Book Review: Red Card by Kautuk Srivastava

Qoute: 'Does anyone know the difference between confidence and arrogance'Nobody said a word because everyone rightly recognized this to be a rhetorical question.'My coach Ramdin Sir used to tell us confidence means showing up and believing you will win. Arrogance is believing you will win because he showed up,' answered the coach.

Welcome to the toughest part of an Indian student's life, the boards. Rishabh Bala has entered that horrific year with love for football and puppy love for Tamanna. A dependable player who is best friends with the care fee Puro the football team captain.

Set in 2006, opens with the infamous Zidane red card in the world cup final, this is a sweet story of growing up and not figuring out what you want, but growing up and respecting what you care enough in the present.

Rishabh wants to win one trophy with his buddies before the end of the year. But the tutorials and parents crazed by ghosts of boards exams are not helping. When you are fifteen and a boy, life is definitely complicated with heartburn.

Loved the clarity and freshness of language. The puns and funny snippet commentary on future of characters made the story relatable. The tournament at the end of the year, is not the end of story for them. They grew up, are working, are dating and they too are looking back to this moment: a smart narrative use.

Mehfooz Noorani stole the show for me, he is so passionate yet restrained. The dialogues and accents attributed to teachers were illustrative, we all have met an old kind but tired teacher like Miss Kaul or a bipolar teacher like Miss Bhode.

Tamanna and Barkha were nice foil to immature Rishabh and his gangs. I wish there was more of the lovely girls in the story. I appreciate how Rishabh humbles down and learns to respect, learns from kids who can't afford the costly boots but enjoy the game of football for its sake.

This book is little trip down the nostalgia lane, for the generation that grew up without mobile phones, social media. But used CDs to share music and not so innocent cinemas. And knew few bands: Linkin Park and it's only song Numb.

And did theatres play National Anthem in 2006?

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