Johnny goes down by Karan Bajaj is a very
unlikely book by an Indian Author. Its a cool mix of Rambo and the author says
Indiana Jones and that of a cute hindi movie and a Wild west movie. The protagonist
– Nikhil Arya is an orphan in MIT who is all brains. Technical as well as
computer. And all heart too.
He survives various extreme conditions
without the CIA’s training and is as common as you and me. Yet, as uncommon as
a lustrous pink diamond in a gutter in Mumbai. Common because he has a mostly
civilian background and uncommon because he manages to not only survive but
also succeed in all his extreme environments creating a successful track record
for others as well as himself in the most unlikely ways. He is a passionate man
who wants to denounce his passion very passionately at every stage but ends up
being just as passionate about everything he does. And he does everything
exceptionally well. Be it love making, money making or even computer game
making. And of course he is tops at the game of survival. He touches lives and
makes everybody love him. He is exceptional like that. Maybe movies and super
hero comic books are full of heros like him. The lone riding gunslinger types. But
this is the first I have read with an Indian protagonist. And I love it. Johnny
goes down is a book of many shades and colours. It is one of the few Indian books
that does not deal with bereavement and loss in quite the same way as others
do. Its quite cheerful. Its actually up in the leagues of Jeffery archer types.
I only hope and pray that he does not get type cast so that one book is like
the rest. I cross my fingers for you Karan Bajaj... please churn out something
exceptional and you have a faithful reader in me!
Love you!
