Double Bill: Priya and Paro

Two classic society novels from the eighties and noughties India in one stylish new volume

Magnificent gin-drinker and heroic temptress Paro glides like an exotic bird of prey through the rich society of Bombay and Delhi. Paro lives life recklessly, caring about nothing and nobody. Least of all, Priya, eternal voyeur and diarist, who views this femme fatale with wonder, trepidation and jealousy—until she comes into her own. Two unforgettable women bring a glittering, toxic world of power, money and greed to life, with the scandalous cult classic Paro: Dreams of Passion.

Priya: Take Two continues this ride into a realm best viewed through a glass of Scotch, as Priya battles social vertigo and learns lessons in survival on her spirited journey to the top.

Published in 1984 and 2011 respectively, Paro and Priya remain incisive and witty commentaries on the movers and shakers of the business and power capitals, invoking all the contradictions of urban India. Namita Gokhale’s pioneering debut and its sequel span a generation and an era, moving from the eighties to post-millennial Indian society.