Pop culture works according to its own unpredictable, crazy logic. An unlikely, overnight celebrity has become the talk of India. Everyone, especially on social media, is discussing, dissing, hissing and mimicking just one person—Shalini Passi.
Passi has smoothly replaced Orry as the most dissected media concoction, after stealing the show from rivals in a much-watched OTT series—Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives, which showcases the impossibly opulent worlds of a bunch of women, whose sole purpose in life is to flaunt and taunt. In such a brittle world, one superlatively delicious, ever-smiling woman bathed in all things luxe, from top to toe (think Cleopatra meets Padmavati), enchants and disarms viewers with her beatific presence, as she unselfconsciously sings off-key songs and effortlessly makes others look insecure and trashy. She is even dressed in floaty designer gowns, which generously reveal an impressive cleavage.
Today, Passi is the most sought-after celebrity, with event managers and talent hunters breaking down the doors to her palatial Delhi mansion, to sign her up for shows, appearances and endorsements. So, how does one decode the Passi phenomenon? Her pampered lifestyle is the envy of the less fortunate, as she hosts a ridiculously extravagant party and speaks softly about her family’s wealth and her own achievements as an art patron and philanthropist.
Shalini Passi in Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives
| Instagram@shalini.passi
The staggering décor at Passi’s palace includes rare Flemish furniture, cheek by jowl with a Bharti Kher. Somehow, none of this sounds boastful or absurd—it is indeed the fantastical existence of a 49-year-old rich woman, who is not embarrassed or apologetic about any of her choices. Passi was married at age 20. Talking about her early life and wedding, she casually mentions how M.F. Husain was commissioned by her husband to design the invitation cards. “But, first, I need to see the girl,” said Husain, before producing four cards for different functions, after declaring the couple a “Radha Krishna jodi”.
Passi’s radiant mien underlines her beliefs, which include daily meditation and a visit to the temple at 9pm. I can vouch for her religious commitments—I am on the privileged list of “prasad recipients” who get hand-delivered packages of offerings after Passi’s frequent pilgrimages that take her from Tirupati to Badrinath. The few times we have met at glittering social soirees, I have been struck by her calm beauty and peaceful expression.
As the founder of MASH, Passi has positioned herself as a major patron of the arts, lending support to UNICEF and other prestigious organisations. Since 2018, Passi has worked relentlessly to establish her credentials as an important art collector (what with a 25-feet tall Subodh Gupta dominating her manicured lawns).
But it took a glitzy, shallow frou-frou show on Netflix to propel Passi into a cult figure in the fickle domain of popular culture. Even school children know her name and discuss her avidly during snack breaks. It is not about affluence and extravagance alone—there are far richer folks around.
What happens next will be fascinating to monitor. A film based on her life? A musical with her playing the diva? A web series of her own? Fashion label? Anything is possible for Passi—the world is her oyster. As for her Mumbai rivals, Passi makes them passé. Passi has the ultimate put down—each time she flies to Maximum City, she brings her superior Delhi veggies with her! Take that, you wannabes, her Buddha like stance suggests, as she shrugs off their barbs and preps for the next publicity blitzkrieg.
X@DeShobhaa and Instagram@shobhaade