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>One Night @ the Call Center – Chetan Bhagat – Book Review

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by  |  on June 9th, 2010  |  46 comments

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The story begins with a train journey from Kanpur to Delhi, during which the author meets a very beautiful girl. The girl offers to tell the author a story on the condition that he has to make it his second book.

The book is a tale about the events that happen one night at a call center. Told through the views of the protagonist, Shyam, it is a story of almost lost love, thwarted ambitions, absence of family affection, pressures of a patriarchal set up, and the work environment in a globalized office. Claimed to be based on a true story, the protagonist, Shyam Mehra is one among the six call center employees featured. All the characters experience a dramatic and disturbing event during the night when they receive a call from God.
What transpires later is a tale of cheating girlfriends, conspiring colleagues and even a story of a failed casting couch in the modelling world. Tailor made with a movie in mind? You bet! Here is a sample story:
“Shyam is very upset to learn that Priyanka, a collegue, is engaged to a person called Ganesh Gupta, who works at Microsoft in the US. To add to his woes, he is horrified to learn that Bakshi had cheated him, and Vroom (yes thats a person!), by submitting the Troubleshooting Website to the Boston centre as his own without crediting himself and Vroom.
Priyanka’s happiness at her new found love turns into frustration when she learns of her parents plan to get her married the very next month (with her new found love). But which she feels its too early while both her mother and Ganesh want her to agree. She is even more saddened by the fact that Shyam was eavesdropping on her conversation with Ganesh. When Vroom and Shyam show her that Ganesh had forged his pictures to hide his baldness, she disapproves Ganesh for having cheated her.”
There are more such stories that sets the context for God’s phone call, where he gives advice on improving their lives, both long term and the immediate danger. The conversation with God motivates the group to such an extent that they get ready to face their problems with utmost determination and motivation. So does it help or is it all a delusion? You’ll have to read the book if you want to know.And guess what, Rohan Sippy did make it into a movie called Hello but received average to bad reviews and did poorly! 
Now coming back to the book, I’d say its a typical Chetan Bhagat book without the aura of a natural entertaining setting (like struggling college grads in Five Point someone or the institution of marriage in the recent 2 States). If you’ve loved Chetan Bhagat’s other books, this might be a quick read but otherwise, you could give it a pass.
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Comments (46)

  1. Baral Tuesday - 17 / 01 / 2012 Reply
    >I would probabaly give it a mark of an average hindi movie of a Big Star...You may have fun while watching it but you rarely treasure anything while going back...
  2. tazmia rasheed Sunday - 05 / 02 / 2012 Reply
    >really intresting novel
  3. rahul kumar Tuesday - 28 / 02 / 2012 Reply
    >amazing.....while readin this nobel i fell that i m watching movie on pages.......toooo much interesting.
  4. SANGAMI Friday - 02 / 03 / 2012 Reply
    >fabulous.... i really enjoyed in every moment of the story.Its too interesting
  5. Shadab Ahmad(GOLU) Friday - 20 / 04 / 2012 Reply
    Really guys it's a very good novel. i enjoyed every moment of that story. fabulous story.
  6. priyanka Tuesday - 08 / 05 / 2012 Reply
    badly motivated by dis.....thanq CB...LUV YA.........
    • Azhar Sunday - 10 / 06 / 2012 Reply
      i hope you are the different and not the one in the novel....:p...lol
      • sunny Saturday - 29 / 09 / 2012 Reply
        i know u r missing me, But i am also helpless. so i am so sorry next time i will see you. now bye
  7. srishti Friday - 18 / 05 / 2012 Reply
    reading ur comments motivated me to read this novel.. will surely read this...
  8. sushmita Wednesday - 23 / 05 / 2012 Reply
    outstanding novel!:)every moment was interesting!i just loved it so much that i don't have words to explain!!!
  9. guruji Thursday - 24 / 05 / 2012 Reply
    super
  10. akshit Sunday - 27 / 05 / 2012 Reply
    i love to read this book. this book just amazed me
  11. jan Thursday - 31 / 05 / 2012 Reply
    its gud but.......dat girl who narrates d story s she a godess accroding to author.......and who calls dem wen dey wer about to die is unbelievable....
  12. dgbbm Sunday - 03 / 06 / 2012 Reply
    quite natural
  13. Azhar Sunday - 10 / 06 / 2012 Reply
    Very Nicely Built...the plot is really good...overall very intresting novel...
  14. Himanshu Wednesday - 27 / 06 / 2012 Reply
    wonderful book it is!!!!!!! I get inspired....
    • niks ghosh Friday - 06 / 07 / 2012 Reply
      ya it too good & i also get inspired
  15. Nongthang Moirangthem Monday - 09 / 07 / 2012 Reply
    Uncle, I read the summary of ''1 night @ d call centre'' I'm absorbed. I want the full story.
  16. Yashfa junaid Sunday - 29 / 07 / 2012 Reply
    Plot was Fabb........ I really enjoyed it...
  17. Leon Rana Thursday - 09 / 08 / 2012 Reply
    First of all i would like to begin by saying that it was an awesome book. I really enjoyed reading the book and am willing to read other books by Chetan Bhagat..............
  18. Noor Thursday - 23 / 08 / 2012 Reply
    The book was very boring .......and for a girl like me who studies in 11 standard it was nothing more than A waste of time...... SORRY but that's what the truth is ....I think chetan bhagat should try something new
  19. Shweta arya Wednesday - 12 / 09 / 2012 Reply
    Intrsting.......n i wanna read more novel by chetan bhagat
  20. hotie :* Thursday - 20 / 09 / 2012 Reply
    this book gud na... i noe best like me... hii boyz i m sneha ...urff hotie ..<3 his stories is interesting like me and do u guyz have any idea how was she who told the story ... the suspense is not ye opened... i can not just becoz i dont noe that girl..itz disturbing me alot help me
  21. sunny Saturday - 29 / 09 / 2012 Reply
    you have really nice thinking bhagat g
  22. abhijith Wednesday - 03 / 10 / 2012 Reply
    so supper book its really fantastic& fabouls
  23. Tanya Saturday - 13 / 10 / 2012 Reply
    The book was gud bt nt d bst One of chetan bhagat.
  24. subhasmita rout Friday - 26 / 10 / 2012 Reply
    stupid and boring.............he should try something new.
  25. vaishnavi Monday - 29 / 10 / 2012 Reply
    hii guys this book rocks.......... i love every part in this book......... everyone please read it... its fun..:P
  26. Namita Tuesday - 30 / 10 / 2012 Reply
    good................................i very enjoyed read this novel feblous.
  27. Nikita Tuesday - 30 / 10 / 2012 Reply
    nice.................... fantastic
  28. Praveen Vamsi Monday - 12 / 11 / 2012 Reply
    sooooooooooooooooooooo nice
  29. Ananda krishnan Tuesday - 13 / 11 / 2012 Reply
    Amazing.... it is too small compairing other novels ofCB. buti think this one is actually good. may be because i worked as a CSA at a csll center. i felt it like my story aswell. i also got an inner call and resigned from there :). am hapy coz the book reminded me about the past days at call center.
  30. jenny Monday - 26 / 11 / 2012 Reply
    Salut à tous, je travaille pour mon mémoire sur cet ouvrage, avant le prologue il est inscrit en français "à mes deux petits jumeaux et à la femme merveilleuse qui les a créés* *avec un peu d'aide de ma part" j'aurais souhaité savoir ce qu'il en est dans la version originale. merci Hello everybody, I work for my studies on this book, before the prologue it's registered in French "à mes deux petits jumeaux et à la femme merveilleuse qui les a créés* *avec un peu d'aide de ma part" (for my two small twins and the wonderful woman who has them make *with a little help of my part) I wished to know what's the sentence in the original version. thanks
  31. yamini Saturday - 01 / 12 / 2012 Reply
    splendid....................
  32. vicky Friday - 07 / 12 / 2012 Reply
    story is k nt dat gud. Gud encouragement . Bt whch girl tels d story ? I could find only 4 girls in d story. Esha, priyanka , radhika and payal bt she dosen't knw anythin abt dem. Could u plz ans me?
  33. vicky Friday - 07 / 12 / 2012 Reply
    very good story. Teaches many thigs. Great book.
  34. Sumedha Thursday - 20 / 12 / 2012 Reply
    Really gud novel....d story seems to be so real....chetan bhagat..u rock
  35. RAJJJ Sunday - 23 / 12 / 2012 Reply
    IT IS A GREAT NOVEL...... I REALLY ENJOYED IT..........
  36. soni Tuesday - 15 / 01 / 2013 Reply
    this is good story
  37. prashant awate Wednesday - 16 / 01 / 2013 Reply
    Hi chetan I have read your one night at call center book it took me to days to complete entire book & this made me feel so happy this is one of the best books that i have read in my life...i read your book in my office...after completion of my shift i was going home & one of my friends suggested me to read this book i thought up to check it out immediately on net for five min...i started reading & believe me for entire night i stayed in office & read the book though i had worked in day shift....it's awesome...I would suggest everyone to read......thanks & Have an awesome success ahead.cheers!
  38. Saurav Narvekar Friday - 15 / 02 / 2013 Reply
    the book was really magnificent, i loved the story and the way it was presented.One of the best books i have read......................
  39. sonali Saturday - 16 / 03 / 2013 Reply
    it's really soooooo........ interesting book.all Ur books r fabulous......... it's just amazing !
  40. thriveni Wednesday - 03 / 04 / 2013 Reply
    superb
  41. DHARMENDRA Saturday - 06 / 04 / 2013 Reply
    HI. CHETAN IT IS FANTASTIC NOBEL
  42. anu Tuesday - 30 / 04 / 2013 Reply
    no words to express my feelings aftr reading dis book.......that much interestig...........chetan g............ u r really greattttttttt.................
  43. Ramesh Patil Tuesday - 07 / 05 / 2013 Reply
    I have read this book, One Night At The Call Center. I do not agree with the novel's contention that call centre employees have sex before marriage without even a promise to marry, that too in the call centre cab. The implication that call centre jobs are not constructive is wrong. Call centre jobs do bring in much needed revenue - forex- to the country. Also, it helps young people to stand on their own feet. It is wrong to slap the boss, violence is never the way to deal with a bad boss or colleague. And call center employees do not agree for sex to get a modelling assignment. To cover up all the fallacies, the author has put in the episode of God's visit. But what does God really say, do you remember? And the three things you have to mention in the beginning of the book: the thing you fear etc. The author has forgotten about it at the end. I don't think I will read any of Chetan Bhagat's books again. Sorry, I would give only one star for this book, that is because of some emotional twists he gives to the plot.

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