Review: Once Upon The Tracks Of Mumbai

Synopsis
"Autistic. Schizopherenic. Psychotic..."
'They' use these words to describe Babloo - the doctors, his family, his teachers... everyone... except Vandana. She treats him the way he wants the world to see him. 
Mumbai... the city that defines his ultimate desires. Will it allow him the love and 'normalcy' he so craves?
Vandana... yearns for a soul mate to rescue her from the confines of the Railway Colony they all live in. Is she looking in the right place?
Rail Man... a fearless, real-life hero who succeeds in doing all that Babloo secretly wishes to do... is Babloo his inspiration or.. is it the other way around?
A random twist of fate on Mumbai's endless, serpent-like, jangling local train tracks ties all these characters together in a complex weave of love, heartbreak and courage. 
Babloo draws the reader into his fascinating, heart-rending journey through the twisted, choked lanes of Mumbai, into an open space where he can finally exhale, be born again.

About the author
Rishi Vohra recently relocated back to Mumbai after completing a Green MBA from San Francisco State University and a Masters Diploma in Environmental Law, prior to which he has had a successful career in the Indian entertainment industry.
Having been a guest columnist for various newspapers in India, he currently writes for delWine and is a Certified Specialist of Wine. This is his first novel. 

Review 
They say never judge a book by it's cover. And it's said precisely for this book. On the first look, it might look like a rosy Indian Bollywood-ish love story, but trust me, it's not!

The story is about Babloo, who is suffering from autism, but the world around him fails to understand him. Everyone considers him good for nothing and is always compared with his younger sibling, who has a job; except one. Enter Vandana, somehow she finds the un-usual way of Babloo amusing and funny. 
And then there is Sikander, who is a total neighborhood playboy, who somehow uses Babloo to get to Vandana. 
Babloo wishes to do something big and different, and refuses to take the job of an office boy that his father had arranged for him. He wants to help others selflessly and become a hero. Will he be able to come out of the web of his life to achieve what he really wants? The book is about his journey. 
All of this is set into an city unexpected - Mumbai. And in a neighbourhood which values the opinion of the society to the brim. With twist and turns all through the plot and some harsh realities of the society, the setup is sure to keep you hooked till you reach the end. 

The way he book is written surely surprises me, it's not a typical Indian novel. The narration is smooth all through the book, and is sure to keep your hooked. There are elements of surprise, pinch of humor, realities of how the society works, and a man who wants to be good, so that he can be with his love of life. This book won't disappoint you, and is worth every penny spent. You are sure to have a good time reading it. 

Rating: 3/5

Book: Once Upon The Tracks of Mumbai
Author: Rishi Vohra
ISBN: 97881849553053
Publisher: Jaico Books
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 266
Language: English
 
The author can be reached at his official website.