Pinki Virani, the award-winning author of three controversial non-fiction books that dealt with issues as diverse as sexual abuse of children and Mumbai's fragile social fabric, is back - this time with a fictional tale of contemporary Indian history. Born to Gujarati Muslim parents in Mumbai, 50-year-old Virani has a degree in journalism from Columbia University. She shuttles between Mumbai, Delhi and Pune.

Pinky Virani earned wide acclaim for Bitter Chocolate - a book on the sexual abuse of children in middle and upper class Indian homes.