IN THE city’s first literary meet, the best-selling author of India, Chetan Bhagat won the hearts of all on January 29. He was invited by the Publishers and Booksellers Guild. He attended the first Kolkata Literary Meet and liked it for its wider perspective. The book fair is a big platform. In Kolkata, he met his fans earlier in a smaller meet. But this Literary Meet gave him the opportunity to reach a bigger platform. Chetan is very clear that he wants to be a role model unlike Baba Ramdev. What role has Ramdev played? He is a preacher. He doesn’t want a nice house or a luxurious car. But Bhagat, the best seller wants to be an entertainer and feels quite comfortable with all the luxuries of life. He wants a nice house and a car as well. But above everything, he wants to be a good person.

Recently in his tweet, Rushdie wrote: “"Chetan Bhagat: people like me are liberal extremists & as bad as the fundos. I'm being Bhaggered!! It's like being molested by Dan Brown!" Now, who is this Dan Brown? Let me tell you that Dan Brown is the American author of thriller fiction, best known for the 2003 bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code. Brown’s novels have been translated into over 40 languages, and as of 2009, sold over 80 million copies. Two of them, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, have been adapted into feature films.

Bhagat is tolerant and reacted gently to Rushdie’s tweet. Bhagat retorted serenely that Rushdie has done him a huge favour by telling his worldwide fans that he is India’s Dan Brown. This is how Bhagat drew a huge crowd in the Kolkata literary meet on last Sunday. The widely read author did not go into fresh controversies. He tried to make his fans understand that he never provoked anyone in his tweets. He does not support the fundamentalists but at the same time he is not to read lines from Satanic Verses to irk the fundamentalists. He regards this as a counter provocation.

Bhagat was in a good mood in the Kolkata Book Fair. He was liked by his fans for his lucid English. One physically challenged doctor from R. G. Kar Hospital pleaded to him to write a book on disability. ‘Bhagat feels uncomfortable to be the youth icon. He likes to be a good person. That’s very important,” he said smilingly. The Literary meet auditorium was packed with his admirers. Some demanded the release of Revolution 2020 as e-book so that the visually challenged people can read it with the JAWS software. Kolkata responded to Bhagat by such appeals and also asking innovative questions. He was careful enough not to go beyond entertaining. He knows that he is one of the rare authors whose books have sold more than six million copies. Herein also he differs from Dan Brown. Brown's novels have generated controversies. His best-selling book The Da Vinci Code is simply "an entertaining story that promotes spiritual discussion and debate" and suggests that the book may be used "as a positive catalyst for introspection and exploration of our faith." Bhagat is not in favour of stirring controversies. He feels that truth lies in conviction and not in controversies. He looks quite confident as the best seller but he never forgets that he is a nice person and that he will remain so in future.