A sixer at sixty

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In a world where expert speak is more respected than experience, Shobhaa De has redefined the way one looks at those past their ‘sale-by-date’. Shobhaa at Sixty, her latest book is a rap on the knuckles for the bratty Sonam Kapoor types, who have called the enigmatic writer a ‘60-something porn writer’ and a ‘fossil’. More radiant than ever before, Shobhaa debunks the myth that age is the enemy of female fame. With her slicing wit and innate panache she embraces both the realities and the supreme highs of being an incredible brand at sixty.

Her being has inspired writers to spur their personalities into action. Shobhaa uses her vivacity as a sensational marketing tool. Unlike the stereotypical image of a novelist hunching over a wooden table, inking their way through reams of paper, her effervescence increases a few notches as shutterbugs and admirers flock to bask in her aura. Sashaying in her signature designs and striking jewellery, she has relegated ageists to the attics of antiquity.
Side-stepping all the criticism about her saucy writing, Shobhaa has been instrumental in reinventing sexual satire, giving it the verve and fascinating twist that is needed to rope in the culture vultures too.
She is perhaps one of the frontrunners who infused a glamorous element into writing. Not shying away from the ‘S’ word managed to spiral her into a space that is perhaps feared by most writers, yet, she has milked the star status for all its worth. As she shares the ecstasies and introspective phases of living life king-size, for six decades, Shobhaa marries hope with humility, vision with dilemma and success with simplicity in this from-the-heart book.
With paper as her stage and words her movement, this desi diva at heart has enlivened coffee table conversations, moulded national sentiment and stood up to hypocrisy in her own inimitable way. Invigorating her commentary with her brushes with socialites, Shobhaa brings society and celebrity into her pages. Non-fiction has never enjoyed such fanfare despite authors penning tell-all books and syrupy romances. It is her progressive prescription for the soul, mind and the quirky kinks that make this solid soul saleable.
There might be shock value in her rasping lines but without a doubt it is her gumption to be, look and sound different that endears her to the reader.

Fear factor
Fears act as catalysts. And confronting them is a positive attribute. Age has never caused me any fear. But vulnerabilities of another kind do get exaggerated — especially those driven by health issues. There is no getting away from creaking knees and a shortness of breath. These are inevitabilities that have to be factored in and dealt with sensibly. But to me sixty is the new forty!
Finding soul amidst strangers
I crave for quieter, calmer ‘me’ moments. I manage to find them even in a crowded room full of strangers.
The 'Sexy Sam' syndrome
Men go to their graves thinking about sex and themselves as sexy. Why deny them their sweet delusions? Thanks to Amitabh Bachchan’s role in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna we now can tag it the sexy Sam syndrome.
relationships that matter
The only relationships that matter to me are those with my immediate family, especially my children. I am far more selective about the rest. I am not looking to make new friends, that’s for sure.
Brand Shobhaa and four
decades of limelight
It has been incredible! Why fake modesty? But I am not for sale. I am not a product. I don’t come with a price tag — so, essentially, the brand tag is meaningless to me.
Of admiring glances
Women give me admiring glances. Most women who come up to me for a chat, express their solidarity and tell me they find my life inspiring. I feel most touched when I hear that because the odds are loaded against women, regardless of age.
Never looking back
I am like Dev Anand. I never look back with anger or regret. Always forward. Negative nostalgia is self-defeating. I am a risk taker, so I combine courage and passion to move ahead. If I had to cling on to any phase, it has to be my wondrous childhood. I was too precocious and grew up too quickly.
Fashionista
I have an individualistic fashion sensibility. I like to be experimental, adventurous and innovative when it comes to clothes. I hate sitting inside a neatly labelled fashion box being told what’s ‘in’ and what’s ‘out’. I make my own rules. I decide what’s ‘in’ for me.
Sex and Sensuality
I like to de-link the two. A water lily in full bloom is sensual, so is the sunset, and the fragrance of khus in summer, also the silken taste of white truffles, and the feel of Chamundi silk over bare silk. Sex has to happen in the mind and heart for it to have any real meaning.