Name: The Other Guy
Author: Aakash Mehrotra
No. of Pages: 200
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Jufic Books (An imprint of Leadstart Publishing)
Price: Rs. 249/-
Published in: 2017

How did I get it? From the publisher.

THE BLURB SAYS:
Set in contemporary India, The Other Guy is a tale of forbidden love. Amidst laws which declare them criminals,emotional repression and societal suppression, Nikhil and Anuj are two talented young men, deeply in love with each other. Though polar opposites,they effortlessly complement each other.Anuj had lived a constricted life, always in his fear of the consequences of the truth; Nikhil, a carefree soul, is ready to take on the world. The truth is known only to a few select friends, and to Anuj’s sister.

 

 

 

MY THOUGHTS:
It is a love story. The only difference from a regular love story is that the lovers are of the same gender. Freshman year, guy meets guy. Courtship follows and they start dating. Secret passionate encounters. True friends, defiant family and rebellious lovers. Some blissful moments and then finally reality strikes.

The protagonists, Anuj and Nikhil, can be anyone. They are in love and dream of spending their lives together. But it is not meant to be. They can never live their true lives out in the open. They have their own hopes and aspirations of having their own family. But they are forced to lead dual lives. Despite all odds, with true friends and sometimes the support of their family, they might just manage to have the last laugh.

The author has touched upon a sensitive issue. LGBT rights and the reality of their situation in a country like ours. The story itself is well-written and has all the elements of a good fast-paced romantic novel.