Never Mind Yaar by: Khoty Mathur

Rating: AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ!!

At Gyan Shalki College on the outskirts of Mumbai three girls from different ethnic backgrounds become firm friends. Their backgrounds are so different that they speak different languages at home. At Gyan Shalki they speak Mumbai’s lingua franca, English.

Shalini (Shali) is Hindu and has a marriage planned by her grandmother yet falls in love with Bhagu(a fellow student). Binaifer(Binny) is Parsi and along with Louella(Lou) who is Christian fall love with the idea of Shali’s love.Lou and Binny try very hard to bring Shali and Bhagu together.

The girls strive very hard to be simply Indian first then everything else(Hindu,Parsi,Christan,etc.) However how can they when there is generations of cultural divide. How can Shali be with Bhagu the man she loves when it goes against her grandmother’s wishes? How can her friendship with Binny and Lou help her? Journey with Shali,Binny and Lou as they find their own way this world. Maybe with a little guidance from their astute principle Dr. Naakwa they will realize their dreams.

“The changes that count most come from within” -Khoty Mathur

That single quote is the best review of Never Mind Yaar. When Khoty Mathur asked me to review her book I agreed and wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. Culturally it is something new and different for me but I’m an open-minded gal. Once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. I have struggled with writing my review because I wasn’t sure how to put into words my feelings of this book.

First I learned a lot. Yaar which a term made popular by Bollywood means simply friend or pal. Second I didn’t know that there was such a cultural divide. Here is America we are first and foremost Americans then we are everything else.Khoty has written a beautiful story. While yes it does focus on Shali’ love life it is about far more than that. I dare anyone to read Never Mind Yaar and not come away with some insight. I can only say this: Khoty Mathur is as excellent a writer as Jane Austen or Charles Dickens. For me those are the greatest authors of all time and Khoty is now added to that list.

Read Khoty’s ezine article on cultural differences in India.