The Three Mistakes of My Life was announced at the World Book Fair last month. Bhagat’s earlier novel One Night @ the Call Center will soon be seen in theatres in a film by Atul Agnihotri called Hello. “Atul was very keen that I write the screenplay and dialogue. It was a new experience to lend my story to a different medium but I’ve enjoyed it immensely. I’ve watched the film and I am convinced it will do well,” beams Bhagat.

The IITian-turned-author is critical of the writing scene in India. Bhagat rues the fact that Indian fiction is largely restricted by exotic themes and the immigrant story, rather than the explosive new culture in our metros. “One Indian author wins an international award and the rest attempt to churn out similar works. Today, the publishing industry is catering to an international readership and critics say that Chetan Bhagat is not good for Indian literature,” says Bhagat.