A Socio-psychological Study of Chetan Bhagat’s Novel One Indian Girl

Abstract

The present paper is an attempt to study Chetan Bhagat’s novel One Indian Girl from socio-psychological perspective to understand a paradigm shift in Indian Women’s behaviour.

Chetan Bhagat’s novel One Indian Girl presents a female’s inner psyche - her desires and storm raging inside her mind and ready to erupt and explode at even the slightest prick. Radhika Mehta cogitates a city girl who is a strong supporter of feminist ideology but she has to confront the pre-decided norms of Indian society which have been set under patriarchal society due to which she undergoes various types of psychological pressures and agonies. This story is primarily about Radhika, the protagonist, showcasing the different aspects of a contemporary Indian woman. Radhika's social status affects society to such a large extent that she becomes an easy target of many known or unknown situations which aggravates her unfulfilled desires of not getting physical love and appreciation. Radhika's unfulfilled desires take their origin in the discrimination meted to her in her childhood and youth. It is a first-person narrative by the protagonist whose inner voice (named 'Mini-me') always expresses her inner emotions and the psychological conflicts going on in her mind.

This study shows that contemporary Indian Women are not emotionally weak, dependent, indecisive, and irresolute but tenacious, assertive, determined, aggressive, unconquerable and least concerned about any social norms and ethos. They have learnt not only to respond but also react too judiciously. This signals a radical transformation in Modern Indian Women.