Skip to main content

R.I.P. by Mukul Deva



Mukul Deva is being hailed in the literary circles as the next big thing in the Indian thriller writing world. Perhaps truly so, as one after one his books hit the bestseller mark with ease. During my recent travels I read his recent book R.I.P – The Resurgent Indian Patriots.
The book is about vigilante activism in the center of which is retired Colonel Krishna Athawale and his K-Team. Sounds like Liam Neeson’s A- Team, doesn’t it? Yes, the story seems to coming directly from the good old English movies watching which we all grew up. But the plot is definitely Indian. Fed up with the corruption in the Indian political class, Krishna an ex- para military commando along with his team, decides to take action. But the politicians are politicians after all. So they send CBI after his team and secretively they also send another team led by Raghav Bhagat to hunt and kill the RIP team. Now Raghav is both corrupt and also an ex- para military commando. So, the story chugs along almost on predictable scale. Political and social events that actually happened in India in 2011 – 12 have been liberally used albeit fictionally.
There is also an angle of love with both Krishna and Raghav pursuing the same woman, Reena. Now Reena is a journalist and a single parent to Azaan who is the best friend of Sachin, son of Krishna who also happens to be a single parent.
The narrative is pacy and quick. The obvious resemblances to so many American vigilante stories make the story quite predictable. Where the book trails off in my opinion is the context.  Corruption is no longer a huge deal in India.  It does not even make a good election issue; leave alone a novel’s backbone. At present, the social activism against corruption is as good as dead. The opposition is sacrificing a leader after leader on the issue over moral grounds. But the ruling party is doing the opposite. It is rewarding the corrupt and has the support of the people in it. This is where the issue of corruption loses steam. The people of India are not against it.
Nevertheless, this is an outstanding work of fiction and Mukul has done a great job with the narrative. I would strongly recommend it to all patriots who think of a million ways to better the country but never are able to do so.











This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at http://www.blogadda.com. Participate now to get free books!
Labels:

Comments

akash dev said…
Oh! Brilliant post. Really this site is dreadfully cooperative for all concerning this. I got few important helps from here and well recommended it. Indubitably I will decide my relatives and relevant competitors concerning this blog and will wait for more. Thanks a lot…….
March 7, 2013 at 12:31 PM
Post a Comment

Also read

Does India need communal parties?

I think, it was Tan's post on this blog itself, Republic Day Event, where this question was raised. My answer. YES. we need communal parties even in Independent, Secular India. Now let me take you, back to events before 1947. When India was a colony of the British Empire. The congress party, in its attempt to gain momentum for the independence movement, heavily used Hinduism, an example of which is the famous Ganesh Utsav held in Mumbai every year. Who complains? No one. But at that time, due to various policies of the congress, Muslims started feeling alienated. Jinnah, in these times, got stubborn over the need of Pakistan and he did find a lot of supporters. Congress, up till late 1940's never got bothered by it. And why should we? Who complains? No one. But there were repercussions. The way people were butchered and slaughtered during that brief time when India got partitioned, was even worse than a civil war scenario. All in the name of religion. And there indeed was cr...
40 comments
Read more

Debate : Do the ends justify the means...

Note : Give it all a fair thought before you jot down... Flaming and religion-bashing will not be tolerated. Your participation is gladly appreciated. I dunno if you folks remember this incident; a couple of yrs back, the UPSC exam had a question where the emainee had to assert his views on *revolutionary terrorism* initiated by Bhagat Singh. As is typical of the government, hue and cry was not far behind... Anyway, let us look at some facts -   Bhagat Singh was an atheist, considered to be one of the earliest Marxist in India and in line with hi thinking, he renamed the Hindustan Republican Party and called it the Hindustan Socialist Revolutionary Party. Bhagat Finally, awaiting his own execution for the murder of Saunders, Bhagat Singh at the young age of 24 studied Marxism thoroughly and wrote a profound pamphlet “Why I am an Atheist.” which is an ideological statement in itself. The circumstances of his death and execution are worth recounting. Although, Bhagat Singh had a...
30 comments
Read more

Spill the Tea: When an online relationship feels more real

Anaya’s online relationship feels intense, intimate, and real — until she meets him in person. At a roadside tea stall, she admits she prefers digital intimacy to real-world vulnerability. This Spill the Tea story explores online friendships, emotional loneliness, and the quiet cost of choosing a screen over a life. Anaya rang the bell without calling first. When I opened the door, she was already stepping in, as if the decision had been made long before.  I asked her to sit. She chose the edge of the sofa, not leaning back. I went to the kitchen and opened the cupboards, scanning for something to put in front of her. I found a bar of chocolate. I broke it into uneven pieces and placed them on a small plate. She took one. The foil crackled in the quiet room.  “I’ll make tea,” I said. She looked at the plate and then at me. “No,” she said. “Don’t make it here.” I thought she meant she didn’t want tea. She shook her head. “Let’s go out. Tapri chai .” She said it lightly, ...
Post a Comment
Read more