Girls around town A fun tour of the corporate world

Books for the modern Indian woman are walking the talk. Games Girls Play is the latest addition to the sexy chick lit trend

slut, so she needs to get under the skin of one in the easiest possible way and Natasha is the answer to a prayer of sorts. So the two go out around the town with Siya given a sexy makeover so that she doesn’t cramp Natasha’s style. Siya notes Natasha’s hitting techniques, downs tequila shots and throws up in plant pots to be rescued by the handsome Arjun.

The two aren’t a ‘made for each other’ couple, though Banan tells us Natasha swings both ways and has Siya dreaming about kissing her. Siya can’t bear sluttiness and Natasha’s friends wonder what is she doing with a sterile virgin.

Of course, the burning question is, will Siya lose her virginity? In between, one gets insights into the fact that most Mumbai chicks on the trot look for blonde men who remind them of their favourite Page Three people or are their favourite Page Three people.

In a world where commitment is expressed by not using a condom but taking the pill, Banan takes care to put in a few statutory warnings — people who lead Page Three lives focus on their figures and even make themselves throw up before sleeping with the latest hottie, a la Princess Diana. A slut needs to show that there’s seriousness under her skin and a virgin can’t be a prude when she hits the sack. The best thing to do is aim for balance and realise that, no matter how much fun sexual partners are, good friends are worth having. And of course, since it is chick lit, every girl gets her guy.

Like his hero Sid, Rajeev Tamhankar is a corporate guy who decided to write about the life of an employee in the

corporate world. In his book Get Corporated Before You Get Fired, the first- time author gives an account of the corporate work culture through Sid, whose quick promotion raises a few eyebrows. Rajeev is a 2012 silver medalist from IIT Roorkee and holds a Limca World Record for hand- drawing, with over 140 students and fac-

What led you to writing?

I used to read and write a lot as a kid. I had a collection of over 800 comics! Whenever I watched an interesting cartoon, I tried to jot down the story in my own words. In college, I wrote animation scripts.

The story of Sid — is it from your own experiences? What made you write the book? A character you enjoyed creating most? How did you deal with the anxieties of a first- time writer?

My lead character Sid is someone every corporate employee can relate to. He is ambitious and surrounded by colleagues who want to pull him down. — RAJEEV TAMHANKAR