Who is not on a sidewalk? Perhaps those who enjoy the ‘previously’ earned bread and have ‘already’ piled wealth in their accounts won’t know this feeling. But, for sure, there is something that propels all those who start on their own! The same is the story of Jay, the protagonist of the novel Guy on the Sidewalk, written by Bharath Krishna. This novel is the story of a ‘guy’ who comes back to India after so much of thinking; so much of events; so much of self-query; so much of cross-examining… however, at last, he listens to the inner voice and accepts the responsibilities.
Bharath Krishna, of whom you might think that he is present in the form of protagonist himself, has done a wonderful job with his debut novel. He has very handsomely gathered some 300 pages and weaved a story of a typical youth who goes to America for better study and a good job and of course, a mass of wealth. That Jay, the hero of the novel, might be anyone – you, me, the people who wish to settle themselves in foreign countries and earn ‘more than well’ to fulfill their dreams and fantasies. Bharath has fused all the elements that make a novel readable for the contemporary population – yes, the youth. Let’s analyze the novel and its elements and its scope and its exciting things.
In short, the story of the novel is like the following:
There is a guy named Jay. Hero of the novel, he is in the US who is striving for a better job. In course of his studies, he develops physical intimacy with Amy and makes some good friends as well. It’s only in that training facility that Jay comes across ‘perhaps the love of his life’ Siri. In spite of her being elder to Jay and already being married and divorced and also a mother of the beautiful daughter, Priyamvada, Siri proves to be the fuel of Jay’s success in the US. When Jay listens to the inner call and becomes ready to leave the US and come back to India, Siri shows some resistance earlier as she has of course fallen in love with Jay. Jay also loves her the same, but they somehow manage the ‘homecoming’.
What the novel offers to you is simply a basket full of apples, oranges, mangoes, berries and all other fruits – sweet & sour! For an instance, take a look at the realistic tone of the novel:
“… Virginity in India is more out of deprivation than out of dedication.”
Bharath has raised the questions which most of the youngsters in India will to ask; however, those remain stuck there. Guy on the Sidewalk questions those stuck issues of virginity, open relationships, casual physical encounters, and all.
“Two cigarettes in the polluted air and a piss in the open air brought me back to India completely.”
Now, this tone of the author seriously challenges the typical Indian notions. Are we so carefree?
Other than the realistic instances, the novel also offers some scenes of physical encounters with details like ‘taking out condom’ and ‘sliding of the hands inside the top’.
Nevertheless, what I liked the most in the novel and I hope you all will like is the ‘call of the inner being’. Are all those, who are living on the foreign soils, satisfied with their life? Are they sure of their ‘being of that land’? Are they sure USA or UK or any of the other countries is their ‘home’? Bharath has directly touched the conscience of those dwellers and asked very seriously about their integration with the foreign land.
Get your hands on the novel and you will surely enjoy a good read of this – Guy on the Sidewalk. The book is available on all the leading online stores.
