Trust Me (novel)

Infobox Book |
name = Trust Me


author = Rajashree
cover_artist = Chetan Sharma
country = India
language = English
genre = Chick lit, Romantic comedy
publisher = Rupa
pub_date = 2006
media_type = Print (Paperback)
pages = 242 pages
isbn = ISBN 81-291-0983-2

"Trust Me" is the biggest-selling Indian chick lit novel. [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Sunday_Specials/Deep_Focus/Write_up_their_alley_chick_lit_brigade_grows/articleshow/msid-3286008,curpg-1.cms "Write Up Their Alley"] ] Written by Rajashree, it is set in Bollywood, the Bombay film industry and uses the narrative structure of a 'masala' Bollywood film. [Anuj Kumar [http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007030100800200.htm&date=2007/03/01/&prd=mp& "A Screenplay Between the Covers"] , "The Hindu", 2007-03-01.] [ [http://www.ibnlive.com/news/trust-me-to-spill-beans-on-bollywood/top/33834-8.html?xml "Trust Me to spill beans on Bollywood"] , "CNN-IBN", 2007-02-18.] The Sunday Tribune wrote about it:

"Romance peppered with Bollywoodian sequences of girl crashing into boy, roadside serenades, melodrama et al. Entertainingly breezy. Curl up in your bed and enjoy this chick-lit [novel] " [Randeep Wadehra [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20061112/spectrum/book10.htm "Racy Read"] , "The Sunday Tribune", 2006-11-12.]

Explanation of the novel's title

The title of "Trust Me" comes from an old joke that is quoted in the novel: [Rajashree (2006)"Trust Me", pp 111, Rupa ISBN 81-291-0983-2]

‘You didn’t let me open your hand in the beginning, and even when you did, you opened it very slowly – that shows that you don’t trust easily,’ he said. ‘You’re too closed as a person. Open up, you’ll enjoy life more.’

I took my hand back from him and lit a cigarette.

‘Do you know what “trust me” means in Polish?’ I asked.

He shook his head.

‘What?’

“‘Fuck you.’”

He laughed. I smiled.

‘So, when a guy says “trust me”,’ I said to him, ‘a warning bell rings in my head.’

He made a face. ‘Why are you so hard, so defensive?’

‘Have to be, living in Bombay, alone.’

Plot summary

Set against the backdrop of the Hindi film industry, "Trust Me" is a comic story about love, heart-break and friendship. The protagonist, Parvati, decides to go off men when she is dumped by her boyfriend. She concludes that her girlfriends are right: all men are bastards. While working in a company that produces advertisement films, she had met Karan, her ‘Mr Right’. Unfortunately, he turned out to be "so" wrong. Her boss, the fatherly Mr Bose, is the one shoulder she can cry on. He is also the one man she never expects a pass from. She stands corrected: all men ARE bastards. Her girlfriends manage to keep their ‘I-told-you-so’s to themselves.

Parvati quits her job, and joins the unit of Jambuwant (‘Call me Jumbo!’) Sinha, assisting him in making his latest Hindi feature film. ‘Jumbo’ is a Bombay film-maker archetype: he believes in white shoes, black money and the casting couch. Manoj, the chief assistant, makes a pass at every woman he meets because he doesn’t want anybody to feel unwanted. And Rahul, an actor, claims to have fallen in love with her.

Parvati hopes she is older now, and smarter - but perhaps not smart enough, because, very inconveniently, she finds herself liking Rahul far too much.

Quotes on the blurb

The following quotes are given on the blurb of the novel: [Rajashree (2006)"Trust Me", Rupa ISBN 81-291-0983-2]

‘A most enjoyable read’– Geordie Greig, editor, Tatler, and former literary editor, Sunday Times ‘A feminist romance set in the Bombay film industry. Terrific story. Loved the humour’ – Michele Roberts, author and former Man Booker judge

‘Bollywood on the page, and quite hilarious’ – Hugo Rifkind, columnist and author

‘Rajashree... has a genuine comic talent.’ – Kiran Nagarkar, author, Cuckold

‘Our own filmi chick-lit romance. Many moments, many small joys, many insights into the modern Indian woman’s psyche’ – Kundan Shah, film-maker, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron

‘Attractive reading from the beginning to the end’ – Gulzar, author, lyricist and film-maker

‘A very lighthearted, very entertaining romantic comedy’ – Soha Ali Khan, actor

Literary significance and reception

The book was received enthusiastically by magazines like Femina who said, ‘Looking for an exciting chick-lit book with a twist? Then you simply will not be able to resist "Trust Me" by Rajashree.’ ["Femina", 17 January 2007, pp 152] Marie Claire said, ‘In this lighthearted debut, Rajashree balances comic and sad moods perfectly. A fun read!’ ["Marie Claire", November 2006, pp 238] Cosmopolitan said, 'A weekend must-read for every chick-lit lover. Go get it!' ["Cosmo", April 2007, pp 93]

The book sold 25,000 copies in the first month after its release. [ [http://www.ibnlive.com/news/trust-me-to-spill-beans-on-bollywood/top/33834-8.html?xml "Trust Me to spill beans on Bollywood"] , "CNN-IBN", 2007-02-18.] Its popularity can be seen in the context of the rise of regional varieties of chick-lit. [Asha Menon [http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/02/12/stories/2007021201260800.htm "Indian chick lit?"] ] Sometimes referred to as 'ladki-lit', Indian chick-lit seems to be coming of age.

In an interview to the New York Times, Helen Fielding said, 'I think it had far more to do with zeitgeist than imitation.' If the chick lit explosion has 'led to great new female writers emerging from Eastern Europe and India, then it's worth any number of feeble bandwagon jumpers.' [Rachel Donadio [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/19/books/review/19donadio.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&fta=y "The Chick-Lit Pandemic"] , "The New York Times", 2006-03-19.] Sunaina Kumar wrote in the Indian Express, 'Ten years after the publication of Bridget Jones's Diary, the genre of fiction most recognisable for its pink cover art of stilettos, martini glasses and lipsticks, is now being colourfully infused with bindis, saris, and bangles. ' [Sunaina Kumar [http://www.indianexpress.com/story/14234.html "The Rise of Ladki-Lit"] , "The Indian Express", 2006-10-08.]

Publication history

*2006, India, Rupa, ISBN ISBN 81-291-0983-2, Paperback

References

External links

* [http://www.rajashree.in Rajashree's website]
* [http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=TkdUT0kvMjAwNy8xMS8xMyNBcjAwNTAw&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom Rajashree's Interview in "The Times of India"] , 2007-11-13