R.I.P by Mukul Deva

Title : R.I.P
Author : Mukul Deva
Genre : Thriller / Fiction
Publisher : Westland Books
Pages : 298
My Rating : 8.5/10
Reviewed For : Blogadda

Blurb:

R.I.P. The Resurgent Indian Patriots. Self- appointed guardians of a nation seething with anger at the endless scams and scandals rocking its very foundation. Vigilantes who vow to stop corrupt politicians and colluding civil servants. Even if it means killing them.

Colonel Krishna Athawale and his team of Special Forces officers rally to protect the country from the enemy within. They call themselves the K-Team. And no one is safe from their deadly intent. Hell-bent on stopping them is Raghav Bhagat, rogue para commando, gun for hire and Krishna’s bête noir. Caught in the crossfire is Vinod Bedi, Special Director CBI. Reena Bhagat, a glamorous news anchor, embittered by her husband’s betrayal. And two young boys, Sachin and Azaan, torn apart by the loss of a parent. It doesn’t get bigger.

My Review :

They say that an enemy within the country is far more dangerous than the one sitting outside it. And this is what exactly India is facing today. People meant to take the country on the path of development are manipulating the common man’s wealth & the country resources instead. This novel brings out the sentiments of one such Indian (the author) who like most of us is angered by the turn of events taking place in our country & the mute spectators doing nothing to change it.

When I first read the blurb for RIP, the first thought that came to my mind was “League of Shadows”. To non-lovers of Batman series, League of Shadows is a collective of vigilantes who lead the path to true justice by taking on the criminals themselves. The K-Team here from RIP is something on the same lines!!

Amongst the various Indian thrillers being penned down, this book stands out from the rest, starting from the title to its cover to its plot. The title RIP  is an acronym for The Resurgent Indian Patriots who are a group of vigilantes who won’t think twice before assassinating a corrupt politician. On the cover page, what stands out the most are various elements of warfare - a soldier carrying a gun, a syringe, a bullet & an explosion!! Coming to the plot, this one is a fast paced action-packed punch which kick-starts with 3 high profile murders (here we go…….) & a promise for more assassinations if the political scum is not cleared!!

These assassinations are carried out by the K-Team which is a team of 6 Special Forces ex-officers lead by Colonel Krishna Athawale. In case you are wondering if the “K” factor of the team is inspired by Ekta Kapoor, the answer is no. The K-Team is named so because the names of all of its 6 members start with K (too much of a coincidence, I say!!). The origin of K-team lies in the fact that India as country has become the leading name in the arena of Corruption. Exploited endlessly by the politicians to the point that every day a fresh new scam is discovered, the K-team decide to take matter in their own hands to purge the system. Naturally, there are roadblocks which the K-team encounters. One of them is in the form of an official enquiry carried out by CBI Assistant director Vinod Bedi. And another is in the form of one of the most corrupt politician’s marionette, an ex-army man gone rogue – Raghav. So here is a plot that is at its crispiest & has some shades of Bollywood style masala.

Honestly speaking, this was my first Mukul Deva novel & I wasn’t expecting much but this one does manage rock your world. The most important feature of a thriller is its capacity to keep the reader on the edge & Mukul Deva gives you just that!! Also, the author’s army background is starkly evident in this read as the author dextrously combines his knowledge & creativity with military precision (literally!!). The book has a motley of characters via whom the author brings to fore the most basic of human traits which drive the human mind & the complexities that tag with each of these emotions. However, the most salient feature of this read is that it will strike a chord with every Indian reading this book. Mukul Deva has written in a way that arouses the otherwise dormant patriotism in each one of us & bring out the rebellion. Although the author has put a disclaimer that the book is entirely a fictional work, the readers will find the characters & the various scams described in the book familiar. I thought this was one book that seamlessly kept oscillating between fiction & reality.

This is a simple read with a fast paced plot. However, the pace does slacken a bit at a few places.  The plot could have been more tighter & relatable had not the author adopted the Bollywood style conclusion. This does tend to make the plot a teeny bit fantastical instead of keeping it grounded. All in all, a read that offers radical ideas.

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