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Book Review: When The Chief Fell in Love By Tuhin A Sinha

Title: When The Chief Fell In Love


Author: Tuhin A Sinha


Publisher: Finger Print Publishers


Genre: Romance, Political Fiction


First Publication: 2018


Language: English


Setting Place: Kashmir, New Delhi and Mumbai in India; Cancun in Mexico.


Protagonist: Vihaan Shastri, Zaira Bhat


Major Characters: Vihaan Shastri, Zaira Bhat, Mahesh Rana, Bilal Mohammed Bhat, Aziz Hussain


Theme: Romance, Passion, Politics


Narrator: Vihaan Shastri and Zaira Bhat, The story is told in first person through Vihaan’s eyes except One chapter which is narrated by Zaira Bhat’s Point of View.



Book Summary | When The Chief Fell In Love

Vihaan Shastri, India’s young and dynamic Defence Minister, comes under attack when 20 soldiers are killed during a terrorist strike at an army camp in Kashmir. With the whole country seething with rage and thirsting for revenge, and the government depending on him to resolve the crisis, Vihaan finds himself battling a strange distraction: Zaira Bhat, the only woman he has truly loved, is back in his life, after 12 long years. In a chequered relationship which began with a love affair in 1990, and which had the two love and lose each other twice at different stages of life, Vihaan and Zaira now find themselves in an extraordinary situation. While Vihaan is the defence minister of the country, Zaira is the daughter of Kashmir’s leading, and most wanted, pro-Pakistan separatist leader, Bilal Mohammad Bhat.



Character List | When The Chief Fell In Love

Vihaan Shastri: India’s youngest Defense Minister and male protagonist of the Book.


Zaira Bhat: Vihaan’s Love Interest, a successful author and female protagonist of the story.


Bilal Mohammed Bhat: Zaira’s father, a leading Carpet dealer in Srinagar, who later became most wanted pro-Pakistan separatist leader.


Catherine: Zaira’s Mother, a British lady and Bilal’s first wife who divorced him.


Ritu: Vihaan’s Wife and a Financial Analyst.


Tia: Vihaan’s 16 year daughter from his Ex-wife Ritu.


Aziz Hussain: A young, dashing IFS officer whom Zaira first met by Bilal’s suggestion and marries after six month they first met.


Mahesh Rana: Vihaan’s Personal Secretary.


Madhab: Vihaan’s Assistant Personal Secretary.


Vaibhav Patel: Indian Prime Minister.


Siddharth Gupta: The Home Minister of India.


Suraj: Vihaan’s friend and Roommate at Hindu College, Delhi University.


Ruchi: A junior girl from Vihaan’s School in Benaras.


Renu: Zaira’s friend at Indraprastha College


Yash Pandit: Zaira’s past love interest, A Kashmiri Pandit, who killed by separatist.


Noor: Bilal’s Second Wife, only three years older than Zaira.


Imran: Bilal’s son from second wife Noor, Zaira’s Step brother.


Masood: One of the party worker in Srinagar and owner of the apple store in Lal Chowk.


Pranav Goswami: A journalist in leading News Channel in India.



Book Review | When The Chief Fell In Love

When The Chief Fell In Love began with Vihaan studying in Hindu College, New Delhi in 1990. He first saw Zaira Bhat, who studies in Indraprastha College, at poetry competition of College Festival and immediately fall in love. It was love at first site and one-sided. Zaira wasn’t ready to accept Vihaan as her love interest. They became friends later. Then circumstance changes and Zaira also fell in love with Vihaan.


As the setting of first part of book takes shape in 1990 and you’ll witness the romance in that era when there is no electronic media or social media, long before mobile phones. And also you’ll see the beginning of Kashmir disputes which was just born.


First they became friends then fell in love with each other, and then departs because of some dark past of Zaira. After twelve years their paths crossed again under different circumferences in cancun, Mexico. Zaira is now married to Aziz Hussain, an IFS officer and Vihaan is married to Ritu, a Financial Analyst. Zaira is now a published author while Vihaan is journalist and about to enter in politics. Some misunderstandings caused by media during election, they departs again. Then again they meet when Zaira is launching her next book and Vihaan is now a Defense Minister of India. They meet, they depart, They meet again and again they depart.



Tuhin, the author, had set a lot of obstacles to let the lovers unite till the end. Sometime a dark past, sometime a misunderstanding, and next time again bloody connection with terrorism. No matter how hard they tried to be together but each time there is a stumbling block in their way. The story is about romance between two young people with the back drop of Kashmir issues and Political affairs. Apart from romance the plot has Kashmir issues, How it began back in late 80’s and how bigger it is today. Author Tuhin Sinha tries to give a solution to this never-ending issue through Vihaan and Zaira.


Overall this book is good, fast paced, engaging romance story blended with politics and  Kashmir problems from beginning  and possible solution.





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