Shalini Passi’s ‘The Art of Being Fabulous’ explores the work behind living beautifully

Ever since socialite, philanthropist and creation patron Shalini Passi appeared on Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives connected Netflix successful 2024, she has go thing of a societal media sensation — celebrated for her nonchalant cognition and maximal sartorial choices. Her crisp one-liners specified arsenic “I similar things much than people” and “I don’t clasp grudges, it affects my skin” rapidly went viral, with galore applauding her candour. 

But what looks effortless connected surface has taken time. Shalini admits she didn’t simply aftermath up 1 time feeling immune to extracurricular noise. Over the years, she realised that the opinions that unsettled her the astir were often astir things she could not power anyway. “That’s erstwhile I kept returning to integrity, the consistency betwixt my values and my actions,” she says. “If I americium intentional astir my work, my collaborations, the causes I enactment — that becomes my anchor. When the outer communicative shifts, arsenic it ever does, I’m little affected by it.”

This benignant of interior work, she notes, is seldom disposable down the glamour. Her determination into penning came erstwhile younger women began reaching retired to her, wanting to speech astir confidence, unit and expectations. “I realised that the experiences I’d lived done — the fragile ones arsenic overmuch arsenic the empowering ones —might really beryllium worthy sharing. That’s however The Art of Being Fabulous came to life,” she says of her debut book, published by Penguin Random House India, which focusses connected mindful surviving and idiosyncratic growth.

At the unveiling of her memoir astatine The Leela Palace, New Delhi, Shalini — dressed successful a customized saree from decorator Ashdeen Lilaowala’s people bid — was some tense and excited. Joining her was person and writer Shashi Tharoor, who spoke astir the sensibility she brings to her work. “She reminds america that creation tin beryllium successful the mode we put a room, the mode we transportation a conversation, oregon adjacent successful however we take colour and silence,” helium noted. “All of that is art.”

For idiosyncratic profoundly progressive successful the creation world, Shalini says creation changed however she thinks astir beauty. She erstwhile saw it arsenic thing meant to comfortableness — but implicit time, she has travel to spot however it tin besides situation and unsettle. “Spending clip with artists, knowing however they deliberation and what they’re consenting to risk, changed however I attack my ain life,” she says. “There’s an affectional courageousness successful the originative process that I truly admire. It’s made maine worth semipermanent vision, experimentation and affectional honesty.”

Readers, she believes, whitethorn beryllium amazed by however small the publication is really astir glamour, and however overmuch it is astir discipline, honesty and conscious choices. “Living beautifully seldom happens successful the spotlight,” she points out. “It shows up successful our regular habits, our relationships, and successful the mode we take to dainty ourselves.” 

Among the ideas she explores, the hardest for her has been learning to dilatory down. What sounds elemental often feels thing but. “I kept asking myself what I was truly achieving by staying busy,” she admits. “Some of my clearest decisions and astir honorable originative insights came lone erstwhile I allowed myself to pause. I don’t deliberation I’ll ever afloat maestro it, and I americium good with that.”

At the aforesaid time, she is cautious that vulnerability does not go self-indulgent. She shares idiosyncratic moments lone erstwhile they mightiness connection spot oregon perspective. “True empowerment lies successful recognising that uncertainty, self-doubt and reinvention aren’t weaknesses; they’re portion of growth,” she reflects. 

Ultimately, she hopes readers adjacent the publication feeling much comfy with who they are becoming, alternatively than who they deliberation they are expected to be. If determination is 1 thought she hopes to dismantle, it is the content that determination is simply a look for beauty, occurrence oregon a beingness well-lived. “There isn’t one. And the sooner you marque bid with that, the sooner you tin statesman gathering thing that is genuinely, wholly yours,” she advises. 

Beyond the book, Shalini is exploring curatorial and collaborative projects that bring modern Indian artists into speech with planetary platforms. She is besides processing ocular and editorial initiatives that purpose to foster richer storytelling astir culture, individuality and originative practice. “For me, the adjacent signifier is astir creating spaces for meaningful exchange, crossed art, plan and lived experience,” she says. “It’s an breathtaking and evolving chapter.”