Book Review: My So-Called Bollywood Life

The Bollywood Film Industry Meets an Indian-American Teen

My So-Called Bollywood Life is a YA Romance Book written by Nisha Sharma, an Indian author of other YA romance novels. The target audience of this book is teens, such as ages 14–17 or so, and the themes and plot events seemed to match the target audience well. I found this novel to be the kind of book to read before bedtime, a good read for 20 minutes before turning the lights out. Although, if I’m being honest, I could have read this book any time of the day!

Summary

Winnie Mehta had thought she had found her soulmate — after all, their fate was written in the stars, predicted by a pandit that she would meet the one before her 18th birthday. Raj meets every qualification — but when she catches him cheating on her, she doesn’t know what to think as the future set out for her crumbles before her eyes. Now forced to work with her ex to head the film festival (and fighting for the position of lead for her film school application), Winnie has enough on her plate without worrying about stupid boys, stupid prophecies, stupid soulmates…

Enter Dev Khanna, a fellow film geek who may or may not be more charming than she thought. He was the only one who truly understood her (and didn’t side with Raj after the school-known break-up). He challenged her to look beyond her horoscope to find a destiny that made her happy…but would choosing Dev mean turning her back on the surefire future she had always known? To help her Bollywood life go on, Winnie must enlist the help of those around her, and learn that even when you think it’s all over, the movie isn’t quite done yet.

General Opinion

Overall, I did enjoy this book. The Bollywood references (though quite heavy at times) were enjoyable to read and reference, and I loved the tribute to Winnie’s Indian culture. The idea of prophecies and soulmates is also something that really appeals to me, so I loved that this was also something of importance in the book and not brushed over as “old-school.” I will say that Winnie’s obsession with boys, despite labeling herself as a “different girl” can get tiresome. She spends much of the book shaming the girl her boyfriend cheats on her with, and readers cannot get through a page without her whining about choosing between two boys. Otherwise, it is a light-hearted and fun book (though admittedly very cheesy).

The book has a very light and fun atmosphere, and it’s endearing to see Winnie’s friendship with her best friend and the bonds she has with her family (especially her grandmother). The various film references and mini-reviews at the top of each chapter are also engaging to read, as is the glossary of Bollywood films at the end of the book. The idea of soulmates and prophecies in a modern world is also refreshing as well.

This book also does a good job educating readers on the importance of being in control of your own destiny and finding your own happiness. It also shows how much strength is needed to go about your own way in life and remain passionate about what it is you want to do — regardless of whether or not others believe it is a good idea. Throughout the novel, there are also many references to Bollywood movies and Indian culture, educating readers on those aspects as well.

Pacing/Understanding of the Book

In general, I believed this book to be pretty well-paced. It encompassed a lot in each of the scenes but still managed to keep me on the edge of my seat, despite my having read multiple similar romance novels beforehand. As a POC myself, I loved all of the references to Bollywood culture in the book, especially the snippets of the Bollywood Industry’s best films. For someone who does not share the Main Character’s cultural background, I think this book still manages to come across as easy to understand, allowing any reader to gain insight into Bollywood Film Culture in the context of the story, and hopefully, learn something new along the way.

The Author’s Style

I particularly liked the author’s writing style, as it effectively showcased “teen spirit” and flowed as a regular American teen would talk, allowing readers a glimpse into the Main Character’s mind. The playing of destiny and fate, as well as the subtle injection of culture into the book, was delightful to see, without any aspect being overbearing or difficult for readers of different cultures to understand. The characters were all very likable and fun, including the side characters, and the turbulence of adolescence was well represented.

Emotions While Reading the Book

The book generally has a very happy-go-lucky feeling, which I thoroughly enjoyed. There are some parts that leave you hanging, wondering what’s going to happen next, but nothing too distressing. Everything resolves itself very nicely and neatly with a little bow on top, and you get nothing but good vibes while going through the story. It has a way of simply cheering you up from life when you are in the mood for just something sweet and cute and silly. Nonetheless, it’s written very well, and the plotline makes sure you aren’t bored in the fun journey along with the characters themselves.

Factors to be aware of

As far as I am aware, there are not any factors to be aware of — everything seems rather family-friendly, save for a few kisses here and there.

Best Quotes from the Book

“Winnie, when I first saw you, the giant lens that I’ve had on my future came into focus. It was like everything was blurry before, and then when you arrived, it was crystal clear.”

Enough said. This is definitely a top-notch romantic confession, complete with a metaphor (related to one of the main character’s biggest hobbies and passions!) and beautiful language.

“Destiny needs to be believed in for it to come true.”

A life lesson for everyone who has ever believed in a higher power, whether it be fate, destiny, or simply wishing on a star. Belief is key, and this is a major theme that the novel exemplifies through the method of the sweet love story featured.

“I think I understand why Bollywood movies have songs,” he said. “They understand that sometimes people feel so much they have to sing and dance about it.”

If you’ve ever seen (or heard of) a Bollywood movie, you’d know that you can’t have a Bollywood movie without a ton of dancing and singing. While it may seem pointless, this quote from the book highlights the emotional impact of such devices (and even employs the same device through text — something I’ve certainly never seen before!). This novel brings the magic of Bollywood to life through the book and is worth checking out.

Final Comments

I would recommend that others borrow this book from a library. Even though this book is very bright and fun to read, some people who aren’t too big on Bollywood or the cheesiest romance may find it a little difficult to get through. I wouldn’t read it more than once, though I would definitely recommend at least picking it up at some point in your life. It’s a perfect book to read to unwind before bedtime and get sucked into the dramatic world of a Bollywood life.

Other books similar in vibes to this one are “Born Confused” and “From Twinkle, with Love”, both stories about American-Indian teens trying to make their way and figure out love while still keeping in touch with their roots, culture, and traditions.