‘Another Chance’ by Ahmed Faiyaz: Review

‘Another Chance’ by Ahmed Faiyaz is an engaging work of fiction about the complications

of modern day relationship. The story revolves around a fresh MBA graduate Aditya, his 

meteoric rise to glory early in his career and the way he struggles to juggle his responsibilities

as a manager and a lover. However, if I attempt to glorify his role in what I would call a

‘romantic-thriller’, I would be doing injustice to another protagonist who is probably more

responsible in keeping readers fixated than anyone else: Ruheen, a (some may choose to 

call her ‘spoilt’) lady who grew up under her affluent Nana’s care and attention.

Ruheen is ravishingly beautiful and a heart-throb in college. Of the several guys she goes out

with, Vishal, the son of a minister, turns out to be a violent stalker. And when our protagonist

Adi gets too “close and personal” with Ruhi by some luck, Vishal interferes, more like a villain

from Bollywood, forcing both to find their own ways out of the relationship. Their lives take

their own course in different cities.

One day, Ruhi finds herself drawn to an NRI brat from London in a Delhi club. They get 

married but once in London, she discovers that life is not what she had least expected. Her

husband, Rohan turns out to be a violent drug-and-playstation addict, tormenting her- mentally

and physically while also getting involved in public brawls. She somehow flees to Amsterdam

secretly with help from Rohan’s sister. There, while Adi is on a business trip, she meets him 

and they fall in love all over again! Too much of a coincidence, eh?

They fly back together to India and start living in Mumbai. However, the happiness in their

live-in relationship is marred by Adi’s nature of job; he has to spend long hours in office and

go out on business trips every now and then. Despite Ruhi’s unceasing complaints and Adi

trying hard to strike a work-life balance, he is unable to keep Ruhi out of her loneliness, 

especially during her pregnancy. To make matters worse, their first child dies before birth. 

This leaves a permanent mark in their relationship, each blaming the other for the disaster.

With Nana down with severe illness in Shimla, Ruhi meets a more responsible Varun than 

what she had known him from high-school; she feels attracted to him. On the other hand, 

Malika, a divorcee who is also on a business trip with Adi, tries to seduce him into falling in

love with her- Adi is largely undeterred, with Ruhi still in his dreams. But Ruhi starts to realize

that Adi is too busy with his own career to meet her even on her birthday! Adi, on the other

hand, gets Rohan to divorce Ruhi without legal complications by paying him a lump sum; 

Ruhi is unaware of this. So, she decides to split up with Adi. Adi is shattered but accepts it

gracefully. The author deftly ends the story by letting the readers know if Adi gets a second 

chance, ahead of Varun, who would certainly be wronged if Ruhi decided to marry Adi.

This story is more about heartbreaks than love. At several instances, you’ll feel sorry for Adi,

Ruhi, Varun or all three of them for the turn of events that so adversely affects their relationship.

This story is about managing the problems that come with responsibilities at a young age; about 

setting the right priorities- of career and family. It is also about being given ‘another chance’

to make amends in life. I don’t know how many are that lucky! But if one is, it is equally

important to go all out to grab that hard earned fortune.

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