CHETAN BHAGAT i400 Days Chetan Bhagat is the author of ten best- selling novels, which have sold over twelve million copies and have been translated into over twenty languages worldwide. The New York Times has called him ‘the biggest selling author in India’s history’, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world, and Fast Company USA named him one of the 100 most creative people in business worldwide. Many of Chetan’s books have been adapted into films and were major Bollywood blockbusters. He is also a Filmfare award- winning screenplay writer. Chetan writes columns for The Times of India and Dainik Bhaskar, which are among India’s most influential and widely read newspapers. He is also one of the country’s leading motivational speak- ers. He is active on various social media platforms, where his combined following runs into crores, Leaming reading speed 0%Chetan went to college at IIT Delhi and TIM Ahmedabad, after which he worked in investment banking for a decade be- fore quitting his job to become a full-time writer, 2 hrs $2 mins (eft in book 0%CHETAN BHAGAT 400 DAYS WThis is a work of fiction, Names, charac- ters, organisations, places, events, and in- cidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, oractual events is purely coinciden- tal. Text copyright © 2021 Chetan Bhagat All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or trans- mitted in any form or by any means, elec- tronic, mechanical, photocopying, record- ing, or otherwise, without express writ- ten permission of the publisher. Published by Westland, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Westland are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781542094085 ISBN-10: 1542094089 Cover design by Rachita Rakyan Leaming reading speed 0%To my mother, and ail the other mathers in the world 1 min teft in chapter 0%Contents ind anote to readers Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Cc ite) Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18° 1 min left in chapter 0%Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter. 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46, Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 50 1 min left in chapterAcknowledgements, and a note to readers Hiall, Ever since my first book, I have had tremendous support from my readers. Even today, you have chosen to read my book. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. To be read in a world flooded with so- cial media, video content and other digi- tal distractions is a real privilege and you have made it possible. Thank you! Several people helped me with this book. These include: Shinie Antony, my editor and friend for nearly two decades. Her guidance and support are invaluable. The group of early readers who gave wonderful feedback on the man- uscript. (Alphabetically) Ameeta Chebbi, Anjli Khurana, Anusha Bhagat, Ayesha Khan, Bhakti Bhat, Ishaan Bhagat, Mahua Roy, Melody Toh, Nandini Mehra, Prateek Dhawan, Ranodeb Roy, Santhosh MV., Shalini Raghavan, Shameeli Sinha, Sinjini Das, Trisha Vasudeva, Virali Panchamia 1 min teft in chapter 1%and Zitin Dhawan. Thank you all for your help and suggestions for the book. Thank you all also for being there for me when- ever I needed you. The editors at Westland. The entire marketing, sales and production teams at Amazon and Westland. To all the online delivery boys and girls who put the book in my readers’ hands. Thank you for all your hard work, particularly in these test- ing times. My social media followers, including those on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Those who love me. Even those who don't. I am thankful to all of you. My family—a pillar of support in my life. My mother Rekha Bhagat, my wife Anusha Bhagat, and my children Shyam and Ishaan. My brother Ketan and nephew Rian. My in-laws Suryanarayan Annaswamy and Kalpana Suryanarayan. My brother-in-law Anand, my sister-in- law Poornima, and their children Ananya and Karan. Thank you all for being there. With that, you are invited to 400 Days! 1 min teft in chapter 1%Chapter 1 ‘Lhate this stupid UPSC exam,’ I said, toss- ing my pen onto the table. I read the exam question from a previous year’s General Studies paper again. Locate the following places on a map of India and write about their significance: a) Karakoram Range b) Gadchiroli ¢) Tawang d) Malkangiri e)jaitapur While 1 couldn't locate any of the places on the map of India, I could defi- nitely locate a niggling feeling in my stomach. It told me my IPS preparations were crap. I only had two attempts left before I reached the upper age limit of thirty-two years for the exam. My dream of becoming an IPS officer was going to be flushed down the Karakoram Range and get lost somewhere between Malkan- giri and Jaitapur, wherever the hell those places were. ‘Tea’s ready, my mother called out from the living room. I ignored her. 2 mins left in chapter 1%I wanted to be an IPS officer instead of running a tiny detective agency like I was doing at present. As a senior cop, I could solve a lot more crimes and help society, Noble, right? The problem is, the tough UPSC exam for civil services doesn’t give a damn about nobility. Over a mil- lion people apply. Among those, a general category student like me has to achieve a top-500 rank if they want an IPS seat. ‘This is insane,’ said, shoving away my textbook, ‘Keshav, tea, Come now,’ My father's ex- plosive voice made me stand up in reflex. There's something about Indian fathers. When they call you, it’s always urgent. ‘T called you earlier’ my mother said, pouring me a cup of tea. “Sorry, I said, pulling up a chair. IT leaned forward to pick up a Parle-G biscuit from the plate on the dining table. “How is the preparation going?’ Papa said. ‘Good,’ I said, taking the biscuit to my mouth in slow motion. “Good is not enough,’ he said. ‘It is a tough exam. Work harder.’ Wow, thanks for the deep insight, I wanted to say, but didn’t. The rule of stay- ing peacefully with parents is to keep the sarcasm minimal. . Tonly nodded. “Say something,’ Papa said. 2 mins left in chapter 1%‘Leave him alone, Rajpurchitji. He's doing his best,’ Ma said. She refilled my fa- ther’s cup and stirred a spoonful of sugar into it. She handed it to him and my father grunted in response, his usual way of say- ing thanks to my mother. “Is he?! Papa said. ‘He is twenty-nine,’ she said. ‘He can decide his own career, If we must inter- fere, we should help him get married.’ No, thanks, I wanted to blurt out, but didn’t. When Papa retired, my parents had moved to Gurugram to live with me. Maybe my life is a total mess, I thought, and fixing it is their life’s biggest passion. My father wasn’t happy with my career. My mother wasn’t happy with my mar- ital status. I had managed to disappoint both of them in different ways at the same time. ‘Who will marry him?! my father said. ‘No job. Sitting around the house all day. Doing his silly detective business while pretending to prepare for the toughest exam...” “Rajpurohitji, again you started my mother said. “So you can tell him anything, but I can’t?’ While my parents played their tennis match of hurling insults at me, I ate six biscuits, I checked the time. It was 5.30, 2 mins left in chapter 1%time for their evening walk. I would get a break soon. ‘Rajpurohitji, he went to IIT; my mother was saying. ‘Don’t think so little of your son. And he has solved some good cases, His name came in the newspaper also. Many girls will want to marry him.’ “But he needs to get settled, right? Be- come responsible. Have a good, regular source of income.’ ‘He's trying hard for IPS, aren't you, beta?’ Ma said. ‘Huh?’ I said, pausing mid-bite, ‘Yes, I am. Ma, it’s 5.30” ‘Oh, yes, she said. My parents stood up. ‘We'll go now. Tell Saurabh not to snack when he gets home. I have made aloo-matar for dinner. Come, Rajpurchitji’ I heaved a sigh of relief as I heard the front door shut. ¥ Hi, I am Keshav Rajpurohit and I am a disappointment to everyone around me. 1 live in Gurgaon, or Gurugram, or what- ever new name they may give this place next week, My best friend Saurabh stays with me. He works at Cybersafe, a com- puter security company. I grew up in Alwar, where my father was a lawyer by profession and a ded- icated RSS functionary by passion. We now live in my parents’ three-bedroom 1 min teft in chapter 2%apartment in a residential building com- plex called Icon, near the DLF Golf Course. My parents and I moved here after my father retired and purchased this flat. I asked Saurabh, my best friend and part- ner in our detective agency, Z Detectives, to move in with us as well. Home-cooked food and a rent-free life had their benefits, but they came with an ‘LFK’ or ‘Let’s Fix Keshav’ package. My parents keep telling me how I should a) get married, b) get a job, c) meet more people, d) close this detective agency business (not that we have much business anyway), e) keep my room clean, f) talk more (when I don't talk to them), g) talk less (when I talk back to them), or what- ever else they feel is wrong with me that day. Saurabh, a sell-out, always agrees with my parents. My mother would make kheer or halwa for him, and he'd join the LEK tirade, telling me to get serious about life. Trrrring! The doorbell signalled the sell-out's ar- rival. ‘So tired, man,’ Saurabh said, throwing his laptop case on the dining table. He loosened his tie. “You're back early,’ I said. ‘Nothing happening in office,’ Saurabh said. He went to the kitchen to get water. 1 min teft in chapter 2%“Ma said don't eat any junk. She’s made aloo-matar for dinner,’ I said. “Lam not hungry anyway,’ he said be- tween big gulps of water. Istared at him, “What? You okay?” “Yeah! ‘Tea?’ I said. “A quarter cup,’ he said, I poured him a little bit of tea and we both sat at the dining table. “Where are Uncle and Aunty?’ Saurabh said. “They went down for a walk. Let me have some peace.’ “What happened?’ Saurabh said. ‘Another lecture, what else? Marriage. Career. Close the agency’ ‘They are not completely wrong.’ ‘ine, join them.’ ‘The agency doesn’t have cases. The last one was that small burglary two months ago.” ‘After this coronavirus lockdown, the economy will take a while to get back to normal,’ ‘Even crime will take a while to get back to normal?’ Saurabh said. | ignored his question. ‘Anyway, I am doing my IPS prep in my free time.’ ‘How is that going?’ T didn't respond. 1 min teft in chapter 2%‘You did a mock paper today, right? How did it go?” ‘I haven't marked it yet, I said in a sheepish voice. ‘| think you know the marks won't be great, Saurabh said in a firm tone. I stood up with a jerk and the chair al- most fell. “Why is everyone after my life? I am trying, okay?’ I said. Saurabh finished his tea and put the cup on the table. Before he could respond, my phone rang. It was my mother. “Why is she calling me?’ I said. Saurabh shrugged. I took the call. “Yeah, Ma?’ ‘Could you come downstairs? To the garden area?’ “Why?' I said, puzzled. “Someone wants to meet you,’ Ma said. “Who? ‘Just come down,’ she said. “But meet who? I am not even dressed properly.’ T was in gym shorts and a sleeveless T- shirt, my usual clothes for home. ‘If your mother said come down, come down. Is it that difficult?? My father’s voice startled me. He had taken the phone from my mother. ‘No, Papa, [just ...' I said, but he discon- nected, 1 min teft in chapter 2%Chapter 2 The sprawling gardens of the Icon were half the size of a football field. I went past the evening walkers trying to finish their daily step-count targets to the play area with its swings, slides, seesaws and a sandpit where children were building sandcastles. Maids and doting mothers were keeping an eye on their little ones, My parents sat on a bench near the play area. As I came closer, | saw someone sit- ting with them. It was a woman, proba- bly in her twenties. I noticed her striking looks first. She had a fair complexion, smooth skin and a cascade of brown curls. Her high cheekbones and full lips were visible even from a distance. She wore a white salwar kameez with blue embroi- dery on it. Were my desperate parents try- ing to set me up? Were they going to sug- gest a match? “Keshav, come.’ My father had noticed me, ‘Meet Alia’ my mother beamed. ‘She stays in Tower B, right opposite our Tower Cc 3 mins left in chapter 2%‘Hello.’ Alia extended her hand. ‘Hi; I said, shaking hands with her. I felt like an idiot in my bathroom slip- pers and an old college vest. Alia wasn’t just beautiful, she was stunning. She was might-be-a-model-level gorgeous. Her hazel eyes, a mix of light brown and green, were her most electric feature. ‘Aunty was just telling me about you,’ Alia said. I wondered what my mother had said about me. Had she told her what a loser I was, or had she marketed me a bit? For once I liked my parents’ choice. ‘Oh, really?’ I said. it with us, Keshav beta’ my mother said in an unusually sweet tone. The four of us sat in a row on the bench. I wondered what my parents ex- pected me to do, Chat her up? ‘Which flat in Tower B is yours?" I said, forcing myself to make conversation. ‘Sixteenth floor. Apartment 1602. How about you?’ “We are in Tower C, unit 1703. One floor above you’ I pointed to our apartment, high above us, to our left. My parents continued to stare at both of us. I couldn’t talk under this pressure. Fortunately, she could. ‘Aunty told me you are a detective?’ Alia said, brushing a lock of hair away from her forehead. 3 mins left in chapter 3%“Yes, I've helped the police with a cou- ple of cases,’ I said. “He also went to IIT Delhi,’ my mother said in a non sequitur, to pad up my re- sume. ‘Nice; she said. ‘Tell me about your de- tective business. What exactly do you do?’ “All kinds of cases. Though the more se- rious the crime, the better it is, More fun, I said and smiled. “‘Fun?' She looked surprised. “Sorry, I meant those are the ones I look forward to the most.’ “This detective stuff is just a hobby; my father said. ‘He is preparing for the IPS. He also worked in a software company be- fore, Tell her properly no, Keshav! Ismiled and remained silent. She took out a small box from her handbag and opened it. There were lad- doos inside. “Would you like one?’ she said. ‘Thanks,’ I said, taking a tiny piece of one. ‘Ma?’ “We already took. She made them her- self. They are amazing,’ Ma said. A pretty girl who talks politely to elders and makes laddoos. Doesn’t get more perfect than that for Indian parents. Inodded my appreciation after tasting the little crumb. “Take more, I have plenty,’ Alia said. She handed mea full laddoo, 3 mins left in chapter 3%‘Delicious,’ I said, taking a bite. ‘They are Kerala’s brown rice laddoos. Not as unhealthy as you think,’ she said. “You are from Kerala?’ my father said. Somehow, he is always deeply interested in people’s hometown or state or religion or caste. “On my mother’s side. My father was a Rajput from Rajasthan. I am an army kid though. Grew up all over India’ My parents’ eyes lit up at the mention of the words Rajput and Rajasthan. [f it were up to them, they would give her a sagan right there. ‘So, you stay with your parents here?’ my mother said. Before Alia could answer, a small girl came running towards her from the play area. ‘Mummyyy,’ she sang and jumped into Alia’s lap. My parents’ faces fell. Their dis- appointed expressions were so funny, you could turn them into memes. I wanted to burst out laughing but controlled myself. “‘T brought the laddoos you like. Would you like one?’ Alia said. The little girl nodded vigorously. ‘Okay, Suhana. Wish everybody first. That’s Rajpurohit uncle and aunty. And that’s their son, Keshav." ‘Good evening, Raj-pulo-hil uncle and aunty. Good evening, Keshav uncle, Suhana said, 2 mins left in chapter 3%I had gone from prospective groom to uncle in five seconds flat. “Hello, beti,' my mother said in a de- flated voice. “This is Suhana, my daughter, Alia said. My father grunted and stood up. He signalled to my mother to get up as well. “T have to arrange dinner. Nice meeting you, Alia beta, Thanks for the laddoos, my mother said. Alia locked surprised at their abrupt departure, “You are welcome, Aunty. I will bring some more Kerala sweets when I make them.’ My mother only smiled in response, ‘Is Daddy home?’ Suhana said. ‘He's on his way. He messaged me;' Alia said. ‘You are coming or not, Lalita?’ my fa- ther said to my mother in a semi-stern voice. I stood up to leave. “Bye, Keshav uncle,’ Suhana said in a cheerful voice. x ‘You should have seen your faces, Ma— both yours and Dad’s,'I said, laughing as 1 put some aloo-matar sabzi on my plate. “What nonsense!’ Ma said. My father didn’t say a word. He just continued to eat. 2 mins left in chapter 3%