The many shades of Shalini Passi of ‘Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives’ fame

Art collector Shalini Passi has caught the nation’s attention with her natural charm and witty one-liners in Netflix’s ‘Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives’. But this self-confessed “multi-faceted woman with many interests and passions” doesn’t like to confine herself to titles. Delhi-based Shalini is an art collector, designer, fashion patron, philanthropist and art adviser; she dons many hats.

However, it is art that her heart beats for. Her tryst with art commenced during her school days in Modern School, Delhi, where she dabbled in painting under the tutelage of Bishamber Khanna, and also had the privilege of interacting with his friends, including prolific artists BC Sanyal and Manjit Bawa.

She considers herself an artist with a keen eye for recognising and spotting fresh talent and, at the same time, loves to collect pieces from established artists. “My favourite artists are Subodh Gupta and Anita Dube. I am very fond of the mixed-media work from Dube’s 1999 series ‘The Theatre of Sade’. I have a Buddha sculpture by Subodh and an oil on canvas work by him, along with Ram Kumar’s paintings in the same medium.”

Her sprawling bungalow in the heart of New Delhi is an apt reflection of her effervescent taste as she has gone to great lengths to conceptualise it, and takes immense pride in her living space. From the massive brass and steel Buddha sculpture by Subodh greeting visitors in her front lawn to the ‘head’ by Ravinder Reddy placed in an expansive corridor; from an eclectic Manjit Bawa canvas to ‘Rikshawpolis’ by Jitish Kallat (mixed media on canvas), Shalini’s home houses art, sculpture and a mix of vintage furniture and accessories.

One can encounter video art by Sonia Khurana or Abhishek Hazra, along with works such as ‘Lost Resonance’ by Riyas Komu; canvas and metal works by Atul Dodiya, and even a wall adorned with a series of bindis on aluminium panels by none other than Bharti Kher.

“Every time you visit my home, you will see a different permutation-combination of artworks and vintage furniture, arranged and re-arranged as per the season, occasion or simply my inner voice,” she says.

Married to businessman Sanjay Passi, Shalini recalls an interesting anecdote about her wedding cards. “Four were sketched by the late artist MF Husain, who was a family friend of my in-laws. He wanted to see me, the bride-to-be, before drawing the cards. When I met him with Sanjay, he blessed us by saying that ours was a match akin to that of Radha-Krishna, and crafted our wedding invites. I feel truly blessed.”

Shalini is also the founder of MASH, a digital platform that’s an amalgam of art, craft, architecture, design and fashion, wherein exhibitions, art fairs, art biennales and important shows are covered in a detailed and informative manner. Under the aegis of the Shalini Passi Art Foundation, she actively encourages young and upcoming talent through the MASH Young Artist Award.

In June 2023, she augmented her endeavours as a philanthropist by working with UNICEF as a ‘Champion for Children’ to advocate for the rights of children and young adults. All proceeds from initiatives like her charity MASH Ball were donated towards UNICEF’s Art Based Therapy (ABT) and Early Childhood Development (ECD).

Shalini makes it a point to travel to art shows and fairs within India and the museums of Paris, London, the Venice Art Biennale, besides others. At the India Art Fair 2024 edition, she showcased her photographs themed on the evolving city of Delhi. The display dwelt upon Delhi’s historical and contemporary architecture. Proceeds from the sale of these photographs also went to philanthropic causes.

As an art connoisseur and patron, she is drawn to scouring for hidden gems among old fabrics, artefacts and paintings. “Being surrounded by beautiful art pieces keeps me centred and peaceful. I love spending time appreciating works of artists and this energises me to do more work in this field,” says Shalini, who’s a trained singer and dancer.

Here’s to a lady who has carved her own niche and follows her heart while donning many hats — holding her own with grace and poise.

— The Delhi-based writer contributes on art