
I enjoyed parts of this book, but I guess what didn't work for me is that there were just too many things going on. This isn't new - again, it's her typical writing style - but I was just left feeling very overwhelmed, disoriented and frustrated. I rushed through the end, simply because I just couldn't keep up with all the details. I'm a die-hard romantic, so I wish the romantic arc had been fleshed out a little bit more. I also must admit that while I initially thought the whole IAF setting would be very Top Gun-esque and steamy, the technical details and fight scenes got boring pretty quickly (because I personally don't enjoy that theme).
Let's not talk about the end. That just didn't work for me. At all.
P.S I kept imagining Tehmina to be Kangana Ranaut and Shaanu to be Shahid Kapoor. Rangoon hangover, maybe. Don't ask why, I have no clue!
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We're introduced to our protagonist- cool cat, Ishaan 'Baaz' Faujdaar, a flying officer with the IAF, who is as handsome and cocky as he is patriotic. Flanked by his buddies, Maddy and Raka, Baaz lives life king size, enjoying an army officer's life to the core and hoping to be a part of the 1971 war. Enter the rebel with a cause Tehmina 'Ti
Anuja Chauhan writing about IAF Officers... This one's going to be killer! I thought when I heard about Baaz the first time, and boy, she hasn't let me down.We're introduced to our protagonist- cool cat, Ishaan 'Baaz' Faujdaar, a flying officer with the IAF, who is as handsome and cocky as he is patriotic. Flanked by his buddies, Maddy and Raka, Baaz lives life king size, enjoying an army officer's life to the core and hoping to be a part of the 1971 war. Enter the rebel with a cause Tehmina 'Tinka' Dadyseth, a budding photojournalist, who believes that people matter more than borders and that wars have no real winners, thus challenging Baaz's notions of patriotism.
The book reads like a Bollywood blockbuster with jaw dropping war scenes, witty one liners and the trademark Anuja Chauhan style mushy love. Baaz, despite the cockiness, endears himself to you and Is a cracker of a character. Tehmina joins the ranks of the romantic interests, who you end up liking a little more than the main character itself. So far, Dylan has been another such character for me. The supporting characters of Maddy, Raka, Kung Fui and Kuch Bhi Carvalho are extremely relatable and one can easily reminisce times spent with a loving friend or a pushy, but caring relative, while reading about them. The tension of the 1971 war and its ramifications on the lives of civilians are well depicted, adding a layer of drama to the book. The ending does get a teensy bit predictable and you pray hard that it doesn't go that way, but well...
All in all, Anuja Chauhan brings a completely new spin to war novels.
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Here are the five reason why you should pick up 'Baaz' by Anuja Chauhan.
The Indian Air Force – Baaz ke maaphik!
This is for those who have fancied men in uniforms and patriotic movies like 'Border'. The book takes you away from your fancies and inside the lives of the men in u
Ever fancied a life which makes you feel alive. Like a dhook dhook dhooki inside you? 'Baaz' by Anuja Chauhan will make your heart leap with each flip of page. It makes you learn one more thing about passion. It is magnetic.Here are the five reason why you should pick up 'Baaz' by Anuja Chauhan.
The Indian Air Force – Baaz ke maaphik!
This is for those who have fancied men in uniforms and patriotic movies like 'Border'. The book takes you away from your fancies and inside the lives of the men in uniform. Those who come from humble backgrounds and transform into enigmatic personalities. Ishaan 'Baaz' Faujdaar comes from a village in Haryana and evolves into the best pilot that Indian air force has produced. He is a 'Cool Cat' and he knows it. There are other boys who turn into super heroes during the course of the book.
Reading 'Baaz' will make you learn more about the life and times in the Indian Air Force.
Nativity – Kori Chakori
How many times have you read a novel by an Indian author which tries hard to sound more 'British' with proper diction and hard narratives. Well, this book is not one of those. You will come across colloquial English. The native Haryanvi language is mindfully infused inside the chapters. You are going to meet boys who swear both in Hindi and English. There is a switch in accent where necessary and jabs when needed. In short, the nativity is not only preserved but proudly displayed in this piece of literature.
Love story – you are my mercury
What happens when a cool cat and a sassy girl meet? They fall in love. What happened when a patriotic aggressive pilot and a pacifist war-hating woman meet? They fall in love. It was easy, wasn't it? No it was not.
Ishaan 'Baaz' Faujdaar is the least worst pilot in the team. His sisters are all proud of him. His friends love him but sadly he decides to wrap his heart and give it away to a woman who hates the reason of his existence, not his mother - The Indian air force. Tehmima Dadyseth or Tinka lost her brother to war and plans to run her own crusade against it. She is going to stop the war in her own way. Thus, throwing Ishaan out of job.
Their bang opposite nature prevents them from being together till the longest time. The story is about them almost coming together and separating to go their own way. Each time. Is it meant to be? You would love to find out.
Passion is attractive – dhook dhook dhooki
There is nothing more attractive than passion. Not a 'lets buy a camera and travel the world' kind of passion. Something that makes you go to any length, that gives you a rush like you just downed a bottle of jack, neat.
This books is filled with that kind of passion. Ishaan's passion for flying. Tinka's passion to contribute to shut down war. Their passionate love for each other.
Didn't I say? This book will make you feel alive.
The constant conflict – patriotic or pacifist
Especially in the current scenario in our country, you can either be a patriot or a pacifist.
This book however, asks you not to panic. You can hate war and you can still be a patriot. You can help the hurt from both the countries and still be patriotic. That love for humanity is no less pious that love for your country. That you should not have to choose one over the other. That you do not need to.
https://www.merakipost.com/2017/06/Ba...
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Baaz is characterised by the inexplicable Jatness of Ishaan Faujdaar, with his macho and suave self, who indisputably enjoys the a
When a book is based on the 1971 Indo-Pak War, you expect more of a grave and critical read. But this is where Chauhan's magic in storytelling shines through. She has taken a very serious incident and turned it into a light and happy read. Yet, nowhere is the charm of the IAF or the earnestness of the war lost. Chauhan deserves durable credit for producing this piece.Baaz is characterised by the inexplicable Jatness of Ishaan Faujdaar, with his macho and suave self, who indisputably enjoys the approaching war and the pacifist mentality of the ultra sleek and modern Tehmina Dadyseth. Tehmina or "Tell-me-na" is a strong advocate against the anguish and despair brought by a war-stricken country. Inevitably, sparks fly and opposites attract and Chauhan's funny quips and characterisation steal our hearts.
Chauhan has always had strong female protagonists in her previous novels and it was a fresh change when there was a gender reversal in Baaz. Shaanu's baaz-ke-maphik (like a baaz) swiftness and his sweet arrogance makes the ladies go swooning. This Chakkahera (a village in Haryana) guy loves thrills and takes on challenges to satisfy his thirst. His light banter and intense friendship with Raka and Maddy touches our hearts.
Other than the fascinating characters, the book delves into the war scenario excellently. The research and effort that went into it is evident. And the signature Chauhan twist in the tale is something worth eagerly waiting for.
If you are looking for a light, fun and entertaining read that talks about a nationally important event without sounding didactic or preachy then you definitely need to pick up this new release by Anuja Chauhan. Even though the plot gets dramatic and unreal at times but the simple and honest writing style of the author leaves the readers with a satiated smile.
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(NB. without spoiling it, it's about two people in love, but is definitely a war story rather than a genre romance.)
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How do I explain, because there are so many things that just don't gel and the ending being the biggest problem.
Ishaan Baaz Faujdar is such a delightful character, he is the kind of hero that you want to see on screen again and again (the 2 stars are only for Ishaan and nothing else). The one who you root for, he has had a shit I can't believe I just read an Anuja Chauhan book. She is my favourite of the current crop of Indian mass market writers. But this book, this book shakes my faith in her.
How do I explain, because there are so many things that just don't gel and the ending being the biggest problem.
Ishaan Baaz Faujdar is such a delightful character, he is the kind of hero that you want to see on screen again and again (the 2 stars are only for Ishaan and nothing else). The one who you root for, he has had a shitty childhood, he gets shortchanged during passing out and when being assigned squadrons, the sister that he dotes helps his step-father pull a fast one on him. If that was not enough he falls in love with the queen of mixed signals. Yet, he is entirely too loveable and you want him to have whatever he wants, even if he wants the idiot Tinka.
But does he get his romance. Nooooooo. Ishaan hardly gets 10 scenes with Tinka. In fact Raka and Juhi's story gets more traction that that of Baaz and Tinka.
Anuja starts throwing out references to Aradhan, the movie, and my heart stopped because we know what that means when you pair 'that' film with IAF officers. But I held on and soldiered through extremely slow storyline which goes no where.
When the story shifts to Dacca it just slides into a free fall but I still think if Baaz gets a happy ending I would still like the book. But proving my suspicions right Anuja writes a contrived climax and kills off Baaz. She kills off the best thing about the book. What was she thinking? Honestly, that poor man just can't get a break can he.
So so disappointed, that I had to rant. ...more
Read more:
https://storywala.blogspot.com/2021/0...
Read more:
https://storywala.blogspot.com/2021/0...
This is more of a "coming of a age" story about larger than life persona "Ishaan" & the un
The author begins the book in a small town named Chakkahera in Haryana. One ten year old inquisitive boy with cool grey eyes, is sowed dreams of being a fighter plane pilot for IAF. Ishaan Faujdaar, the young boy from Haryana grows up with fulfilling his dreams of being a pilot. The year is 1970-71, where he is the IAF academy and he makes friends for life- Rakesh "Raka" Agarwal & Madhavan "Maddy" Subbiah.This is more of a "coming of a age" story about larger than life persona "Ishaan" & the underlying Indo-Pak War. Ishaan falls in love with a fiesty, independent, peace-loving journalist & accidental model-"Tehmina "Tinka" Dadyseth. Its their individual perceptions about war, patriotism & love of course which collides in the book. The story moves deftly from war to love to the political tension between political parties & back to war again.
The author describes Kolkata, the air force station-Kalina, the fights between India & Pakistanis. the tension in the book is palpable. The ending of course leaves one baffled and shocked. Any other words written about it, will give away the same.
Ishaan is portrayed as a large hearted, life loving, dare devil air force pilot , whose immediate entourage are his friends Raka & Maddy and his team of gnats-Jana, Gana, Mana. This is a mini epic novel. I was completely drawn into it, so much that i was reading at work. At the risk of sounding stupid, i can proudly say that i had fell for "Ishaan" in a hard way. It would've been fun to look into his grey eyes & be mesmerized by it.
Anuja Chauhan does what she does best-gripping storytelling, i had read "those pricey thakur girls", "the house that BJ built" & finally "Baaz".
She has built up a story which is believable, characters which haunt long after the book is over. Moreover, being from a defense family herself, Anuja has clearly set the bar at a greater level. She has definitely done her homework and at a point in novel, there is also a literary mention of "tinker tailor soldier spy".
This is a book, where a male lead takes the center stage and all others follow lead sportively. And In spite of being a main male protagonist novel, Anuja Chauhan pens her female characters independent, strong willed, be it Tinka, her aunt or even Ishaan's sister.
Why is this book worth reading ? Because of the story, of the immortal characters, of the courageous, yet down to earth heroes in the book, the language & the war we fought which was not ours.
After reading this book, i would definitely like to read about non-fiction work on 1971 Indo-Pak War & probably date some uber cool & chic air force pilots : )
Thank you Flipkart for the book and extremely sorry for posting the review so late.
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She (Anuja Chauhan) has already plunged into stories where family relations, romance and authentic Indianess will find its way out of her books and Baaz is no different from it. The book reveals the story of Ishaan "Baaz" Fajudar or Shaanu who always find his adrenaline rushed and wanting somethi This is the fifth book of Anuja Chauhan after her successes with Zoya Factor, Battle for Bittora and the Thakur Girls series. The book cover will try to grab some eyes although it could have been better.
She (Anuja Chauhan) has already plunged into stories where family relations, romance and authentic Indianess will find its way out of her books and Baaz is no different from it. The book reveals the story of Ishaan "Baaz" Fajudar or Shaanu who always find his adrenaline rushed and wanting something to do for thrills.
Baaz
The story follows his story from a boy where Shaanu jumps train tracks in Chakkahera, his relations with his step father, his immense love for his siblings, training days at the Jodhpur flying school and flying the Gnat with IAF. The backdrop of 1971 war is just amazing to the readers who are expecting some amazing stories from her. The term Baaz-ke - maaphik resonating throughout the book is quirky and reminds of Shaanu every time. Until he meets Tehmina Dadyseth aka Tinka who is a war photographer from a family of army men, he is all running where his adrenaline rushes. She condemns war and does not picking sides during the war, teaching dance to refugee children.
It is when both them meet the story rushes to a new zone where they argue incessantly about and as theories suggest opposite characters fall in love. Although, the author hasn't only tried to portray love throughout the book as complicated parenthood, sibling relationships while touching upon a number of social issues and most importantly war and patriotism.
The sub characters are well woven into the story and stay in our minds with the initial witty chapters staying afresh in our minds. Both Baaz and Tinka characters are more likable among the many characters due to their social consciousness and the way Anuja has inscribed about the oxymoron characters of them falling in love. All the characters are authentic like every other Anuja's book where we can relate them.
The language is very simple and easy to follow. The book is not just a rhetoric about patriotic men or women who defy the norms or patriotism that is fueling the country but an amalgamation of everything including some witty and strong personal relationships. The book is very much intriguing and will over in Baaz-ke-maaphik. So don't miss the book and plunge into Anuja's world of characters.
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I wasn't sure if the book will keep me hooked, because I feared it will have too much of War and Flighter jet jargon, that I, as a laymen would not be able to comprehend. However, Ms. Chauhan's narration kept me hooked and how! It kept me up for 2 nights and I also had to spend a restless day. The narration is the Hero of the book.
Two strikingly different people from two different worlds, with different ideologies, chance upon each other. Tinka, t
Heads up: There may be spoilers. I am not sure.I wasn't sure if the book will keep me hooked, because I feared it will have too much of War and Flighter jet jargon, that I, as a laymen would not be able to comprehend. However, Ms. Chauhan's narration kept me hooked and how! It kept me up for 2 nights and I also had to spend a restless day. The narration is the Hero of the book.
Two strikingly different people from two different worlds, with different ideologies, chance upon each other. Tinka, the well educated, upper class girl who hails from a celebrated army family, (in)famous for a swimsuit advert and a pacifist by nature, finds love and acceptance where it was least expected; a Haryanvi Jat village boy from Chakkahera with a penchant for adventure and an eye for glory- our Hero, BAAZ. One of the defining moments for me was when Ishaan Faujdaar tells Tehmina Dadyseth that she shouldn't be ashamed of her ad & that she did nothing wrong. But with their ideologies, it is not your regular love story. And Tehmina Dadyseth is not your regular, "I am here to support the Hero" kind of lead. She has her own story and the narrative of her convictions and conflicts are slick.
Apart from the gripping narration, Ms. Chahuhan's BAAZ also stands out because, each of her characters are well defined and build the story. They are part of the narrative and not present merely to glorify the lead characters. Each of them individually, has their own story too. The characters are also more real and believable. Juhi and Sneha, for example. Juhi though very fond of Maddy & Baaz, wishes that they find someone good for themselves, but not better than her. Sneha, though admits to liking Tinka, disapproves of her brother's love for Tinka. The narrative of how Tinka, who hates everything about War, influences the thinking of Baaz, who is a nationalist, is very subtle, natural and not at all forced.
Only one thing let me down and that was how it ends. I personally felt flabbergasted that I was up for 2 nights "for this!" That is how I felt. I personally know many who applaud the ending and feel that Baaz could not have ended better. I for one, would have preferred "another" miracle.
This definitely does not feel like it was written by the same author who wrote "Those pricey Thakur Girls". Nonetheless, I recommend this for its narration.
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I didn't really enj Baaz is about an IAF officer, Ishaan, during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The theme of the book and the gender of the protagonist quite easily make this book stand out from the others written by Anuja Chauhan, all of which are romcoms centred around a young girl. The book does, however, retain most of her tried and tested formula: an overall Bollywood narration, a MFEO couple, a funny elder lady in a supporting role, an up-down-up again story arc to the romance, etc.
I didn't really enjoy a few parts of the book though. First of all, I didn't like the protagonist. He was a wonderful, caring person and a hero but too cocky. His love interest, Tinka, (again, although a wonderful, caring person) was equally unappealing, albeit for different reasons. She was too rigidly opinionated, a little spoilt and complacent.
The story wasn't as well structured as I had expected. Parts of it were abrupt and made little logical sense. Also, I thought some of the humour was crass.
It is, however, an incredibly easy to read book. The language flows. And of course, all conversations between the lead couple, irrespective of the nature of the said conversation, are thoroughly engaging.
If you have read other book(s) by Anuja Chauhan and/or enjoy desi chick lit, read this book. Because why not. It's not a great book but it's good. I give the author credit for trying something different this time. It's enjoyable and deserves to be read.
If you haven't read anything by Anuja Chauhan, read Battle for Bittora. It's intelligent, hilarious and one of the best of its kind.
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I'm not calling this the best book I've read this year. I'm not calling it flawless, or a literary masterpiece either. But it was a definite cheap thrill. Anuja ChauhanAnuja Chauhan has definitely grown as an author, in my opinion (should I be saying shit like this? Idk. But we've established I'm a snob). This is much, much better than The Zoya FactorThe Zoya Factor. It's got me piqued enough to consider reading more of her. It does have a certain je ne sais quoi.
For a more detailed review, check this link out
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Baaz opens in 1957 newly independent India. 10 year old Ishaan 'Baaz' Faujdaar is standing in front of an incoming train to get his adrenaline kick, to get that dhook-dhookk-dhoookk feeling, as he calls it.
Ishaan or Shaanu, as he's fondly known, is a thrill seeker. Motherless, his stepfather isn't too fond of him but his five siblings hero-worship him. His Nanaji gives Ishaan the idea of becoming a pilot so that he could get the thrill he craves for. And there is no looking back.
10 years later, Ishaan gets through the exam and joins the Indian Air Force (IAF). Here he meets Rakesh Aggarwal (Raka) and Madan Subbiah (Maddy) who were in NDA corps together. Initially they make fun of him but soon become good friends. Ishaan takes never having known his father, coming from a humble background and not knowing English lightly. His faith in himself (read cocksure) tides him over.
Ishaan meets Tehmina Dadyseth (Tinka) when he's on duty and she's fleeing her marriage. They appear to have some kind of a connection which they realize when their paths cross again. She doesn't believe in hyper-patriotism and hates the idea of war whereas for Ishaan the country comes first and everything is black and white. Their backgrounds are vastly different and so is the way they view the world, but they do have something in common. The chemistry was sizzling but there was something missing.
Tinka, the motherless daughter of Major General Ardisher Dadyseth, was born to challenge the status quo. She is unafraid to go where very few women have gone. From studying photography to becoming a war correspondent in Dacca, she is undeterred once she has made up her mind.
Caste is very much in the air though caste system has been abolished. Pakistani's and Muslims were viewed with the same suspicious lens. The society then was regressive and not to mention conservative - not ready to accept independent free thinking men or women, who deviate from the norm. It was heartening to have many strong female characters in the book, who defied convention in their own way.
As the book progresses and the war continues in full fervour, there are casualties. But their comrades have no time to grieve. They have to move past it and get into killer mode to avenge the death of fellow officers.
In Baaz the bromance is done well, which is new ground for Anuja Chauhan. Writing from the male PoV, were the central character is male and so are many of the key characters, is executed well.
With Anuja Chauhan's books crackling dialogue is a given and she doesn't disappoint us in Baaz.
The setting is more or less spot on with the sights, sounds, and smells. But I would have preferred it to be less descriptive. Some scenes should have been shown to us not told and some surprises left for the reader to discover instead of stating it.
The book is peppered with great similes like this :
The Intercontinental Hotel squats self-importantly like a fat slice of birthday cake in the dust place that is Dacca, the other structures of the city heaped deferentially around it like lesser snacks that know their place.
Anuja Chauhan draws out humour from everyplace imaginable. In the book there's a General who is obsessed with playing Tambola while the 1971 Indo-Pak war is raging!
The sentences peppered with Hinglish are a staple in Anuja Chauhan's books. But here there were some words and phrases I didn't understand. A glossary would have been nice for those who are unfamiliar with the lingo.
I already knew how Baaz would end thanks to the people who had blabbed about it on social media. I hated the trite ending. And the epilogue was filmi to say the least and designed to bring out maximum emotion but it didn't work for me.
Baaz is overlong. Some parts where the flight manoeuvres were described felt laboured and too technical for the layperson. But hats off to the author for writing a unlikely story, presented in a style true to her.
Note - The review copy was sponsored by Flipkart but the thoughts are my own.
...more Meet, Tehmina Dadyseth. A studentof Miranda House, Delhi, often misunderstood as an anti-national. She's a pacifist. She believes in peace. Losing her brother Jimmy has been hard on her and her father more than makes up for her misery. When forced to marry, she runs. A fiesty, ambitious and a kind-hearted soul, Tehmina also known as Tinka, resorts to creating her own life by becoming a photo-journalist in the midst of war.
The story starts slowly, unfolding details that are meant to be absorbed till it reaches the mercury level and BAM. It's fast paced, full of humour & fun smartly touching on several issues such as nationalism, social prejudices, refugees and the status of women in post-independent India. Add some fighter planes with goodlooking men clad in handsome uniforms; BAAZ makes for an exciting read.
Since Anuja Chauhan is an Army Brat herself having spent a considerable amount of time in cantonments, she described the life of the Army forces efficiently, where sorties take place in the blink of an eye, where manouevering a flying jet required more than learning lessons in class and where courage tops all the requirements. It is a well-researched book giving insight about our men in the Air Force.
Apart from the two main characters, Chauhan's book, entails other deeply narrated characters who form a soft spot for every reader. Here, Raka and Maddy, Ishaan's constant support from Air Force Flying College, Jodhpur, share a camaraderi that makes the novel what it is. Be it their endless bickering to offering support for each other's love interests to being ready to lay down their lives, these three create havoc not just up in the air but in the Air Force Academy.
The themes of distraught parental relationship along with close sibling bond has been a central focus in BAAZ. If Ishaan struggles to impress his step-father, an orthodox, Haryanvi man, who considers his step-son nothing but a nuisance then Tehmina has to face her father who imposes his opinions on her. While Ishaan finds a home in Raka & Maddy, Tehmina confies in her aunt, Kung Fui.
The question therefore lingers; Do Ishaan & Tehmina find solace in each other? Will a patriot who would do anything for his country even if that means killing thousands be able to give his heart to a woman who is a pacifist, who believes fighting & killing is nothing but animal behaviour? The chemistry between our hero & heroine is nothing short of sizzling. It has an element of drama, laughter and romance that's anything but cheesy.
From breath-taking air stunts to dropping missiles on enemy lines to falling hopelessly in love, Baaz is an engaging-page turner, that is hard to put down. Once you start reading, you're going to dive ekdum BAAZ-maaphik, to find out what happens.
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Baaz, however as one important point that detracts from her usual books. The main lead is the hero. Indian readers are starved of books told from a hero's point of view- to delve into the mind of a man, to wonder about what is going on in the heart and mind of the heroine and to follow the hero, close to his heels and to be privy to his thoughts and actions. Anuja serves Baaz ke maaphik Ishaan Faujdar, like a delicacy to starved souls.
In the beginning, Ishan Faujdaar is just a little illegitimate boy with a rebel streak, who thrives on dhuk dhuk of the heart as he indulges in daredevilry of the mad kind. His grandfather suggests he join the Indian Air Force instead of the generally suggested pagalkhana and the idea takes route. from a country bumpkin/ farmer of a small town, he is transported to the Indian Air Force which spit-polishes him, covering him in a suave exterior owing to which he weaves his way into the hearts of the people he interacts with. Don't get me wrong. He has a heart of gold. He is a loving brother to his sisters who dote over him and are in awe of him but as the rough edges smoothen, the reader and the characters fall head over heels in love with him.
Enter Tahina Dadiseth, the girl who has run away from her home and Ishaan and his friends are assigned to bring her back to safety.
And as opposites attracts, so must the hero and the heroine- one an IAF officer who is a killing machine doing his job of defending the country and the other, a peacenik who abhors war.
The hero, whose prime duty is to be the hero to the heroine, in a typical Anuja Chauhan fashion, allows her to escape and she takes off, to follow her passion of meaningful photography. On a lark, she does the famous la-lalalala, la la ad for Freesia soap, an obvious take on the Liril ad of (author's license alert) 1985 which featured Karen Lunel, a back-up model for the shoot who made it to the real ad. The snakes, the boulder all are true, as she told in one of her interviews and so are the reactions to the ad in theatres. Anuja teacher more than she writes perhaps as she depicts her favourite subject in her books. For a fan of Indian FMCG game, the marketing stories are an orgasmic feature. Tehina becomes the darling of young and old alike, just like Karen became after the ad in the story.
A chance meeting at the station brings Tehina / Trinka as she is referred to, face to face with Ishaan or Baaz as he is now referred to and thus begins the real love story, casting aside inhibited and secret longings. The two spar on their views on war yet their hearts are drawn towards each other, until Baaz becomes cognizant of his mortality as he participates in the air raids. And as lovers meet, so should they go apart to unite again and that is the general line up of the story. Baaz continues to do his duty to the nation and Trinka to her mission to show the horrors of war to the nation.
Considering their obvious differences in ideologies, would their hearts unite again? This is the moot point and for that, you need to read the book.
However, before you pick the book to read, my thoughts..
Baaz Faujdaar is a hero anyone will fall in love with. He makes fans around himself and therefore no heroine, however strong she is can be immune to his charm. They spar on the obvious differences in their ideologies however as a reader I tended more towards Baaz, perhaps because he is the main lead and coming from Anuja's perspective, she would intend that. I found Trinka a bit vague in her understanding of the 1971 situation, a bit of an ostrich who refused to see the truth of the situation. She did not support war, her sentiment must be respected but over the period of the book, she began to sound like a broken record with lack of conviction to her stance.
The amalgamation of General AAK Niyazzi and the Butcher of Bengal Tikka Khan was a good strategy because why would one waste precious pages in covering them when one could read on the romance.
Students of India read several pages across history and literature on the numerous wars India fought, whether in mythology or by historical kings or by freedom fighters or afterwards. We revel in the bravery of Indians and lament at the atrocities and victories of the foreigners.
The 14-day Indo- Pak war was definitely one of the successes of Indian military and I understand as per Gen Manekshaw, India was not prepared for war, whereas Indira Gandhi soldiered on, putting absolute faith in Indian Defence and preferring to take the war route against Pakistan's air strike to solve a double-edged problem- removal of refugees and freeing of Bangaldesh from Pakistan, a military issue for India considering it's position with respect to the borders.
Anuja Chauhan touches upon the bare bones of the war, including Mrs Gandhi's morale boosting speeches, the involvement of Bihari's (the Albert Ekka faction of the Bihar army ) and Mukti Bahini, the problem of refugees, the bombing of Governor house in Bangladesh to shatter the morale of the high officials gathered to discuss forward course of action, the eventual surrender of A A K Niyazi in full public view in Rangoon Race Course and the main back-drop of the book- the contribution of the IAF.
Anuja Chauhan gives the readers what they want- a brilliant depiction of the valour of the Indian soldiers, the strategic superiority of India's Defence and a resounding success of the mission. She leaves behind an ache in the heart, therefore I wish to ignore that and be the ostrich. However I wish she could give us an alternative to that damning portion.
Readometer - Delicious, un-put-downable and if I say more I will reveal spoilers.
Cover page- I cannot count the number of times I turned to check if the guy on the cover had moved towards the right of the cover to reveal his full face. Damn, he never did.
http://itchingtoread.blogspot.com/201...
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The only problem was the ending. It was (idk, weird i guess) okay-ish. Shaanu clearly deserved better. The book could have ended with a happy ending (trust me, it would have been equally exciting if not more). It could have ended with Ishaan marrying Tinka (finally) or Ishaan receiving the Param Vir Chakra.
Also, can anyone tell me why Tinka's full name was Teh 'Baaz' was such an engaging read. I'm literally speechless (or Wordless to be exact) right now. Ishaan 'Baaz' Faujdaar, Pride of the IAF.
The only problem was the ending. It was (idk, weird i guess) okay-ish. Shaanu clearly deserved better. The book could have ended with a happy ending (trust me, it would have been equally exciting if not more). It could have ended with Ishaan marrying Tinka (finally) or Ishaan receiving the Param Vir Chakra.
Also, can anyone tell me why Tinka's full name was Tehmina Dadyseth-Khan (I know her name was Tehmina Dadyseth, but in the end there is a khan in her Family name as well). Did she marry someone (which is not mentioned in the book) or was this her original full name? Idk why, but I would be pretty relieved if the latter was true.
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