 "Firstpost at JLF 2026- EXCLUSIVE | Netflix's 'Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives' actor Shalini Passi on her book 'The Art of Being Fabulous': 'It'll make you think about...'")
The Jaipur Literature Festival has been an integral part of the Pink City for more than a decade where art meets culture meets entertainment meets insight meets knowledge. People from all over the country travel to Jaipur to immerse themselves in the culture that unfolds over period of 3-4 days.
There are panels, discussions, debates, interviews, and so much more that people carry nothing back but fond memories and experiences. And the 2026 edition also happens to be a memorable one. This time too, the venue shall be Hotel Clarks Amer.
And in an exclusive interview with Firstpost, Netflix’s ‘ Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives ’ actor Shalini Passi spoke about her book The Art of Being Fabulous, where the idea came from, and her expectations from this year’s festival.
Edited excerpts from the interview
Tell me about your book.
My book is titled, The Art of Being Fabulous, by Penguin Random House. And it’s a fun read. It’s got ten points for a beautiful life. It’ll make you think about things that happened to you and why they happened, because… they’re little stories and every chapter can be read on its own. You don’t have to read sequentially.
Is there any particular chapter which is your favorite?
The one with my grandparents would be the most favorite. I’ve spoken a lot about them.
What inspired you to write on The Art of Being Fabulous?
Post the success of the series, there was a lot of interest. I went all over India and Middle East, giving lots of talks to women and many different organisations. They asked me about “How did you do it?” And it was over Instagram to send anecdotes, or it sort of felt that was too much information. So I decided to put it in a book, and Penguin was very keen that this happens. It just happened.
So what is art according to you?
Art is in everything. Of course, in architecture, in fashion. Art is also in writing. Art is also like a visual depiction of our times. Art is also an expression. It is very therapeutic as well. It also binds people, because what I’ve seen is, even if you don’t understand the language, and people from around the world or different communities or different regions, people speak different languages, can communicate through artwork.
When do we get to see you on screen again?
Well, I took a break to write this book, and I couldn’t even disclose that I was doing this because I told Penguin ‘Let’s see how this works out.’ They loved it. I took a break from shooting to focus on this.
You’re at the Jaipur Literature Festival . What are your expectations?
First of all, I’m honored that they have invited me here as a speaker and for my book launch. And it’s really important. It is one of the most important literature festivals around the world. Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting few other writers. For me, my strong point has been visual and not words. My expectations are to meet more people from this profession. I hope the writers like my book. I have presented my book to Ashwin Sanghi and he has really loved it.
Lachmi Deb Roy is the Entertainment Editor of Firstpost, Network18. She reviews films and series with a gender lens. She is a 'Rotten Tomatoes' certified critic. Her interviews are called 'Not Just Bollywood' because she takes a huge interest in world cinema. She has been the winner of the prestigious Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity for two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. OTT over theatrical releases is her preference unless and until it's a King Khan film. She takes interest in fashion, food and art reviews too.