400 Days – Chetan Bhagat
A project submitted to
Army Institute of Law, Mohali
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of
Degree of B.A L.L.B
Submitted To: Submitted By:
Dr. Sheetal Kapoor Rajat Srivastava
(English) Roll No.2321
Punjabi University Patiala (Punjab)
Session-2023
DECLARATION
It is certified that the project work presented in this report entitled
“400 Days – Chetan Bhagat” embodies the results of the original
research work carried out by me. All the ideas and references
have been duly acknowledged.
NAME: RAJAT SRIVASTAVA
ROLL NUMBER: 2321
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In preparation for my assignment, I had to take the help and
guidance of some respected persons, who deserve my deepest
gratitude. The completion of this assignment gave me much
pleasure,
I would like to show my gratitude towards Dr. Sheetal Kapoor
for giving me guidance for assignments throughout numerous
consultations. I would also like to extend my gratitude to all
those who have directly and indirectly guided me in writing this
assignment.
I would also like to thank my family and peers, whose constant
encouragement kept me motivated to work toward the
completion of this project. I would also like to extend my
gratitude towards the Army Institute Of Law, Mohali, and Dr.
Tejinder Kaur, the Principal of, the Army Institute Of Law,
Mohali for giving me this golden opportunity of making a
project on such an interesting and engaging topic.
NAME: RAJAT SRIVASTAVA
ROLL NUMBER - 2321
INDEX
SERIAL TOPIC PAGE
NUMBER NUMBER
1 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 1
2 CHARACTERS 2
3 SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY 3
4 MY IMPRESSION OF THE STORY 4
5 CONCLUSION 7
6 BIBLIOGRAPHY 8
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
“Words are unnecessary when everything in the world is perfect.”
Chetan Bhagat has authored a series of highly successful novels, including Five Point
Someone, One Night - the Call Center, The 3 Mistakes Of My Life, 2 States,
Revolution 2020, Half Girlfriend, One Indian Girl, The Girl In Room 105, and One
Arranged Murder. These books have consistently maintained their status as bestsellers
since publication. Presenting his latest work in 2021 "400 Days” is a gripping thriller
that will captivate readers until the end.
His passion for writing ignited during his school days. He would compose articles for
his school's literary magazine, and the sight of his name in print as an author
motivated him to persist in his writing endeavors.
Bhagat embarked on his inaugural novel, "Five Point Someone." The book unfolds the
tale of three IIT scholars who perceive themselves as average students amidst their
peers. This narrative was later adapted into the film "3 Idiots," directed by Rajkumar
Hirani, starring Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, and Kareena Kapoor. The
movie went on to become one of the most triumphant Bollywood productions ever.
Bhagat began crafting his second work, titled "One Nigh-the Call Center," which saw
publication in 2005. This novel too garnered acclaim. The story was also transformed
into a film named "Hello”. Bhagat transitioned into a full-time writing career.
His third novel, "The 3 Mistakes of My Life," released in 2008, achieved similar
success as his previous works, ranking as a bestseller. This novel also served as the
basis for the Bollywood film "Kai Po Che."
CHARACTERS
Keshav Rajpurohit, an aspiring detective with aspirations to join the Indian
Police Service (IPS), finds himself under the weight of parental expectations.
He perceives himself as a letdown due to recent fluctuations in his life.
Currently, he manages a modest detective agency in collaboration with his
closest companion, Saurabh. Together, they've successfully resolved numerous
cases in the past, all of which were chronicled in Bhagat's previous series of
detective books.
Alia Arora is a client of Keshav Rajpurohit and Saurabh Maheswari. She was a
former model and is the wife of Manish Arora, as well as the mother of Siya
and Suhana Arora. Her marriage to Manish occurred when she was eighteen
and unexpectedly pregnant, while Manish was 30 years old. Her marital
journey has been marked by significant highs and lows. Tragically, she
experienced the heartache of losing her daughter Siya to a kidnapping incident.
In her quest for assistance, she turns to our detectives, namely Keshav and
Saurabh.
Siya Arora is the central figure around whom the book revolves. She is the
abducted teenage daughter of Alia and Manish Arora. As Suhana's older
sibling, she holds a deep affection for her. Siya is notably engrossed in social
media and heavily reliant on her phone.
Suhana Arora plays a crucial role as the primary witness in the case. She is the
younger daughter of Alia and Manish Arora, and also the younger sibling of
Siya Arora. Notably skilled in board games, this observation is made by
Keshav.
SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY
The storyline revolves around Alia, a mother on a relentless mission to locate her
daughter, Siya, who was kidnapped from her grandparents' residence shortly before
turning thirteen. Despite extensive endeavors from both law enforcement and others,
the young girl remains untraceable. Undeterred, Alia persists in her pursuit and solicits
the aid of Keshav and Sourabh, two amateur sleuths. The narrative centers on their
journey to unravel the enigma and locate the missing girl. In the process, Keshav finds
himself irresistibly drawn to Alia's beauty, becoming entranced by her.
In the dead of night, the kidnapper entered the room and held a knife to Siya, warning
her against making any noise. The threat conveyed was that if she raised an alarm, her
cousins would face dire consequences. This individual then proceeded to abduct Siya.
These are the exact words that Suhana, Siya's younger sister, disclosed to the police
and the detectives. The occurrence was relayed to Inspector Chautala by Alia's
relatives who were also her in-laws. Inspector Chautala shared a close affiliation with
Alia's in-laws.
The duo of investigators initiated their quest to locate Siya and apprehend the
perpetrator. They reached out to their acquaintance, ACP Rana, seeking his assistance.
ACP Rana contacted Inspector Chautala, urging collaboration with the detectives to
track down Siya or the kidnapper. During the examination of Siya's mobile data, the
detectives came across Telegram conversations involving Roy and various other
individuals. However, later they found that Roy is not the kidnapper and got failed in
their attempt to catch him.
To commemorate Siya's birthday, her grandparents chose to make donations to
children's causes through a partnership with an NGO called Raasta. The family also
engaged Pandit Shahtriji to conduct rituals in Siya's honor. Unexpectedly, Keshav
harbored suspicions about Shashtriji.
With assistance from Viren, he orchestrated a plan to apprehend Shashtriji in the act.
Keshav and Saurabh trailed Shastriji as he headed home. Ultimately, their pursuit led
them to a room where Siya had been confined for an entire year, and they
apprehended Shastriji amid the act. This confirmed Keshav's initial suspicion to be
accurate.
MY IMPRESSION OF THE STORY
After analyzing the story, we encounter several underlying themes or lessons that the
author, Bhagat, emphasizes.
One of the primary sub-themes is that the Internet and social media possess dual
qualities, and it is crucial for parents to be watchful when their children begin utilizing
these platforms early in life. The narrative effectively communicates a profound
lesson to its readers about the consequences of technology and excessive work leading
to a decline in effective parenting.
Due to the rapid advancement of technology, parents are finding it increasingly
challenging to monitor the devices their children use. This difficulty is compounded
by the fact that children are often more adept and sound at utilizing technology. As
highlighted within the story, Keshava and Saurabh attempted to monitor Siya's phone
usage and discovered her interaction with an unfamiliar user named Roy.
Subsequently, Roy initiated flirtatious conversations and requested explicit photos
from Siya.
This situation imparts a crucial lesson to the readers about the consequences of
technology. Despite being aware of the potential pitfalls, teenagers frequently find it
hard to resist the allure of such activities and can consequently become ensnared in
regrettable situations.
This underscores a significant lesson for both parents and children. Children can learn
to exercise greater caution when engaging on social media platforms that expose them
to numerous individuals. Conversely, parents must be more vigilant and cautious in
their approach to technology.
While we are cautious about allowing our children to converse with strangers on a
balcony, we often lack awareness of who our children are engaging with on their
phones, irrespective of their location across the globe.
Another crucial lesson highlighted in the storyline revolves around the need to be
cautious regarding child predators. In today's world, parents are facing challenges in
keeping pace with advancing technology. Gaining a better understanding of how
criminals exploit children for sexual abuse serves as a reminder that you possess the
ability to protect your child; you are not without recourse.
Awareness about this issue is imperative, even though it's often an uncomfortable
topic to address. While predators have always been present, their methods are
becoming increasingly prevalent – encompassing online grooming and abuse. This
concerning trend is affecting children across various age groups, social classes, and
backgrounds.
Another significant aspect portrayed in the story is the impact on children who are
exposed to their parents' daily conflicts, leading to a form of trauma that renders them
more vulnerable. Instances of physical altercations, insults, and manipulative
behaviors such as "the silent treatment" are just a few examples of the detrimental
interactions between parents that can result in lasting emotional harm to a child. This
serves to demonstrate that children across various age groups, from early infancy to
young adulthood, are profoundly influenced by how their parents choose to address
their disagreements.
Researchers assert that marriages characterized by high levels of conflict can have
detrimental effects on a child's mental well-being. The stress emanating from residing
in such high-conflict households has the potential to impede a child's cognitive
performance.
Furthermore, an important lesson underscored by the story is the significant fact that
crimes against children frequently involve perpetrators who are either family members
or individuals familiar with the family. As evident in the narrative, Shastiji, the family
priest, is revealed as the culprit behind Siya's abduction.
It's crucial to recognize that crimes targeting children do not discriminate based on
gender or age; they occur due to the child's inability to comprehend the nature of these
offenses and their ensuing consequences. This vulnerability makes them susceptible
targets for offenders.
The innocence and lack of maturity inherent in children, often tied to their age, render
them particularly appealing to wrongdoers. It's not uncommon to find that the
perpetrators are acquainted with the victim's family. This highlights the necessity for
heightened care and vigilance when addressing such issues.
The story serves as an illustration that even in today's times, individuals like Shastriji
remain deeply entrenched in primitive and narrow-minded perspectives, preventing
them from perceiving beyond a limited viewpoint. As the narrative unfolds, it
becomes apparent that Shastriji was responsible for abducting and concealing Siya
under the misguided belief that it was a divine directive.
He meticulously devised this plan over a significant period, originating from his initial
encounter with Alia. Initially, his intentions revolved around marrying Alia; however,
faced with impossibility, he redirected his intentions towards her daughter, forcibly
marrying her. This portrayal strongly highlights the profound narrow-mindedness of
people like Shastriji, who are willing to commit heinous acts such as kidnapping to
gratify their desires, often disregarding the long-term repercussions of their actions.
Adultery emerges as an additional theme in the book, one that Chetan aimed to depict
as a morally ambiguous concept rather than the outright transgression it has
traditionally been perceived as. He explicitly communicated his lack of intention to
support or rationalize it in any way, but rather to delve into its emergence due to
specific circumstances
CONCLUSION
"400 Days" by Chetan Bhagat is an intriguing mystery thriller centered around
Keshav, the protagonist. While preparing for his IPS exams, Keshav manages a
private detective firm alongside his companion Saurabh. The novel embraces Chetan
Bhagat's signature fusion of romance, humor, family conflicts, and enigma. Amidst a
series of unforeseen surprises, the narrative unfolds with a recognizable, cinematic
approach.
The interweaving of romance adds intrigue to the plot, yet the conclusion evokes a
sense of melancholy and emotion. It seemingly signifies the stark realism of existence,
where living in the idyllic realms one constructs is untenable, necessitating alignment
with present circumstances. The author effectively imparts numerous lessons through
the underlying sub-themes, easily decipherable.
It is intriguing to observe that the ending leaves readers uncertain whether it
culminates on a joyous or somber note. While our investigators successfully locate
Siya, Keshav experiences the unfortunate loss of Alia.
“Sometimes true love means sacrificing your own happiness. So
that others can be happy.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. http://www.chetanbhagat.com/
2. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/author/chetanbhagat/
3. http://www.chetanbhagat.com/books/
