PVLF 2026

Tanusree Biswas, Author of “The Love Soup”

In The Love Soup, Tanusree explores love, heartbreak, and self-discovery through Anushka’s messy yet relatable journey of emotions, choices, and growth.
on Mar 19, 2026

Frontlist: The Love Soup explores heartbreak, self-discovery, and unexpected romance. What sparked the idea for Anushka’s journey from emotional burnout to romantic chaos?

Tanusree: Like most writers,I take inspiration from life itself. I had observed young couples in public places, the bonding and the intimacy, and that has made me wonder what if they part ways tomorrow? Somehow the idea of writing something about the fragility of romantic relationships stayed with me. I think Anushka can be any young woman of today…any modern woman trying to figure out life, love and career.

Frontlist: Anushka finds herself torn between very different men, Richard, Arush, and Rehan, each representing a different kind of connection. Did you design them as contrasts on purpose, and what does each one bring out in her?

Tanusree: The contrast happened by coincidence. Anushka met Richard by accident or was that some cosmic design? Richard became a distraction, someone who showed her light when she was at her darkest phase. But somehow Anushka knew Richard was someone who would have to leave eventually. On the contrary Arush was the perfect eligible bachelor- family approved and charming.

Then came along Rehan Rathore, charming, devilish and full of intrigue! Anushka genuinely liked Arush but she was hopelessly

attracted to Rehan. Each romantic interest she found herself entwined made her look inside her and even when things were getting messier, it helped her understand her true feelings.

Frontlist: Darjeeling plays a key role in Anushka’s emotional reset. What drew you to set part of the story there, and how does the setting influence the mood of the narrative?

Tanusree: Darjeeling spells an eternal old world charm, a mix of colonial history and natural beauty. Also a hill station is a perfect place to unwind, relax and reset. So Darjeeling becomes the cradle to nurse Anushka’s heartbreak. I have used my familiarity with this hill station to take the narrative forward. This is where Anushka meets Richard and Arush and sets herself free from her old demons!

Frontlist: The publishing industry and author, publicist dynamic adds an interesting professional layer to the romance. How much of this world comes from your own observations or experiences?

Ironically, most of it comes from my imagination or insights I had gathered from observing the industry from the outside. Before The Love Soup got published I had zero knowledge of mainstream publishing or publicity. However I had always wanted to write about an author and that somehow manifested itself in the character of Rehan Rathore.

Frontlist: Your protagonist is ambitious yet vulnerable, confident yet confused,and very relatable to modern readers. How important was it for you to portray a female lead who doesn’t have everything figured out?

Tanusree: I am glad someone asked me that! Anushka is flesh and blood, she is an everyday woman like you or me. She loves her career, herself yet she is sometimes caught between changing social trends, morality and social expectations! Many a times you will find her battling the dilemma of doing the right thing with the desire to listen to her heart. It always takes a setback, to rethink our life, to reevaluate our goals and Anuskha does just that, she rearranges her life to best suit herself.

Frontlist: The title, The Love Soup, suggests emotional messiness. Do you think being “confused” in love is actually an important phase of personal growth?

Tanusree: Oh yes! I mean there is no rulebook when it comes to love or relationships. You have to navigate the paths yourself, sometimes travel through a bumpy road to find what you are looking for. After the breakup Anushka is scared to commit, or to be played with, she guards her emotions, yet she is feeling a lot of things, and fate throws her in a weird situation- emotional confusion is but inevitable.

Frontlist: You’ve had a diverse professional journey, including journalism, entrepreneurship, gaming content, and ghostwriting. How did these varied experiences shape your voice while writing your debut novel?

Tanusree: I believe experiences, whether professional or personal, makes you richer as a person and a writer. Interacting with people in general, observing life, and navigating various work experiences shapes your voice. My work as a ghostwriter ( writing fiction and memoirs) helped me immensely!

Frontlist: As a debut author, what do you hope readers will take away from Anushka’s story: comfort, courage, escapism, or a little bit of everything?

Tanusree: Primarily I hope the readers will enjoy reading the book and connect with the characters. What a reader takes from the story is very personal, but hope, humour and self love are the predominant themes that the narrative carries!