Mukesh Babu and Party in Dubai, the second book written by film actor Mukesh and published by DC Books, was launched at a function here on Friday. The story is termed by the publishers a "realistic campus novel." All characters in the novel are taken from real life events during the writer's college days. But their names are changed.
The theme is an act of contrition by Mukesh for some of his college-day pranks which had left a scar in the life of a contemporary at college who happens to be a woman. The message is that even though during college days boys may pass off-the-cuff remarks at girls without any intention to harm, some such comments could wound feelings. So playing pranks could be okay, but not ones that would emotionally disturb others.
Mukesh, with a team of film actors, including Mohanlal, arrive in Dubai for a four-day programme in four cities of the Gulf region. On the first day, during the welcome session, he gets a bouquet from a little girl on which there is a small note with an anonymous message of revenge from a woman who happens to be a badly wounded victim of his college day pranks.
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The writer in Mukesh suspects at least five college mates, and goes into flashback recalling the pranks he had played on them. He then tries to convince them and the readers that those pranks had not been intended to cause harm and that he was being badly misunderstood. The novel depicts Mukesh in tension because he is scared that the woman behind the note could spoil any of the remaining three programmes by badly embarrassing or insulting him while the show is in progress.
But then the actual woman behind the note finally appears to be someone whom Mukesh does not remember seeing or teasing. When facts are explained all ends well with both apologising to each other. They than part ...