A humorous and witty take on the darker side of the capital city's 'Page 3' life synonymous with thumping music, designer labels, swarming socialites, flowing wine, fancy cocktails forms the plot of debutant author Anita Kumar's fictional work "Delhi: Anything Goes."
Launched here recently, the book published by OM Books International, revolves around four friends, who grow up in Delhi in the 1970s and 80s before moving to different continents.
Decades later they reunite in the capital, with its every changing landscape. It deals with the fast altering canvas of Delhi high society with many serious challenges and threats to its age-old values.
The protagonist of Kumar's book, Reema is the only one who stays behind in the city of their shared past, Delhi, is bitten by the party scene bug.
When her friends Zoya and Natasha return, they can see the changed canvas of Delhi and they are quite appalled, because they think this is not what life is.
The book moves from Reema's friends witnessing the sea of change in her to waking her up to the dying, decaying values of Delhi and also her self- destructive ways.
"I wanted to write something humorous, something light hearted something that would make people smile. The imagery and the visuals of Page 3 Delhi High Society, really did come alive and they were as clear as day. It took me seven weeks time, writing day and night," says Kumar, who has in the past been a regular 'Page 3' girl.
Filmmaker Deepa Mehta, who launched the book, feels that the book is not only easily accessible but also moving. It throws away all preconceptions out of the window.
"It breaks preconceptions about gender, so called 'developing countries' and newly acquired wealth. Simultaneously it throws into relief emerging India, is disparity and its so called privilege people teetering at the edge of an abyss.
"All this, Anita does with irony and dark humour. Filled with disquieting, funny images, situations, this is a must read," says the critically acclaimed award-winning film maker.
