A roller-coaster ride that is life
Reviewed by Aradhika Sharma

Dubey Ji Bounces Back
by Vivek Atray. Wisdom Tree. Pages 219. Rs 195 

we meet poor Dubey ji at the time when he is full of trepidation about meeting a difficult client — the redoubtable Mrs Koppikar. His fears are completely founded because by the end of the meeting, he’s walloped on the head with a vase by the fearsome and irate lady; has a near-death experience and lands in the hospital. Finally, when he comes back to his senses, he finds himself with a heavily-bandaged head and teary relatives surrounding his bedside.

Luckily for Dubey ji, his head can take more pounding than his already low self-esteem can and he lives. Not just that, he also resolves to turn his worm-like existence around and live like a tiger. After all, he has to face his creator some day and at that time, how would he evaluate his life? A life of timidity and fear! No, Dubey ji decides that his life and attitude requires a serious and immediate makeover and he consciously proceeds to go for it.

Thus, even before Dubey ji leaves the hospital, he’s already attempted flirtation and when he comes out, he lops off his mustache (the hairy symbol of masculinity of generations of Dubey ji), decides to learn to play guitar and gets himself a new wardrobe and a new life. Atray, who professes his love for writing humour, has an underlying theme of motivation and philosophy in this work. Written with a light hand, the author yet conveys the universal truth that if you want something, you have to release the wish into the universe, and it will happen for you. Once you have the aspiration and the determination to make life go the way you want, then the Gods themselves will help you achieve your aims. With a positive attitude and confidence, you can change your life. This may not be a very novel idea, but nevertheless, it a practical one.

Once he determines to make the change, Dubey ji has a serendipitous encounter in a flight with the owner of the Bonny Bank in Mumbai. He finds love in beautiful Avni Singh and life starts looking good with job prospects looking up, meeting new people and making new friends, and of course, finding felicity in romance. It is natural that when from an onlooker, you become a doer, experiences will happen to you— some pleasant and some not. He’s now actually living his life, not just drifting through it. The message that the author wants to convey is that no matter what happens in life, we all have the capability to bounce back.

Because of its philosophical undertone, Dubey ji Bounces Back is different from Atray’s first book, Move On Bunny, which chronicled the escapades of the feckless Bunny, who blundered along willy-nilly from one escapade to another. Still, the tone of the book is amusing and relaxed — the message, breezy and easy!

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