Already published in India to great acclaim and named a Time Out
Subcontinental Book of the Year and an Observer Book of the Year,
Beautiful Thing is a stunning piece of reportage that offers a rare
firsthand glimpse into Bombay's notorious sex industry.
Sonia Faleiro was a reporter in search of a story when she met
nineteen-year-old Leela, a charismatic exotic dancer with a story to
tell. Leela introduced Sonia to the underworld of Bombay's dance bars: a
world of glamorous women; of fierce love, sex, and violence; of
gangsters, police, prostitutes, and pimps. When an ambitious politician
cashed in on a tide of false morality and had Bombay's dance bars wiped
out, Leela's proud independence faced its greatest test. In a city where
almost everyone is certain that someone, somewhere, is worse off than
them, she fights to survive--and to win.
Sonia Faleiro has crafted one of the most original works of nonfiction
about India in years. Unforgettable for its artistry and intimacy,
Beautiful Thing is a vivid portrait of one reporter's journey into the
dark, damaged soul of Bombay.