Book Review- Baaz by Anuja Chauhan

Book Review- Baaz By Anuja Chauhan


Book Name :- Baaz

Author's Name- Anuja Chauhan

Publishers :- Harper Collins

P-ISBN- 9789352644124

No.of Pages :- 430

Book Source :- Flipkart Review Programme

Book Available on :- Flipkart

Forget about writing a review, If I had the money and the means, I would’ve turned Baaz into a movie. And Boy! It would’ve turned cash registered ringing and people lining up to buy tickets. This book is addictive, so much that I read it on my desk, with my mammoth of a bag and desktop calendar saving me from prying eyes of colleagues and boss. 

As for my dream cast, I guess that’ll be another post, for now we are going to talk about Baaz, Baaz & Baaz.

The book opens with a tate-a tate of a young boy named Ishaan Faujdaar& his Nanaji talking about what can make their life go “Dhuk-Dhuk-Dhuk”. Ishaan’s Nanaji gives him the advice that what can ultimately set off his heart racing to “Dhuk-Dhuk-Dhuk” is to be a Pilot in Air force. Young Ishaan takes this advice to heart and few years later we are shown Ishaan Faujdaar getting selected in IAF. 

Given the nature of cocky young Ishaan at IAF, he makes best friends for life at IAF Maddy Subbiah, a true blue eyed chap, a third generation defense personnel, whose family owns coffee estates and tons of money & Rakesh aka Raka Aggarwal from Agarwal Sweets. 

In a heroic event, where the three buddies are supposed to pick up a young, feisty parsi girl Tehmina Dedyseth, we have a glimpse of perhaps the simmering & sizzling chemistry between Tehmina and Ishaan Faujdaaar.

After the passing out ceremony at the Defense Academy, Raka & Maddy are enrolled in MIGS-21 “Miggies”, while Ishaan is enrolled to fly the Gnats. The story moves forward with the IAF Officers having their times of lives, but on the brink is also the perhaps of upcoming war with Pakistan. 

Tehmina makes an entry in Ishaan’s life again, where both  their philosophies collide, where Tehmina aka Tinka is a peace loving and anti war human, Ishaan is a nationalist who believes in war & defending the country at any cost. 

As their fragment of love story gathers on  among the Bangladeshi refugees in Kolkata, where Ishaan being the chivalrous gentleman saves Tehmina & her fui from a mob , India simultaneously enters into a war with Pakistan.

Raka, Maddy & Ishaan are plunged into the war, where Maddy is the first major casualty , His Transport carrier caribou gets hit by the Pakistani Sabre fighters and he is lost somewhere in East Pakistan. Devasted by this, Raka & Ishaan fearlessly fight the Pakistani “sabre”, where Raka is badly injured. 

And once again amidst the war, romance blooms between Tinka & Ishaan, where war is fought with ideologies and different versions of patriotism.  This major tiff between our star crossed lovers, makes them apart, While Tinka follows a reporting mission in neutral territory in Pakistan , Ishaan follows the same suit but with flying a gnat. 

What follows afterwards, becomes more of a story of international politics, bravery, presence of mind, secret spies. The ending perhaps devasted me for a while. It was a shock to say in the least.

Anymore words about it, would be blasphemous. 

There is one thing about the book to be celebrated. It’s the larger than life persona of Ishaan Faujdaar, his cool steel grey eyes, his confident manner and his cool swag. 

Anuja Chauhan has nailed this one. Being from a defense family herself, she knows the language, customs, and emotions special to their families. It’s a mesmerizing read and one almost feels at home with all the characters. The camaderie between Raka, Maddy & Ishaan is noteworthy, sizzling chemistry between Tinka & Ishaan, the awkward yet sustainable relationship of Ishaan and his family. 

The language feels at home. Anuja has used a brilliant dose of “Indian English” & at times few hindi words too. She has done research well on the tense times of 1971 war & the emotions echo throughout the book. 

This is not a love story, as much as I personally think about it; “Baaz” was not a love story. It was yes, a major, everlasting rendezvous between Tinka & Ishaan, but this book was also about the war which was not ours. On a deeper note, perhaps this book plays a tribute to those memories of 1971 war. 

While Anuja has made Ishaan and his co-mates the heroes of the story, this book also belongs to Tinka , her fui, Ishaan’s sisters. These women play a pivotal role in the book. They are strong-willed, independent, speak their minds and brave. 

Clearly, I am very much eager now to read and explore more about 1971 war. Anuja Chauhan’s Baaz is a mini epic in itself. 

The language is lucid, drive straight to the point. Even the technical details of war, fighter planes don’t seem too much farfetched and the reader doesn’t get zoned out in the linguistic jargon. 

Go for this book. Why? For simple reasons, it’s a good story, its written well, the characters will stay with you for a long time. It might encourage you to check out other books written by Anuja Chauhan or other writers. 

Thank you Flipkart for giving me this opportunity to read this novel and review it. 

Also, I am really sorry to post the review so late.