I told you I was going to be busy over the weekends reading books. I just finished this corporate drama called 60 Minutes by best-selling author Upendra Namburi. Now isn’t the title itself intriguing?? That itself got me excited for this book. I like fast books. Anyways let’s see how this one was.
The Story
As I told you it’s a corporate drama and the story line starts at Mumbai at one of the biggest FMCG office BCL. (No guesses for which one it is really). So there is this new and important product launch for their latest detergent. The Chief Marketing Officer Agastya is all geared up for it and co-ordinating between their Global head and the head honchos. Just before the press conference he finds out their arch rival and competition Stark is launching a similar product the very next day at a lower price.
All hell breaks loose on the sales and marketing team at BCL. To add to it, Agastya has Maithili, his flame, demanding for merely some 15 crores, failing which she would expose about their affair and escapades (read sexcapades) to his wife Nandita. Now Agastya has 60 minutes to save both his marriage and his high profile job. Maithili, stung with betrayal seeks revenge and wants to turn Agastya’s world upside down both financially and emotionally. She has 60 minutes in hands for it. What will Agastya do? Will he succumb to the crisis or come out? What does one do when your job, assets, marriage are at stake?
All hell breaks loose on the sales and marketing team at BCL. To add to it, Agastya has Maithili, his flame, demanding for merely some 15 crores, failing which she would expose about their affair and escapades (read sexcapades) to his wife Nandita. Now Agastya has 60 minutes to save both his marriage and his high profile job. Maithili, stung with betrayal seeks revenge and wants to turn Agastya’s world upside down both financially and emotionally. She has 60 minutes in hands for it. What will Agastya do? Will he succumb to the crisis or come out? What does one do when your job, assets, marriage are at stake?
My Thoughts
This book is a roller coaster ride. From the pressures of product launch and crisis management at crucial moment to an illicit affair and a breaking marriage, it offers quite a gamut of emotions and rush. Being in an FMCG sales and marketing division myself I totally could resonate with the rush of a product launch and the trouble that a competition product can pose on the day of a product launch. I thought it was a little too detailed though.
Everything is fair in love and war and these days it’s not always ethics or morals that matter. Now coming to the title 60 Minutes I thought the entire story line would be within a span of 60 minutes, but it’s not quite that. It goes into flash back often without any order that too. Maithili is the woman with the enigma. I quite liked how she meets Agastya at Geoffrey’s and how they go in for a crazy drive in their cars. I somehow quite liked Maithili!!!
Now if you are quite aware of the FMCG situation in India then you would know this is a typical case of HUL & P&G fighting it out in the middle with below the belt punches. It’s nice how you weave a story around it. Well, some places I thought it got dragged but otherwise it a nice breezy read.
About the Author
As you would have guessed already Upendra Namburi is an ex corporate guy who has now taken up the pen. His debut novel 31 was a bestseller. He has done a good job to weave a story around the mean corporate world. You can read more about him here.
My Rating – 3 out of 5. It a nice weekend read.
| BOOK DETAILS | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Westland |
| Publication Year | 2014 June |
| ISBN-13 | 9789384030247 |
| ISBN-10 | 9384030244 |
| Language | English |
| Edition | 1st |
| Binding | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | 372 Pages |
| Price | 350/- |
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12 comments
Good one! Our thoughts kind of match. I too gave the book a 3/5. Here is my review :http://happinessandfood.wordpress.com/2014/09/08/60-minutes-a-book-review/
Parul
Looks interesting. So more reviews expected from you from your weekend reading, right? 🙂
Thanks for dropping by Parul
This is what I read over the weekend… but surely more reviews will be coming up here
Hmmm…seems interesting…corporate affairs! 😉
Wow, you are generous. This was one of the worst books I have ever read!
ohh I have read books which are worse… its better than them.
Sounds like an intriguing book with the 60 minutes premise and the corporate setting. You described it very well. Fun to hear about books from India which are similar to North America and yet different.
http://cattitudeandgratitude.blogspot.ca/2014/09/resilience.html
Sounds like an interesting book, Tina! I enjoy reading contemporary fiction and this one sounds like a good read! I remember BlogAdda had the book up for review but didn't apply 🙂
Sounds great!! I am so looking forward to read this one. I missed reading the author's earlier book, 31 too!
I second Soumya :p 😀
I read the 8 Hours and the story of that book is similar to this one