Never Mind Yaar, a debut novel by K. Mathur, is a compelling exploration of the challenges on the one hand and the comfort and reassurance on the other, of growing up in the cultural, political and bewildering mosaic that is Mumbai.
The title, according to Ms Mathur is an attitude – our tendency to feel defeated by the scale and nature of certain problems, give up and move on with a sigh and a “Never Mind”. Yaar simply means friend or pal or bro in India.
The year is 1999. Louella and Binaifer, friends since school, are overjoyed to discover they’ve enrolled for the same degree at Gyan Shakti College, gyan for knowledge and shakti for strength. The college is on the outskirts of Mumbai. On the very first day they meet and become firm friends with Shalini. The three are from different ethnic backgrounds, Christian, Parsi and Hindu. Even the languages they speak at home are different so the three communicate in Mumbai’s lingua franca, English.
On that first day, they also come across the obnoxious clerk, Jayaram.
“Jayaram disliked students, tolerating their very presence at the college with grim determination. He found their exuberance loud and brash, unless they were quiet, when he labelled them dumb.”
Perhaps Dr. Naakwa, the astute principal is more worthy of their respect. How does he handle the situation when he realizes that a series of synchronized bomb blasts and the communal violence in the aftermath have really affected the morale of his students? Does he shrug and get on with his lecture – it isn’t his problem? Or does he attempt words of healing to prevent the incident from exacerbating into long term hatred and more violence? Why do the three girls think they and the secular minded Indians are to blame as much for the carnage as the communal or racist Indians?
To complicate matters, Shalini’s grandmother, a formidable matriarch, wants Shalini (Shali) to marry a space-scientist from Sriharikota.
Shali is attracted to fellow student, Bhagu. Knowing how hopeless her case is, she ignores the messages from her heart. And his. But she has Binaifer (Binny) and Louella (Lou) to contend with. The unlikely cupids are in love too. With love. They’ve decided Bhagu is perfect for Shali.
Will Shali succumb to her grandma’s will? Or will love, aided and abetted by Binny and Lou, triumph?
In a seemingly unrelated incident Dr.Naakwa, discovers that Chacha who runs the college cafeteria is also the local slumlord.
The villain, grandmother, Shalini’s parents, her uproarious friends and Dr.Nakwaa, the principal through decisions they make propel “Never Mind Yaar” towards a decisive, unforgettable and surprising finish.
