The city is an age-old motif in books. It comes and goes in unsuspecting ways for the most part, but shapes the narrative more than we could ever know. Not only is it a theme, it is also a writing tool used to encapsulate emotion — longing, anxiety, lust, freedom.
The city holds many stories, many people and many feelings. Especially within the context of the Indian subcontinent, wherein each city has its own distinct identity and culture, the role it plays in literature is noteworthy. Platform brings you a list of books where cityscapes are characters of their own, where the chaos, silence and contours of urban life are inseparable from the characters themselves.
Milk Teeth by Amrita Mahale
Amrita Mahale’s Milk Teeth documents in arresting detail, Bombay of the 90’s. It flits to an idyllic past wistfully, to ruminate on the Bombay that was, and would never be again, after the liberalisation of the Indian economy. Right at the centre of this poetic ode to Bombay are Ira Kamat and Kartik Kini, childhood friends who live in the same residential building in Matunga. The story of the changing spirit of Bombay through political events and urban development forms a backdrop to the adventures of Ira and Kartik. Its descriptions of Matunga, Fort, the infamous Udupi restaurants and Irani cafes — combined with its earthy prose- are what make this book special.
Cut Like Wound by Anita Nair
Hidden in the streets and ethos of the city of Bangalore, Cut Like Wound is a brutal psychological thriller that introduces readers to a host of remarkable characters. This is a different kind of literary portrayal of Bangalore — the plot follows the events that transpire when the gruesome murder of a man hits the Shivajinagar police limits. As a result of Nair’s astute observations of different aspects of Bangalore, combined with some expertly sprinkled dry humour, this book finds itself hiding in the seedy underbelly of Bangalore — far, far away from the IT hub facade of the city.
Afternoon Raag by Amit Chaudhuri
When one thinks of literary cities, or rather, cities that always find themselves as important cultural landmarks in the reading practices of their people, Kolkata comes to mind. Chaudhuri’s Afternoon Raag features a protagonist who shifts between England and his family home in Kolkata, populated with razor-sharp characterisations of the city. The narrator is constantly caught between tradition and modernity, represented through the cities of Kolkata and Oxford. The beauty of this deeply human, banal tussle is the heart of this novel.
Those Pricey Thakur Girls by Anuja Chauhan
Thoroughly entertaining, Chauhan masterfully mocks the upper-crust bourgeois people of Delhi and their pretensions to grandeur. Set in pre-liberalisation 1980s, this delhi-cious novel vividly evokes a version of Delhi that is in transition: where sprawling bungalows in posh colonies coexist with rising political tensions, cable TV, and cultural conservatism. This book is not only funny, but also very cleverly exact in the way it talks about Central Delhi and its haunts; Bengali Market, Doordharshan, Modern School and more. Chauhan’s perky penmanship leads her to construct a marvellous narrative of a large family — the Thakurs — who provide oodles of drama and gossip.
Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra
In contrast to Milk Teeth, Sacred Games follows a very different side of Bombay. An iconic novel and TV show, this list would be incomplete without Vikram Chandra’s wondrous creation. More than just the plot, even the language used in this novel is Bombay references. It is a deep introspection of the role that religion, the underworld, mass destruction, Bollywood and the glitterati play in the mechanics of the city. Ganesh Gaitonde is a perfect example of a rags-to-riches story, a crucial element of the Bombay phenomenon. Through its gritty realism, Sacred Games captures the pulsating heart of Bombay in all its beauty and brutality.
Minor Disturbances at Grand Life Apartments by Hema Sukumar
A charming slice of life novel set in Chennai deals with the lives of four residents at Grand Life Apartments, a family-owned building set in a neighbourhood aggressively being preyed on by industrial developers. Madras culture in mainstream media often tends to be washed by stereotypes, rooted in misinformation. This book presents an accurate rendering of Chennai, its people, food and environment. At the same time, the city isn’t a blaring presence. It is quiet, taking up little space, but it leaves an evocative effect.
Words Neeraja Sreenivasan
2.07.2025