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Arzu

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'It became the summer that Arzu gained and lost everything that girlhood had set her up for.'

It is 1991, and India's economy is opening up to foreign investment for the very first time. For wealthy business families across the country, however, it is a move fraught with uncertainty. In Bombay, Arzu, the pampered daughter of a newspaper mogul, finds the situation particularly tense. Her one concern is to score a proposal from her millionaire boyfriend before the country's celebrated liberalization sours his mood any further.

Then, an innocent gesture on her part causes all her plans to go awry, and Arzu escapes to New York City with her snobby aunt Parul on the pretext of attending finishing school. While Parul Bua's one-point agenda is to fix her up with a suitable match, Arzu, revelling in the heady independence that New York offers, finds herself poised on the brink of an idea that could change the nature of an entire industry back home.

Now, even as Arzu negotiates catty debutante ball drama and evades the charms of her father's smug protégé, she must prove her worth to investors so as to silence her critics. The question remains, can someone who has always played second fiddle to the men in her life discover how to become the heroine of her own story?

288 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

113 people want to read

About the author

Riva Razdan

4 books42 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Kajree Gautom.
795 reviews4 followers
February 18, 2021


It is the summer of 1991 and Arzu is about to go through a whirlwind of life. After an innocent misstep goes awry, she is sent off to New York where Arzu not only learns about love and friendship but also about following one's dreams and being independent.

This was an enjoyable read laden with drama and political intrigue, cleverly interwoven in a contemporary and romantic tale. As a debut, the author's writing style was fresh and beautiful, and the descriptions were really well put, and I think it was quite a nice one.

I did feel that the story was a bit too fast paced which seemed to allow really less time for any emotional connect with the main character. I wished there was more events that detailed the consequences of Arzu's actions and a proper show of her emotions instead of rushing off. I also found it a bit difficult to exactly like Arzu, not gonna lie. She had very conflicting opinions and towards the end, I disliked how shallow she became again. However, I have to commend her character growth and development throughout the book - it was a lovely journey.

Arzu, in its heart, is a story about courage, strength, family, dreams and fighting for what you desire. While the extent of too long descriptions did bore me at times, I liked to see how the author handled family drama along with politics and romance. I just wish that certain aspects were given more importance and slowed down the pace.

Profile Image for a_geminireader.
266 reviews14 followers
December 27, 2025
Some books don’t try too hard to impress you they simply sit beside you and start talking, and before you know it, you’re listening with your whole heart. " Arzu " felt exactly like that to me. Set in the early 90s, a time when India itself was stepping into a new identity, this story beautifully mirrors the confusion, excitement, and quiet courage that comes with growing up and choosing your own path.

Arzu Agarwal grows up surrounded by comfort, privilege, and carefully scripted expectations. Marriage, status, and security seem inevitable. But Arzu isn’t meant for a life that only looks perfect from the outside. As her world shifts between Bombay and New York, she begins to question the rules she was raised with, making mistakes, chasing dreams, and slowly learning to listen to her own voice. She isn’t instantly wise or endlessly graceful and that imperfection makes her feel real, relatable, and deeply human.

Riva Razdan’s writing is vivid and immersive. You can almost feel the monsoon-washed streets of Bombay and the heady sense of independence that New York offers. The political and social changes of the 90s blend seamlessly into Arzu’s personal journey, adding depth without ever overpowering the story. The pacing is quick, almost breathless, but it suits Arzu’s restless emotional state and makes the book incredibly hard to put down.

Reading this book felt personal. I went in without expectations, and from the very first chapter, it gave me that nostalgic, slightly gossip-girl vibe that I absolutely love. I carried the book with me and ended up finishing it much faster than planned. There were moments when I admired Arzu’s confidence and moments when I wanted to gently shake her for being impulsive. Somewhere between her growth and her missteps, I caught glimpses of myself and that connection made the reading experience even more special.

At its heart, " Arzu" is a story about choosing yourself in a world that constantly tells women who they should be. Warm, engaging, and quietly empowering, it leaves you with a soft smile and the comforting reminder that it’s okay to figure life out at your own pace.
Profile Image for Sameirah Ahsan.
18 reviews7 followers
August 30, 2021
A fun tale about self reflection, growth and choosing oneself first, Riva Razdan's "Arzu" alternates between Bombay and New York in 1991 at the precipice of India's liberalization. Arzu navigates the complex maze of subcontinental traditions and tries to find her place in her society that claims to have embraced modernization.

Arzu has grown up in privilege, an heiress to her father's business but she is struck with the realization that she has no penny to her name. She has earned none of her privileges. To make herself worthy of the inheritance, she sets off on a journey of self discovery to prove to the world and to herself that she was born to be more than just a trophy wife. That in fact she was born to win trophies.

Razdan's writing style is smooth, witty and engaging. However, I had some minor difficulty connecting with Arzu on a psychological level. I think that is probably because the book is set in 1991, (which is 30yrs ago) and some of the choices she made didnt make sense to me. For instance, keeping secrets from her father (like enrolling at Columbia or her desire to pursue journalism) made no sense to me because Ajit Agarwal (her father) is probably the coolest brown dad ever written. She also constantly keeps going back and forth about breaking off an engagement with someone she clearly feels nothing for. She refuses to say yes to him without consulting her father first, but wears his ring anyway? She always second guesses her choices and allows others to sway her decisions even if she doesn't agree with their ideas. I mean all these facts were rather distracting, and prevented me from connecting with Arzu.

BUT what I did love about the book, is how it was Arzu's journey. There were no Prince Charming swooping her off her feet and riding off into the sunset. It was all about her from page one to the end. Her failures, her fears and her victories. All of it was hers, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Bookstagram: @booksnher
Profile Image for Siddhant Agarwal.
566 reviews25 followers
February 16, 2021
The plot of the book has been well thought with details about Arzu’s life, justifying her actions. The story is quite interesting as it traces Arzu’s journey as she finds her identity through the course of one year. I loved the fact how Riva has equated the growth in the Indian economy in 1991 with that of the protagonist, and the milestones coincide more than once. Another thing that is interesting about story is the manner in which it told, and how Arzu was shown to be living in a cocoon and how she emerges as a butterfly, which also jumps out from the cover once you finish the book. Riva has captured the essence of the superfluous nature of the people from the upper echelons, and how appearances are more important to them, as compared to actual comfort and emotions, which is evident in more ways than one. The language of the book is easy to comprehend, and paints a wonderful picture of the events as they occur. The climax of the story was quite interesting, and while one aspect of it was expected, the other was not, and I think this was the best thing about the entire story.

Coming to the characters, Arzu Meera Agarwal impressed me because of the confidence she exuded from the very first time we meet, and her clarity on what she wanted from life. She was crafted as a woman who was self-sufficient, and wanted a partner who was an equal, and not just a companion. Even in her pursuit of the same, we see she leaves no stone unturned, and this is what makes her Arzu achievable. Another character who stood out for me was Siddhant because he complimented Arzu in many ways, and added a flavor to the story that made it enjoyable. His presence was quite fleeting as compared to other characters like Parul Bua, or Rohit, but he managed to stand out because of his simplicity, and the emotion of being there for Arzu, without asking for anything else. As for the other characters, Ajit was also impressive, and the scene from the wedding was truly inspired.

Overall, Arzu is a refreshing coming-of-age story that takes an interesting idea and explores an aspect of the namesake that will not just entertain the reader, but might just inspire them to take a step towards their dream, and grab them.
Profile Image for Mili Das.
614 reviews23 followers
December 19, 2025
Riva Razdan's Arzu is a remarkable approach in many ways. A coming of age story brilliantly blended with an important part of Indian economic history. When India itself was growing up and opened the door for new growth with the world, stepped outside its boundaries and started rubbing shoulders with world trends, changing trade law brought new fresh winds which changed a lot of things, it changed Arzu's view to see life.

I feel Arzu hypothetically becomes the face of India who just came across the threshold of a new age, a new beginning happened to both of them, India unlocked the deadbolt of the business law, and drastic changes happened in women's life, it brings new perspectives. It's that time when women started thinking about life beyond marriage, started preparing for a career rather than preparing for being a perfect marriage material.

However, Arzu wasn't like this, Arzu's plans were different and she didn't know that life could be different from her bua and other women. But unfortunately Arzu's plans thrashed, a storm wipes out her eastman colour dreams. It is 1991, and India's economy is opening up to foreign investment for the very first time. For wealthy business families across the country, however, it is a move fraught with uncertainty. In Bombay, Arzu, the pampered daughter of a newspaper mogul, finds the situation particularly tense. Her one concern is to score a proposal from her millionaire boyfriend.

Then, an innocent gesture on her part causes all her plans to go awry, and Arzu escapes to New York City with her snobby aunt Parul on the pretext of attending finishing school. In the journey Arzu met with some girls who showed her new face of independence. Arzu got a chance to see life from a very new window.

While Parul Bua's one-point agenda is to fix her up with a suitable match, Arzu, revelling in the heady independence that New York offers, finds herself poised on the brink of an idea that could change the nature of an entire industry back home.
And she started thinking from her own personal perspective which is very different from Parul Bua's teachings.
Profile Image for Anindita Ghosh.
120 reviews2 followers
December 25, 2025
Merry Christmas to all my lovelies!!!

Recently I had the opportunity to read @rivarazdankapoor book "Arzu". And just look at the cover, you all... so so colourful. Ngl, that cover kinda sold the book to me.

When I started reading, I had no expectations. But the first chapter itself gave such a gossip girl vibe, and you know I love that particular vibe so much, that I got hooked into it.Took the book with me on my roadtrip, and needless to say, finished within a day.

This, is the story of Arzu - who is the heiress of an Indian newspaper tycoon Ajit Agarwal. The story is based of 1991, so there will be lots of nostalgic moments for us old people, who are still under the delulu of being 90's kids...

So Arzu, is deeply and blindly in love with another Indian business tycoon family's son. Everything is set up for him to pop a ring any day, but life gets in the middle of it. Something happens and Arzu realises, the way to find true love is never easy.

In each chapter, we see Arzu emotionally getting more and more mature - till she actually finds her worth in life. That is what makes the story different than any other. It gives us a hint of what can happen next, without giving a complete closure of happily ever after.

I loved and enjoyed this book so much. Sometimes, I could see myself within Arzu [minus the wealth people], sometimes I felt like giving her a piece of my mind for being so haughty and clueless. 😄 But end of the day, this story put a smile to my face and I think that's what makes it so so beautiful.

My rating: 4.8/5 stars.

Give me your coziest book suggestion for this winter please 🥰
Profile Image for Bhawana Somaaya.
Author 26 books16 followers
October 25, 2024
This book by Riva Razdan is based in the 90s, and the 90s was a very important decade for India. This was the decade when internet came to India, when computers came to India, when foreign investments came to India, and show business changed, media changed, there were corporate everywhere, everybody was paid by checks. So lifestyle, attitudes , temperaments, relationships were all going through a volatile transformation. Arzu is a feisty, courageous, vibrant girl who is growing up in that time. She talks about liberalization, talks about her dreams and how her dreams keep changing when she changes base and following her dreams , believing in herself. So it is a little about clash of tradition with the new world coming and the new breed deciding what is important to them and what is empowerment to them. I think it is a book that all of you who grew up in the 90s are going to identify with and all of us who watched their children grow up in the 90s are going to identify with it. So go for it I think it’s a book completely worth it. I have to say about the author that it doesn’t look like it’s her first book. She writes fluently, easily , imaginatively, she has a great control over her language. She uses fabulous words to describe things in an unusual way and is somebody who definitely is by DNA a writer and a writer who is exploring herself all the time.
407 reviews5 followers
December 12, 2025

In 1991, as India tentatively steps into a new era of liberalization, uncertainty ripples through powerful business families. Among them is Arzu, the cosseted daughter of a Bombay media baron, whose world is more occupied with securing a proposal from her millionaire boyfriend than with the shifting tides of the economy.

But a harmless act on her part sparks unexpected turmoil, derailing her carefully laid plans. Fleeing the fallout, Arzu finds herself in New York City, officially to attend finishing school, but unofficially to escape the pressure back home. Travelling with her imperious aunt Parul whose sole mission is to find Arzu a “suitable” match she suddenly discovers the intoxicating freedom of a city that asks her to choose who she wants to be.

As she navigates the glitter and spite of debutante circles and artfully dodges the attention of her father’s smug protégé, Arzu is struck by an idea bold enough to transform an entire industry in India. But turning that spark into a real venture means convincing wary investors, defying expectations, and standing up to those who’ve always underestimated her.

In a world where she’s long played second fiddle to the men around her, Arzu must finally decide. This book acted as a palate cleanser for me and gave break from myths and other my genre. A good one time read.
Profile Image for Jiya.
13 reviews1 follower
August 1, 2021
Quite a breezy and refreshing read set in 1991- the dawn of Indian liberalization. Very few faults to pinpoint, especially given this is the author's debut. I was exasperated with Arzu time and again but that's who she is I guess - the imperfect 'perfect' girl, the least bit apologetic about it. A bit of Cinderella, a bit of Bollywoodish drama and some decent undercurrents on the Indian economy - Anuja Chauhan readers will love this. Curious to see what Riva comes up with next...
Profile Image for Wafiqa.
6 reviews
June 4, 2024
What can i say about this book ?
it’s so wonderfully written that i had to read it in one sitting im so glad she did what she did every mistake she made was highlighted so nicely in a way all girls go through but what stuck with me was her sincerity in learning , her curiosity, her being able to stand for herself
Profile Image for Shivani.
132 reviews
April 6, 2021
Bollywood script masquerading as a book is a legit genre now (damn you, Chetan Bhagat!)
This book is exactly that with a dash of Kevin Kwan-esque crazy rich people descriptions with anachronisms galore.
Profile Image for Priyanka.
169 reviews16 followers
July 7, 2024
The book is more about the indecision of Arzu than the coming of age of Arzu. The book drags along for a long time. It is more focused on fluff than get the actual story moving. I would like to give it 2.5 rather than 3.
Profile Image for Aparna Prabhu.
538 reviews43 followers
January 6, 2026
”I spent too much of my life winning her over. And till her death, I don't think I did. But you have choices, Arzu. You're an heiress and even better looking than I was.”

- Riva Razdan, Arzu

Arzu Agarwal was born with a silver spoon. Her father, Ajit Agarwal was the founder of a newspaper conglomerate. Arzu, smitten by Aditya Prabhu (heir of Minty Toothpastes) opts for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics rather than literature. Agarwals lived in a posh bungalow in Pali Hill where socialites often gathered to discuss politics and sometimes, a heated discussion would follow. The story takes an interesting turn when a new character, Siddhant Marwah is introduced. He uncovers a secret wherein the who's who of Bombay wanted to dethrone Narasimha Rao.

”Arzu knew her father’s politics. She had been raised to hold equality in the highest esteem.”

Arzu is whisked off to New York due to a serious fallacy in her part, where she feels welcomed by a group of boisterous girls.

Arzu is portrayed to be a progressive woman, way ahead of her time especially during the 90s. Amid Mumbai’s dazzling glamor, the story unfolds like an unexpected monsoon—intense and full of surprises. Razdan's meticulous research on political affairs in the 90s during Narasimha Rao reign seamlessly integrates with the plot. The writing style is vivid, describing every nook and corner of Mumbai with an incisive lens. The series of events unfold at the two hottest metropolitan places of the world i.e Bombay and New York. Razdan draws comparisons between the two cities, that makes them different from each other. The prose flits between the monsoon-soaked alleys of Bombay and the glittering skyline of New York, weaving a tapestry of contrasts that defines both cities.

I did have an issue with the pacing, this novel has to be devoured in one sitting. It doesn't give much room for thinking.

If you like Sophie Kinsella's works and are familiar with Alexis Rose's character arc in Schitt's Creek then you would definitely want to step into Arzu's world.
Profile Image for inoirita .
162 reviews58 followers
January 23, 2022
A delightful take on a feminist protagonist who also wants her own love story, Arzu is a blend of a journey to explore one's true calling and finding happiness in the process. The story is set in the early 90s, where a young girl tries to break the age old belief that women's sole purpose in life is to get married, bear children and dedicate their lives to their families. Her aunt, who was the mother figure in her life wants her to become the finest of the ladies and secure a husband belonging to the millionaire strata while her father believed that Arzu could achieve anything in her life that she truly wanted. Torn between the life she was expected to live and the life she wanted to build for herself, she understands that for once she must learn to make choices for her own gratification. She contemplates that she is not constructed for living the rich housewife life with their fancy tea parties and attending balls, so she tries her absolute best to turn her life around. With time, does Arzu manage to make herself important enough around powerful men? Does she still remain as a secondary character or build herself a life where she could be the heroine?

It is very difficult to label Arzu in a single genre, as the story is as multifaceted as the protagonist. The flamboyant storytelling has elements of politics, ingredients of passion and a clever lining to it. There's a gorgeous backdrop in which the story is set, the dialogues are dipped with subtle sarcasm and wit. This debut novel with lively characters shows the gift of storytelling that @rivarazdan posseses. Her prose is intense and graphic, perfect to keep the reader tempted till the end.
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