Chetan Bhagat outside his Bandra office, ahead of the release of his new novel, the first in which he is narrating the story from a woman’s perspective. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

It's a crazy work day at author Chetan Bhagat’s Pali Hill office. We catch him in the thick of a meeting with his all-woman team, where a frenzied discussion is on about his new release, One Indian Girl. Cardboard boxes bearing the weight of fresh copies of the new book, which soon — and to the displeasure of many — will be wiped clean off shelves, lie around the office space. Bhagat joins us immediately after the chat and, for some reason, appears bummed out. He’s had a tight week, having just returned from the shoot of Half Girlfriend — a film based on his last novel — in the US. Back in Mumbai, he’s already tied up with the promotions of his book. No breather, we think. But, appears it’s not the only reason. “You must have heard,” he asks.