7.15 Anisha Lalvani: Love, Crime, and Coming of Age in Noida

Curious about how contemporary fiction explores women's sexuality, family, and the messy transition into adulthood?In this episode of Books and Beyond, Tara and Michelle sit down with Anisha Lalvani to discuss her debut novel, Girls Who Stray, a coming-of-age story set in Noida. The novel follows A, a 23-year-old literature graduate, as she navigates love, family, and a tangle of crime and self-discovery.Anisha shares how her background in publishing and television influenced her storytelling, as well as the seven-year journey of writing and refining her book. She shares how the idea of her protagonist becoming an escort came to her suddenly, inspired by her belief in women owning their sexuality. She opens up about the challenges of portraying complex, relatable characters and how the title of the novel evolved during the publishing process.Listen in as Anisha dives into the creative process, the themes of family and self-discovery, and how she crafted a story that resonates with today’s generation.Books Mentioned in this Episode: A Bad Character - Deepti Kapoor Age of Vice - Deepti Kapoor Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg LarssonFrances Ha - Film by Noam BaumbachCNTRL - Film by Vikramaditya MotwaneGirl Interrupted - Film by James MangoldApplications for The Bound Publishing Course 2026 are now open.The Bound Publishing Course is a 3-month intensive course on book, magazine, and digital publishing. Through live sessions, workshops, and industry-facing projects, participants gain practical publishing skills and exposure to careers across the industry.Cohort size: 50 seatsFirst round of acceptances: 15th June 2026Applications are reviewed on a rolling bas‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.