“A perfect guest list, an interesting mix of people and food make for a great party,” says Shalini Passi, art collector, fashion patron and philanthropist, who’s known to host some of the best parties in the city. “I don’t play cards so I don’t host card parties, I just host Diwali parties where people are dancing and having fun,” she adds. The sit-down traditional dinner has always been the highlight at Shalini’s party. Shalini shares with us more about planning a perfect party at her place and how she ensures that every small detail is taken care of.

It is food and music that make Delhi Diwali parties different from other cities like Mumbai, she says. “In Delhi, we give a lot of importance to entertainment at the parties, it’s not just about having a DJ. Delhi culture is all about celebrating in a grand way and we love that. As a rule now, after 10.30-11pm I just have fun at my parties. I am a perfect host till 7.30-10.30pm, but after that I start dancing and I love it. When you are relaxed and having fun then even guests have fun. My friends tell me that they love coming to my home as they meet some very interesting people. I am happy that I am able to connect so many people,” she says.

Shalini says, “On Diwali, we serve traditional food and it is mostly home cooked. I always serve guests what I like, I never assume what they will like. It’s best to include things you like in the menu as you know about them. People are very conscious about eating heavy food but they still want delicious food. We always have a lot of healthy dishes on the menu, and in desserts we have fruits and sugar free options. You will see all my favourites on the thaali, imarti has to be there as it is my favourite. Other dishes are dal makhni, bhindi fry, shahi paneer, khatta baigan, which is a Hyderabadi recipe. We make sure that food is not too spicy or heavy and yet it is delicious. I usually send a save the date notification to my guests very much in advance as everyone has multiple engagements, especially around Diwali. The caterer has to be booked if I am not going for home cooked food. We mostly do thaali dinner on Diwali as we all love to celebrate the festival traditionally.”

She adds that she makes sure to serve dinner by 9 pm at her parties. “I used to go to so many parties and no one would serve food before 11 pm. Who eats at 11 pm! No one wants to eat this late. I always serve dinner by 9 pm and guests expect that from me now. People don’t serve dinner on time because they think that the party will break and guests will start leaving. But I think if you have called someone to your house, you have to serve them dinner, if they want to stay or not is up to them. They can party after having dinner also. I am also very particular about timing so now all my friends know that they have to come on time and I may not invite them next time if they don’t come on time. My parties start around 7:30-8 pm,” she adds.

She added, “The dinner table mats feature silver with gold plating. The gold embroidery on the table napkins, the engraved pattern on silver thaalis are my designs. I got them customized. All cutlery is from Christofle. I always include real, seasonal flowers in the decor and marigold has to be there as for me it represents tradition and adds an Indian touch. I like bright colours. We use a lot of yellow flowers and mix it with purple and violet.”

Diwali parties have been a tradition at Shalini’s place since they moved into this house in 2011. Talking about one of her most popular Diwali parties, she says, “it has to be when we had fashion designer Roberto Cavalli.”

She recalls, “Around Diwali, we hosted him for dinner and had around 150 guests. It was a thaali dinner which we served the guests in two rounds, and everything was prepared at home. He loved being here, his team told me that he would be here for two hours, but he was the first one to arrive and the last one to leave. He loved being at home and meeting all my friends.”

Through initiatives like the MASH Ball, Shalini Passi has harnessed collective energy to support programs like Art-Based Therapy and Early Childhood Development, empowering children to overcome challenges and realise their full potential. Shalini Passi's commitment to philanthropy shines through in her generous donation of 100% of the proceeds from the MASH Ball to UNICEF. 

Additionally, the entire proceedings from Shalini Passi's television debut in Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives was donated to UNICEF India to further their joint mission of enhancing childcare missions in Purnea, Bihar. “The response to the show has been tremendous. There was a buzz that the show will do well, but the way people are showing me love and appreciation is something I never imagined. I am so eccentric and I am just doing my own thing,” she said.

Ramona Narang, Shalini Passi, Roberto Cavalli and Queenie at a party held at Shalini’s house