THE ONLY CITY – BOMBAY IN EIGHTEEN STORIES Edited By Anindita Ghose

‘If you’re longing to read one new work of fiction about Bombay, The Only City is the only book you need to read.’ —Suketu Mehta

 ‘A historical record for future generations.’—Sooni Taraporevala

Financial capital, cradle of Bollywood, home to India’s largest slum—Bombay is a megalopolis with many associations. But the one that’s especially significant is this: it is a place of stories. The Only City is a collection of eighteen new pieces of short fiction that captures the pulse of this always-morphing urban centre.

Edited by novelist and journalist Anindita Ghose, it features some of the best names in Indian fiction—both emerging and established. This extraordinary anthology frames the city through a range of vantage points. The contributors include Prayaag Akbar, Diksha Basu, Dharini Bhaskar, Namita Devidayal, Anindita Ghose, Shanta Gokhale, Ranjit Hoskote, Manu Joseph, Raghu Karnad, Kersi Khambatta, Amrita Mahale, Yogesh Maitreya, Prathyush Parasuraman, Lindsay Pereira, Tejaswini Apte-Rahm, Jairaj Singh, Shubhangi Swarup and Jeet Thayil.

From the urchin lurking by Grant Road’s railway overbridge to the screenwriter prowling the dance bars in Andheri; from the gay man cruising in a Dadar local to the artist hovering by a studio across the Danda shore; from immigrant nurses and couples in love to runaway teenagers—every character carries a critical Bombay fragment. Bombay is the only city that can grant them dimension. Each story is a vivid fragment of urban life, complemented by photographs by Chirodeep Chaudhuri. Threads of climate fiction, romance, magic realism, humour, and speculation weave through, offering glimpses of a city that is sweaty, whimsical, dystopic, magical, and endlessly alive. The Only City is perhaps the finest mirror yet to the sole corner in India that has captivated resident and tourist, actor and stockbroker—but especially, the writer.

Praise for The Only City

 ‘If you’re longing to read one new work of fiction about Bombay, The Only City is the only book you need to read. It gathers eighteen of the city’s best writers in a Queen’s Necklace of stories that celebrate and castigate the city in all its dazzling complexity. For Bombayites spread out all over the world like me, this marvellous anthology is the cheapest ticket home.’ —Suketu Mehta

 ‘Lovers and hustlers, migrants and dreamers—each carries a piece of Bombay. Together, their voices form a portrait of a city that is merciless, beautiful, and always alive.’ —Sonia Faleiro

‘Bombay can be your soulmate and friend. This city of plurality addresses everyone in the singular— “tere ko”, “mere ko” are levellers. Everyone here is on the edge, and the balancing act becomes the dance of survival. The Only City, thoughtfully put together by Anindita Ghose, has eighteen strikingly restless Bombay stories, each with a distinct voice amidst the layered noise; each striving for a moment of change.’—Jayant Kaikani

 ‘The Only City showcases contemporary Mumbai at its best and worst, with Chirodeep Chaudhuri’s quiet photographs serving as a counterpoint to the hectic lives in the stories. A literary exploration of Mumbai circa 2025 (with one fabulous futuristic tale), which will also serve as a historical record for future generations.’ —Sooni Taraporevala

Anindita Ghose, says, ‘I wanted to put together a collection of stories that would bypass the tour guide approach and instead anchor on the spectrum of characters who make the city what it is today. The Only City is not about nostalgia and romanticizing the “spirit of Mumbai”. It is a collection of new stories about a city that is constantly metamorphosing and in motion. The idea was to create literary freeze frames; to adopt a contemporary lens but have lasting relevance.’

Udayan Mitra, Executive Publisher HarperCollins India, says, ‘In The Only City, edited by Anindita Ghose, the many shades, characters and moods of the fascinating city of Bombay/Mumbai are captured in eighteen wonderful new stories written by some of the most exciting and accomplished voices in Indian literature today. This is a volume to savour, to reflect on, to return to again and again. As you go through its pages, you can taste, smell, and almost touch the great metropolis. The Only City is, I can say with confidence, one of the most immersive works of literature publishing this year; we at HarperCollins are very proud to be able to bring it to readers.’

Dharini Bhaskar, Associate Publisher, Literary at HarperCollins India says, ‘To capture the city of Bombay in words—a city that is tugged by paradox; that knows wealth and privation, startling beauty and disarray—feels like an impossible demand. And yet The Only City, edited by novelist Anindita Ghose, and with photographs by Chirodeep Chaudhuri, achieves the seemingly impossible. Eighteen of India’s best-known writers, through stories that are at times tender, at times scathing, and always rich in insight, remind us why Bombay remains one of this country’s most enchanting cities. We, at HarperCollins, are extremely proud to publish this anthology.’

ABOUT THE EDITOR

Anindita Ghose is a writer, journalist and communications consultant based in Bombay, where she arrived as a newborn and still lives. She is the author of the novel The Illuminated. Anindita was previously the editor of the Saturday magazine Mint Lounge, and led strategic communications for a global social impact consultancy. She studied journalism and linguistics at Columbia University and the University of Mumbai.

Anindita has conceived, commissioned and edited The Only City, which also features a short story by her.

Published by Fourth Estate

Hardback | Fiction/Short Stories| 352 pp | INR 699

Releasing on 24^th October 2025