Socialiate Evening

Summary of "Socialite Evenings" by Shobhaa De

Plot Overview

The novel is about Karuna, a prominent Bombay socialite, who is trying to flee the nightmare of the present by escaping into the past. An unhappy divorce and a succession of sordid affairs have left her bruised and battered and, in an effort to forget, Karuna begins writing her memoirs. 

Main Character's Journey

Karuna, the main protagonist and narrator, seeks a more glamorous wealthy lifestyle than that of her traditional, middle-class background. She pursues a career as a model, through which she meets the socialite Anjali. Following Anjali's model, Karuna marries a wealthy man.

 However, she finds that she is not satisfied living with her husband, who has little consideration for her. She has an affair with her husband's friend. Karuna befriends Anjali, a glamorous socialite, who offers her the opportunity to be everything she ever wanted to be, and eventually she becomes a social celebrity herself.

 The story follows Karuna's life and career, her unhappy marriage to a wealthy magnate, her divorce and affairs.

Key Characters

The novel features several colorful characters who surround Karuna - neurotic, man-hungry Anjali; gorgeous, vivacious Ritu; high-profile editor Varun, with a penchant for young boys; Krish, the pretentious adman.

The novel offers a rare glimpse at an all-consuming world of power and greed. Breaking through the fake veneers of Mumbai's most powerful, Karuna's story exposes a world of pretension and deceit.

In the process of telling her story, she rediscovers the woman who was swept away by it all. She writes successful memoirs, and achieves a measure of fame and pride in herself as she becomes an active socialite.

 Central Message

Shedding her middle-class past, Karuna has found her place in high society. But with her upward climb came many lows. Now battered, but not beaten, she seeks to heal her soul by sharing her story. The novel essentially chronicles the transformation of a middle-class woman into Mumbai's high society, exploring the costs of such social climbing and the emptiness that can come with material success and social status.