Season 3 of The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives kicks off with an episode that screams Delhi and The Kardashians-style reality TV. A grand, opulent, unapologetically OTT art ball is being organised in the heart of South Delhi, hosted by a decked up socialite and self-proclaimed art aficionado, married to an older rich businessman. Shalini Passi confesses she prefers paintings to people because they don't come with baggage or expectations.
But as the show unfurls, we learn that Shalini's choices, views, and lifestyle don't stem from sitting on a high horse, but from something far deeper. (Also Read – Fabulous Lives vs. Bollywood Wives: From Shalini Passi's rise as hot favourite to juicy secrets, 10 biggest takeaways ) Anti-thesis to reality TV Amid the Delhi vs Mumbai battle lines drawn across the show, Shalini conveniently sits on the fence, dressed to the nines of course.
That's not because her loyalty doesn't lie with her city. In fact, Riddhima Kapoor and Bhavana Pandey have lived in both cities so it'd have made sense if they weren't as invested in this debate. Shalini's composed nonchalance stems from her persistently non-judgemental lens – she doesn't see her fellow participants in the colours of their respective towns – but as women who have much more to them than the urge to prove their city's superiority.
It's not just the brief of Mumbai vs Delhi that's lost on her, but also the very idea of being a reality TV star. Entitled, oversensitive, argumentative, ve.
