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Friday 20 September 2019

Lights! Scalpel! Romance!-Jas Kohli

Book: Lights! Scalpel! Romance!
Author: Jas Kohli
Publisher: Rupa Publications

We have all gone to see a doctor some time or the other. What happens behind the scene has always interested us and there is a dearth of TV shows and movies made that show the other side of a doctor’s life.


Lights! Scalpel! Romance! is a witty take on the subject of doctors. Set in the Nirog Hospital in New Delhi, we are introduced to Nipun, a prankster, who is pursuing his Masters of Surgery there, and Nishtha, who is a peer of Nipun in the same course. They are put under the tutelage of Dr. Ujjwal who is a brilliant doctor, but a serial womanizer and the alfa-male of the hospital. Apart from these 3, we meet Dr. Anuroop aka Candy, who is a smooth operator. Put these people in an enclosed environment under stress of being a doctor and what happens next is a roller coaster of emotions, laughter and a pinch of romance. As the book progresses, we are also introduced to Ridhi & Mayur, who are a year junior to Nipun & Nishtha, and Ayana, a friend of Dr. Ujjwal’s cousin. With romantic relationships getting made, getting broken, emergency patient calls and high-pressure situations, we see Nipun, Nishtha, Ridhi & Dr. Ujjwal battling emotions and juggling work and personal life, leading to freaky situations.

The plot of the book is quite straightforward and simple. The setting of the book is described in great detail and one can imagine the scenes as they unfold. The author has kept the complications in the plot to a minimum so that the actual humour of the plot comes out. He has created the scenes beautifully and the transitions are seamless. Be it the witty punchlines by Nipun, or the denials by Nishtha, none of them seem unreal and can be related to very easily. The one-liners at the beginning of each chapter are an interesting addition to the book. The ending of the book is not so conventional and specially the closing line of the book deserves a very special mention.

The characters in the book are wonderful and almost realistic. Be it the sarcastic Nipun, or the wary Nishtha, each of the character has a characteristic flavor and each of them do their role very nicely. The myriad of patients with different ailments create the perfect scenario for the flavor of the characters to come out. Being a doctor himself, he has used his trump card to his advantage and used medical terms liberally, sometimes as puns, which give it a distinct touch.

Lights! Scalpel! Romance! cuts away a 4/5 from my rating board.

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