Unstoppable | Meena Chabbria | Book Review

Book review of Unstoppable: Only When You Become A Villain, You’ll Become A Hero by Meena Chabbria

You know life is a complex vortex of chaos, and yet what if one chooses to ignore the negative curve balls and proceed forth with such resilience that even haters begin to give you only love and reverence? Yes, Unstoppable: Only When You Become A Villain, You’ll Become A Hero by Meena Chabbria is a tale of such bravery, of taking the bull called life, by its horns, turning it around to address your favour and success.

When you feel everything is over, that is the moment when the most interesting part of your life starts.

Yes, indeed, life, despite being the crux of strange curve balls, can make us wonder about its intricacies and intensities. One might have a hundred difficulties, but the minute you start fighting them, shedding off inhibitions, and facing them head-on, you will realize that yes, inside all of us, lives that warrior, who knows how to worm his way out of the toughest of situations.

What caused me to discuss these facts of life today in such a manner? Well, Unstoppable: Only When You Become a Villain, You’ll Become a Hero by Meena Chabbria, is a memoir that has made me fathom the depth of resilience and the core strength that can take an individual to the next level. An emulation and articulation of the life happenings of Meena Chabbria, current head of Sales for PVR cinemas in South India and Sri Lanka, this is one smashing memoir, TBH. Yes, a countenance of a simple enough journey(albeit not simple, in its pure form, I’d say) decodes her entire journey from being suicidal to actually becoming a career coach, not only has she come a long way as an individual, she indeed has narrated how she has made herself a ‘S’hero in her own eyes and also in the industry she works in. Yes, I want to do well, Meena, said my mind after reading this one!

We have read stories that spell “Never say die”. But having been a part of Meena’s life musings, I must admit I am stunned beyond words. She has managed to prove many of my preset mindsets wrong. Indeed, the biggest learning from her memoir for me was that -Yes, I am in no way less valuable, I should also stop letting people trample upon me all over every time I want to try and be nice to them. It was true when she suggested we stop evaluating ourselves at every single stage in life.

I mean, there was so much in there, happening at every juncture in life, that it was hard not to pause and wonder how she would be able to fight this particular situation successfully, managing to rise above it like a phoenix every time. But here was Meena, as hard as a pack of nails, as resilient as ever, refusing to give up, despite having shown symptoms to the contrary.

Take any point in her life, for instance. Be it her growing years, her marriage (which her mother was always somehow averse to), or the entire camaraderie she has shared between her and her mother-in-law too, she has always fought over the situation, coming out shining stronger than ever.

I liked how, despite the troubled times she had to face, she was quite forgiving, especially when her Mother-In-Law contracted Cancer and succumbed to it. Yes, we all have a humane, compassionate, and accommodating side to us, which comes out in times like these. Yet, I strongly feel it would have been better not to be so understanding then. And yet, as I write this, I am deeply guilty about having been harsh and want to retract. I also want to give a shoutout here to Meena for having understood and shown empathy and kindness to her at such a point. It is not easy, even though one may say that at such a time one must be considerate. With the kind of behaviour that had been meted out to her, especially before and during the birth of Prarathana, Meena’s daughter, it must have been tough for Meena. It was indeed, a life-changing read, this one.

Her professional journey, too, is more than awe-inspiring. From starting as a teacher to a “non-dancer” admin staff member at Shiamak Davar’s institute, it was never easy for Meena to blend in and start afresh at places that were possibly alien to her. With two kids, Vinay and Prarathana, having also been separated from her husband, this new lease of life was daunting, overwhelming, and super challenging, and yet there was Meena, a warrior to the truest end, climbing the ladder of success and power despite being new in every instance.

Do you know what I loved and took away as solid advice from one of her giveaways in this one? That power is not about showing authority over people, it is rather about taking responsibility. If you can prove that you can deliver, that is power. Power is also about letting people know that they cannot take you for granted and make fun of you later.

Her journey, her days at INOX, and her career shifts were not only inspirational from the point of view of reading but were immersive as well as enlightening. I must confess I shed a tear or two when I read about her dad, how he was the hero who made her the “Shero” she is today with his unflinching support, pushing her away from himself, during the last few hours of his life. Yes, our parents know when to hit that “STOP” button and push us away, as they very well fathom when they have to cut off that “cord”, releasing us in the oblivion called the “world”, leaving us to fend for ourselves alone without their unconditional, staunch support.

Oh, I guess I got a little emotional, didn’t I? Anyways, her trysts at work, her religious inclinations, her whole persona, and the way she has narrated this one have been much more than an inspiring read. Yes, Meena, like you, I too am connected to Kedarnath and have immense faith in the Lord. With her eventual transcendence to becoming a women’s transformational coach, this lady has never looked back in life.

Even in the difficult times of the pandemic, she used her time wisely by getting educated at ULCA, IIM, ISB, and MICA. Having come such a long way, this doting single mother of two, a “PVR Don,” as she is fondly addressed (being the head of sales for South India as well as Sri Lanka), this champ who is now on a mission to empower 1 lakh women to become global leaders, I am proud to have had a chance to read her experiences and would love to take the opportunity to ask all to grab a copy and delve into the same. Go for it, guys, if you want to see life up close, drinking in its pain and intensity. A superb read.

So, I hope you guys liked my thoughts on this one. Stay tuned with us right here at Booxoul for the best in the fields of entertainment, lifestyle, food, fun, finance, fashion, tech, and gadgets, as well as all things bookish.

Adios Amigos!

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