The first book I read this year is "The Zoya Factor" by Anuja Chauhan. It is the author's first novel, published by Harper Collins, India and priced at Rs. 295/- . Anuja Chauhan is an advertising professional who has penned the famous Pepsi advertisement liner "Yeh Dil Maange More". The novel is set in the backdrop of the advertising and cricket scenario in India. Anuja has used her knowledge and experience of the advertising world, to perfection. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it hilarious, especially the usage of the Rupa Underwear and Banian advertisement's liner " yeh toh bada toinnngg hai" at various contexts. While listening to FM Radio on my way to work everyday, I hear this advertisement and rumble with laughter. Initially, I used to think that I was hearing the word "toinnngg" wrongly or was unable to grasp the word. Now, I know for sure what the word means.
The story revolves around, the young advertising executive, Zoya Singh Solanki who was born the moment India clinched the Prudential World Cup in 1983. During her advertising assignment with the Indian Cricket team, she happens to have her breakfast with them and casually mentions that the Indian team had won a match previously on one such occasion when she had her breakfast with them. The event is recollected by some members of the team and it is prophetically followed by, the Indian team winning that day's match and some of the team players strongly believing in this phenomenon. But the new talented Skipper of the Indian team Nikhil Khoda does not believe in this luck factor. Zoya is now pursued by the IBCC -Indian Board of Cricket Control's eccentric President Jogpal Lohia to accompany the Indian team to Australia for the tenth ICC World Cup . The cricket crazy nation is also in a frenzy over Zoya's luck factor and elevate her to the status of a Goddess.
Zoya's dilema over her 'lucky' status, offers of big money from major companies to advertise their brand, her feelings for the dashing Skipper and manipulations by the IBCC's President form the crux of this well written and easily readable novel, The Zoya Factor.
My rating of The Zoya Factor ***** .
My Ratings:
*****Excellent
****Good
***Average
**OK
*Yuck
