Kolkata, January 13, 2025: Bollywood IT girl, actress, travel vlogger, and author Shenaz Treasury, along with acclaimed writer Nitish Bhushan, captivated audiences on Day 3 of the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival in a panel moderated by Ramona Sen. The session looked into the complexities of modern relationships, digital identity, and traditional values. Treasury’s latest book, All He Left Me Was a Recipe, and Bhushan’s hard-hitting novel, Love Swipe Blackmail, started discussions about love in the age of technology, the challenges of monogamy amongst other things. All He Left Me Was a Recipe is a never-ending pursuit of love, a quest for the ever-elusive ‘Mr. Right,’ all while kissing the ‘Mr. Maybes’. It’s a rollercoaster ride through the fabulous and often hilariously complicated world of modern dating where love, lust and culinary metaphors are on the menu. While, Nitin’s book is a fast-paced mystery thriller woven around three couples, three best friends, two mysterious women, two exes and one dating app.
Shenaz Treasury reflected on her writing experience, saying, “It was cathartic to write. I relived experiences that I had earlier, which felt great. Food is a really important thing in all relationships, so I included recipes of dishes that the boy and I enjoyed together. The real recipe, however, is the life lesson.” Bhushan, addressing the inspiration behind his relatable characters, shared, “I modeled them on friends from school and college. I thought about how they’d behave in such situations.” The discussion also touched upon the relevance of traditional values in modern romance. Treasury said, “It depends on the person. For some, traditional values and modern romance can go hand in hand.” Bhushan added, “There are no odds between the two; common ground can always be found when people are willing to communicate.”
The digital age and its impact on love and self-perception were key topics of debate. Treasury commented, “Technology is a double-edged sword. Swipes make love very temporary, and it’s also become very easy to cheat. But it’s also very easy to meet someone nowadays.” Bhushan, echoing this sentiment, remarked, “In a digital world, it feels great to have a filter, to show a life that doesn’t exist. But it also reflects our insecurities and fragile egos.” Consent and the importance of boundaries were also discussed during the discussion. On being asked whether no means no, Bhushan firmly stated, “A No is always a No” Treasury emphasized the same, adding, “No definitely means no.”