The Perception Game – Book Review 

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Perhaps The Perception Game was always meant to find its way to Bookish Perceptions.

After all, what is reading if not perception?

We may all read the same words, yet rarely walk away with exactly the same story. We notice different things, connect with different characters and take away completely different meanings. So when I came across a book built around the idea of perception, I couldn’t resist picking it up.

The story revolves around Mahaveer Singh and his family, who are forced to flee their hometown because of riots and eventually land up in Bombay. Among his three sons, Sikander takes centre stage and occupies most of the narrative.

What intrigued me most about him was how can one person possibly be everything at once?

Sikander seemed to have it all name, fame, charisma, intelligence, achievements, connections, influence, creativity and popularity. You name it, and he seemed to have it. Perhaps that is why one of the titles associated with him, “Mukaddar Ka Sikander” feels so fitting.

He had dreams of being a part of the Indian cricket team, but joins his elder brother Amrit in the business because that is what his father wanted. He loved his father immensely and considered him his idol. His family and business were his topmost priorities, with his wife Nona coming after them.

And yet, knowing this, Nona never stopped being his strongest support. She stood by him like a rock whenever he needed her. The chemistry and understanding between them were among the things I admired most in the book.

In Bombay, Sikander meets Fakira, a boy on the streets with whom he develops a close knit friendship. The two start sharing little things. But upon growing up Fakira turns out to be a gangster involved in several illegal activities.

Yet Fakira becomes much more than just an acquaintance. He stands by Sikander during his toughest times. In fact, sometimes more than his own blood brothers. Their friendship is truly one to vouch for.

From a one-room office in Bombay to building the country’s largest entertainment conglomerate with more than 3,000 employees, Sikander builds it all with a passion to make a dent in the universe. Amrit handles the finances while Sikander brings in the clients. From advertising and movies to sports, events and designing, he manages to bring in business from completely different fields.

But Sikander’s vision was not simply about building a successful empire. He wanted to create a universe that was completely transparent and legal.

And despite his larger than life personality and ambitious approach to business, he remained deeply rooted in his faith in Lord Hanuman. During his difficult trial moments, he found strength in chanting the Hanuman Chalisa. I liked this contrast in his personality fearless and practical in the outside world, yet deeply connected to his faith when faced with situations beyond his control.

Handling the Jai Hind Motors account is where I felt I clearly understood the meaning behind the title. While everyone else was focusing on money, the economy and affordability, Sikander chose to look at things differently. He understood the emotional side of the consumer and created the “Dil Ki Dhadkan” campaign, focusing on emotions and family bonds. And that is where Sikander truly played the perception game.

He knew that people don’t always make decisions based purely on numbers. Sometimes, emotions and relationships have a much stronger influence. His ability to see what others were overlooking and present something from a completely different perspective was one of his biggest strengths.

That example, in particular, made the title The Perception Game come alive for me.

It is all fun and games until one fine morning Sikander gets a call from his Dubai office saying that Amrit and two others have been arrested in Dubai on charges of possession and consumption of drugs.

For a man whose family matters most to him, there is no question of simply standing by. He goes to Dubai determined to get his brother set free at any cost. He uses all his influence, contacts, friends and whatever resources he can, but his efforts seem to be in vain in the face of the country’s strict laws. From here, the story moves back and forth between Sikander’s quest to set Amrit free and the story of how he continues to bring in all kinds of business and clients from different fields advertising, movies, sports, events and designing.

Whether the three committed the crime or were framed keeps the narrative developing in an interesting manner. I was keenly invested in discovering who could be behind it. At one point, I even felt it could be Fakira, considering his past rivalry with Amrit. But the twists and turns kept changing my perception and made it even more worth finding out.

The book is huge more than 400 pages but not once did I feel like it was dragging. The story kept progressing at its own pace, and I was reading it as though I had all the time in the world to finish it. The only thing that distracted me were my responsibilities otherwise, I never wanted to let it go. The chapters are short and sweet, with each one covering a different incident. That kept the narrative moving and made such a long book surprisingly easy to get through.

Throughout the book, I kept feeling that this could become a good script for a movie because it has it all family drama, politics, entertainment, friendships, business, an underworld setup, mystery and a personality like Sikander who is charming, creative, fearless and emotional, yet practical too. His relationships, ambition, faith and ability to look at things differently make him an interesting protagonist to follow.

And perhaps that is what I enjoyed most about the book. It isn’t just about the rise of a businessman or the mystery surrounding a criminal case. It is about people, relationships, ambition, perception and the choices we make when everything we have built is put to the test.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway for me was that perception can change everything.

We can all look at the same situation and see something completely different. Sikander’s ability to look beyond the obvious, understand what others missed and present an idea from a completely different angle is what makes the title so apt.

And perhaps that is the real Perception Game not changing what is in front of you, but changing the way you see it.

A sprawling, engaging story of family, friendship, ambition, business, faith, crime and, above all, perception.