Abhijit Bhaduri’s Married but Available takes off from where his first novel, Mediocre But Available ends with the protagonist Abbey completing his Management studies and heading towards the corporate world. This, however, is not a sequel, Bhaduri explains in the beginning, but the second book in a series. As such you don’t have to read the first to understand the second.Though the title of the book may suggest otherwise, Married But Available, is the tame story of Abbey’s professional as well as personal experiences as a freshly minted MBA. Bhaduri’s explanation of the interesting circumstances under which the book was named, sets the tone of the book.
Straight, unpretentious, fast-paced and liberally sprinkled with wit and humour, the book takes you through Abbey’s first job at Balwanpur Industries in a small township. Despite being an average student when in college, Abbey is a keen observer and quick learner and manages his professional life with great panache. It is his personal life that is in a shambles though, having married for lust rather than love. This, not surprisingly short circuits his marriage. His patch up with his old love soon after the break up of his marriage seems contrived and therefore a little jarring. It is almost as if the character Abbey cannot do without a woman in his life. Barring a few such exceptions, the story has a natural flow.In the beginning Abbey suffers from a feeling of inferiority because everybody he knows has climbed up the corporate ladder higher and faster than him while he is stuck in small town Balwanpur.
Even when a requested transfer to Delhi is granted it does nothing to salvage his pride. It is only when he realizes that his job, the basis of his existence, the very foundation on which his self respect rests, is threatened that Abbey truly comes into his own. It is as if at the end of it all Abbey matures with his unique experiences. 
Bhaduri’s considerable experience as a HR professional has come in handy in resolution of tricky conflicts in the book. Despite the limitations of the genre that allows but sketchy characterization, some of the characters stay with you even after the book is read. Rascal Rusty with his out-of-the box pearls of wisdom, Captain Sobti with his sage perspicacity and Father Hathaway with his benevolent advice. Then there’s loony Keya, spoilt Ayesha and trade union leader Arai.
A thoroughly enjoyable book for a lazy Sunday reading. You may however be left with this vague feeling that this is more of a guy’s book rather than a gal’s. If writings of women about and for women that are also read by men are called Chick Lit, what would writings of men about and for men that are also read by women be called?In a way, Abhijit Bhaduri and his ilk may have spawned this new genre of Indian fiction. Can we call it Guy Lit for want of a better term?Read the article by Veena Pradeep online http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jan252009/books20090124114403.asp
