Chetan Bhagat, India's bestselling author has gained quite a reputation for his accurate

portrayal of modern India, and his book "2 states" proves why. Set in modern day India where

traditional values are constantly battling against new lifestyles and means, the book offers much

more than an interesting read.
While 'normal' marriages require a man and a woman to fall in love, Indian families have added a

few extra steps, where the boy's entire family has to fall in love with the girl, the girl's

family has to fall in love with the boy, and meanwhile these families have to fall in love with

each other. Krish, a typical shy guy from the northern state of Punjab, and Ananya, a flamboyant

beauty queen from the state of Tamil Nadu in the south  meet at college, where they fall in love.

However, it is only after their hearts meet that the actual challenge of convincing their

families comes forth- will their love survive, or will it succomb to the hardships that seem to

appear every step on the way?
Inspired from the writer's own marriage, the book does a delightful job at combining humour and tragedy. If you want a love story without any western cliches, '2 States' is the bookyou.