Boyfriend

OneSaturdaymorninginlate1992,Yudi,afortysomethinggayjournalist,picksupanineteen-year-oldDalitboyintheChurchgateloo.Afterhurriedsex,hegetsridoftheboy,afraidthathemaybeahustler.Thereisnothingtosetthisbriefencounterapartfromnumerousothers,andYudireturnstohisbachelor'sflatandsexwithstrangers.Monthspass.ButwhenriotsbreakoutinMumbai,YudifindshimselfworryingabouttheboyfromChurchgatestation.Heisinlove.Chancebringsthetwotogetheragain,andthistimetheyspendaweekasamarriedcoupleinYudi'sflat,takeaholiday,andmeetforbeereveryFriday,tilltheboy,MilindMahadik,disappears(hehasbeenhiredbyamodelling-cum-call-boyagencyownedbytheBollywoodstarAjayKapur,aclosetbisexual).Desolate,Yudifindssolaceinthecompanyofthemiddle-agedpainterGauri,ahighly-strungwomanmadlyinlovewithhim,whoseadvanceshehasconsistentlyrejected.WhenMilindresurfaces,itisonlytomarryagirlchosenbyhisparents,forhehashaditwithYudiandhiskind.Yudiisheartbroken.Butallisnotlost:instraitenedcircumstancesaftermarriage,Milindpayshisgentlemanfriendavisitandstaysthenight.Henceforth,mutualneed-Yudi'sforloveandMilind'sformoney-willkeepbringingthemtogether.Inthefinalanalysis,asYuditellsGauri-nowthemistressofanageingbusinessman-everythingworksout,and'lifeisbeautiful'.Inhisfirstnovel,R.RajRaobringsusatragi-comiclovestoryfromthejumbledupheartofMumbai.