Abstract

The emergence of popular fiction has significantly transformed the landscape of Indian English literature during the twenty-firstcentury. Among contemporary Indian writers, Chetan Bhagat occupies a unique position as an author whose works havereached millions of readers across diverse social and educational backgrounds. Despite his immense commercial success,Bhagat's literary contribution remains a subject of debate, with critics often questioning the artistic merit of his accessiblelanguage and market-oriented narratives. This article reassesses Bhagat's contribution to Indian English literature through theinterconnected concepts of cultural capital, readability, and popular fiction. Drawing upon Pierre Bourdieu's theory of culturalcapital, the study examines how literary value is often shaped by institutional recognition and cultural hierarchies rather thanreadership alone. The article argues that Bhagat has played a significant role in expanding the readership of Indian Englishfiction by making literature accessible to first-generation English readers and emerging middle-class audiences. Through ananalysis of selected novels, including Five Point Someone, The 3 Mistakes of My Life, 2 States, and Revolution 2020, the studyexplores themes such as educational pressure, social mobility, middle-class aspirations, family expectations, and youth culture.The article further evaluates Bhagat's narrative techniques and readability as forms of literary democratization that challengeconventional distinctions between popular and canonical literature. By reassessing his position within contemporary Indianliterary culture, the paper contends that Bhagat's significance extends beyond commercial success and lies in his ability toreshape reading practices, broaden literary participation, and reflect the social realities of post-liberalization India.