PVLF 2026

Interview: Sonia Vashishta Oberoi, Author of "LIFE, LOVE & US"

Sonia reflects on Life, Love & Us, exploring urban relationships, emotional struggles, and how kindness, hope, and human connection help characters find healing and second chances.
on Mar 15, 2026

Frontlist: Your anthology dives deep into complex urban relationships and emotional struggles. Amid these layers, how do you see themes like kindness and togetherness, which we often associate with Christmas, shining through your characters’ journeys?

Sonia: Yes, the stories in ‘Life, Love & Us’ are about emotional struggles and relationship turmoils faced by contemporary urban Indians. These are the stories which aptly portray the poignant troubles rampant in the lives of the people living in modern urban India. Problems like childlessness and surrogacy, marital dispute and distress, old age and loneliness, joblessness and divorce, toxicity and hypocrisy etc. have been discussed in these meticulously crafted stories.

However, the beauty of this book is that each and every story, though it starts with a problem, ends with a solution. Every story has a positive ending as I want to convey the message that every dark cloud has a silver lining. And in almost every story; for example: ‘Joblessness’, ‘The House’, ‘Eternal Love’, ‘Misconception’, ‘Career’; just to mention a few, the characters rise from ashes and survive the darkness because of the kindness of friends and family. Love, togetherness and family bonds play an important role in inspiring the characters to find solutions to their problems.

Frontlist: Many of your stories feature individuals battling loneliness, trauma, or societal expectations. In the spirit of Christmas, which is a time of healing and hope, how did you ensure that your characters still find sparks of joy despite their circumstances?

Sonia: Christmas is really a time to forget and forgive. It’s a time when hope heals the wounded hearts and fill them with joy. I have tried to share through ‘Life, Love & Us’ that despite all the sufferings HOPE still sustains life. No doubt, life is tough and full of challenges in modern times but never

lose hope. Keep on doing the right thing and soon life will be on track again. Finally the shroud of darkness will be lifted and you will be able to see the LIGHT. Problems will be solved and you will be able to cope up and make peace with traumas and troubles through patience, perseverance and courage.

Frontlist: Christmas represents compassion and second chances. Is there any story in Life, Love & Us where a character’s transformation mirrors that spirit of renewal?

Sonia: Many of the stories in this anthology deal with the themes of compassion and second chances. For example, the story ‘Bankim Dada’, where the octogenarian photographer, Bankim dada, gets a second chance at happiness because of the compassionate efforts of his neighbours, Ravi and Kiran. Bankim dada is a lonely old man who is going into depression because he has nobody to talk to, especially after the demise of his wife. He is so desperate to talk and share that he talks to Siri, the virtual voice. When Ravi and Kiran come to know about the condition of Bankim dada they arrange an exhibition of memories in the form of photos clicked by Bankim dada at the prime of his career. They take help of other residents around them for arranging a surprise birthday party plus exhibition at the 80th birthday of Bankim dada. This kind gesture of the considerate couple gives a new meaning to Bankim dada’s dull and lonely life. He decides to coach the younger generation to reduce the boredom and loneliness. His second chance at happiness surely mirrors the spirit of renewal because of love and compassion.

Frontlist: Your characters range from cancer survivors to people navigating heartbreak, identity, and family tensions. Which of these stories, in your view, best exemplifies how human warmth can thrive even in contemporary chaos, much like the warmth of the festive season?

Sonia: ‘The Awkward Catharsis’ is such a story where young and beautiful Purvi survives through the appalling times of her life only because of the eternal warmth and support of her friend Mia and the unconditional love of her new boyfriend Rajan. Heart-broken and distraught due to her overly ambitious and utterly selfish mother, Purvi spirals down in life and indulges in extreme self-criticism losing hope. However, she is fortunate that her BFF, Mia, comes to her rescue once again and this time she is accompanied by Purvi’s newly found love, Rajan. Both of them support Purvi and make her take the right decisions in life. Eventually, Purvi is able to thrive holistically.

Frontlist: As an author, where do you personally find ‘the spirit of Christmas’, joy, empathy, and connection, in the midst of exploring darker themes and secrets within your anthology?

Sonia: My positive attitude is my greatest strength. I am a person who absolutely believes what Robert Browning said centuries ago that “God is in heaven, all's right with the world”. My friends call me an incorrigible optimist as I believe staunchly that most of the problems come with solutions lingering behind and can be solved eventually. Moreover, my other beliefs which help me to feel and experience joy, and emanate empathy are: treat others as you yourself want to be treated and forgive others as easily as we forgive ourselves. These principles help me a lot to maintain sanity and happiness in life.

Frontlist: Several of your stories portray people searching for belonging, within families, relationships, or society. How does this search reflect the broader message of togetherness that Christmas embodies?

Sonia: Christmas is a the time when families come together to celebrate and acknowledge the importance of family and community. In many of my stories, the protagonists regain and revive the purpose of life through the unconditional love and unending support of family, friends and community. Misunderstandings and conflicts are unavoidable but the real triumph is to resolve the misconceptions, and achieve the harmony and balance through faith, trust and love. ‘The Secret’, ‘It’s Ok to Be Ok’, ‘Everlasting Love’ and ‘Career’ are some of the stories which convey this message very strongly.

Frontlist: Your book realistically portrays metropolitan life, with its pressures and heartbreaks. How important is it, especially during a season like Christmas, to remind readers that even small acts of kindness can change someone’s story?

Sonia: Here I would like to mention the heart-melting story ‘Misconception’ where Neelam decides to leave her husband Prabhat because of a crucial misunderstanding. She overhears Prabhat talking to his elder brother and starts thinking that Prabhat has got married to her as a part of his ‘strategy for a good life’. She feels that she has been befooled and betrayed. However, Prabhat explains to her later with love and affection that it was not the truth. His loving words definitely make Neelam rethink and reconsider about her decision. A marriage that could have been broken because of a drastic misunderstanding is saved because of Prabhat’s kind words and truthfulness. The story is a lesson of love and kindness in itself.

Another story relevant here is ‘Career’ where a father and son talk heart to heart with each other and successfully make peace with their complex past.

Stories like these show that this world can be a much better place to live and love through kindness. Even the smallest acts of kindness like talking and understanding other person’s feelings can cause a magnificent change in his/her life.

Frontlist: If you had to choose one character from Life, Love & Us who would most benefit from the warmth and generosity of the Christmas spirit, who would it be and why?

Sonia: I would choose Mohan, the fickle-minded and rich brat portrayed vividly in the story ‘ The Dreadful Monday’. He becomes the prime suspect in a horrendous murder mystery because of his carelessness. Though he is able to get off the hook due to the grace of God, yet I think he needs people’s support, warmth and generosity to accept him after that dreadful Monday. He needs people around him to treat him with kindness and compassion so that he should be able to handle the shock and trauma of the most horrifying day of his life.