Being Zero. Review on Johnny Gone Down - Karan Bajaj

Aryabhatt invented zero years ago and second Indian to reinvent again & again in his life is Johny. People say “reinventing the wheel” is a sheer stupidity but Johny has proven otherwise by inventing the wheel again and again in different ways.

“Johny gone down” was a master piece from Karan Bajaj. I became fan of his writing fashion when I read his “Keep off the grass” but this book has blown off my mind. I normally judge any book from three perspectives 1) Story 2) Story Telling and 3) Language

Story: “Johny gone down” is all about journey: physical, emotional and spiritual. The character Nikhil Arya aka Johny starts his physical journey from US to Cambodia, his emotional journey starts when he gives his passport to his best friend Sameer aka Sam and his spiritual journey start when he listens to Buddha Monk David. This story is also about “connecting dots”, it proves that one can’t foresee the pattern of life but when one see backward he can see the beautiful unique pattern of his life. Eventually it proves “Karma” theory, as it illustrates through Nikhil’s example that only our actions are in our control, we neither have foresight nor control over tangible or intelligible things beyond our-self.

The characters are diverse enough to create “Kaleidoscopic View” and to retain interest throughout Jonny’s journey. Beginning from the man himself Nikhil Araya aka Jonny; calm, calculative, go-getter, brave, intelligent, passionate but emotional when it comes to people closer to him and can do anything & everything for them. Sameer aka Sam, happy-go-lucky kind of guy, who deeply loves Nikhil(as a friend J) and impressed by his ability but mentally not as brave or as strong as Nikhil. Issamael was a “Karmyogi” who wholeheartedly follows “Karma yoga”(only our actions are in our control not the result) in true sense. David the Buddha Monk, impersonated all the qualities of monk, calm, sensitive but not emotional, totally self-less. Marco was a definition of macho man, Cowboy, “Devil May Care” attitude and much more such things. Lara; attractive and rational, her first encounter with Nikhil proves that when she makes him fall in love with her and by her rational but innocent arguments she makes Nikhil think about experiencing emotions rather than running away from them. She was beautiful in talks and in looks both as Nikhil was able to remember her and her talk after 7 years and remained in unconditional love with her even without even seeing her in person.

Storytelling: If story is a lyric then storytelling is music. Storytelling actually makes good story a blockbuster. Karan Bajaj gets 10 out of 10 for the unique storytelling style. Story begins with game of life and death in true sense a Russian Rolette. The sequence of unfortunate(and lately considered fortunate) events is described as Nikhil starts playing the game of life and death. The true beauty of storytelling lies in a fact that the intensity of the misfortune increases turn by turn with probability of death. I don’t want to spoil you fun by saying what happens in the end of Russian Rolette! J

Language: Karan Bajaj like many of the contemporary factious true story writers has set an trend of writing book which are quick read in terms o n language and still effective. Phrases like “Shitt Happens” and “Your Hell” exhibits the capability of the short expression which can directly commune with reader heart and mind, quite opposite to artistic language for which readers required ages to understand and some more ages to co-relate.

Crux of the story “Just go for it”….!