Welcome to Velvetpur: Why I'm Writing Noir Fiction Set in a Fictional Bollywood City

The City That Wouldn't Leave Me Alone

Velvetpur started as a throwaway detail in a story I was outlining. A struggling actress. A predatory producer. A city that promises everything and delivers something darker.

But the city kept expanding in my mind. The districts. The players. The way money flows between entertainment, politics, and crime. The humid coastal air. The golden hour light that makes everything look beautiful—and false.

I realized I wasn't just writing one story. I was building a universe.

Why Velvetpur?

I wanted to write noir fiction—dark, atmospheric, morally complex stories about ordinary people caught in corrupt systems. But I didn't want to set them in the same American cities we've seen a thousand times.

What if there was a fictional South Asian metropolis? A place inspired by real cities but existing in its own noir universe? Where Bollywood-style entertainment meets political corruption? Where everyone has secrets, and survival means knowing when to stay silent?

Velvetpur emerged: the entertainment capital of the fictional nation of Aaryavarta. Second-largest film industry in the world. Coastal megacity. Art deco buildings and glass towers. Traffic chaos and luxury hotels. Dreams made and destroyed daily.

It's not meant to be a realistic portrait of any real place. It's a noir city—heightened, atmospheric, where the systems of power and corruption are visible rather than hidden.

What Makes It "Noir"?

Classic noir has certain elements I'm drawn to:

• Flawed protagonists: No heroes, just people trying to survive
• Moral ambiguity: Right and wrong aren't clear-cut
• Corrupt systems: Institutions protect the powerful
• Atmospheric settings: The city itself is a character
• High stakes: Choices have permanent consequences
• Dark tone: Not everything ends well

Velvetpur Noir takes these elements and places them in a fresh setting. The struggling actress. The bartender who knows too much. The speechwriter discovering his boss's lies. The theater owner watching his legacy demolished. The disgraced director seeking redemption.

All of them trapped in a city where speaking truth can get you killed, but staying silent eats you alive.

The First Collection: Volume 1

Velvetpur Noir: Volume 1 contains six interconnected stories. Each stands alone, but together they paint a complete picture of how the city works.

The Audition introduces Maya Kapoor, who witnesses something horrific at a producer's mansion and becomes entangled in a dangerous game.

Last Call follows Arjun, a bartender at an elite celebrity hangout, who must decide what to do when a regular confesses to murder.

The Ghostwriter exposes how entertainment money funds political campaigns through Aditya, a speechwriter who discovers his boss's corruption.

Opening Night spans three generations as Velvetpur's oldest cinema faces demolition—and a murder reveals buried secrets.

The Comeback tracks a disgraced director whose redemption is sabotaged by someone from his past.

Election Night brings all the storylines together on one explosive night when a young activist is found dead.

The stories reference each other. Characters reappear. Locations recur. Inspector Reena Sharma investigates cases across multiple stories. The Blue Hour bar shows up again and again. By the end, you understand Velvetpur's ecosystem of corruption.

Why Am I Doing This?

This is a personal creative project—skill development, distraction, pure creative expression. No pressure to monetize immediately. Just the joy of building a fictional universe and telling stories I find compelling.

I'm based in Vrindavan, India, writing in English for international readers. These stories are published here on the website as free PDFs—no paywalls, no marketplace fees. The goal is to create something I'm proud of and share it directly with readers.

I'm influenced by: - Classic noir (Chandler, Hammett) - International crime fiction (Megan Abbott, Tana French) - Interconnected story collections (Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles) - Dark TV shows that explore systemic corruption (The Wire, True Detective)

But I wanted my own setting. My own rules. My own flawed characters making impossible choices.

What's Next?

Volume 1 is complete and available for download. This blog will document the ongoing journey: - New releases and volume announcements - Behind-the-scenes looks at character development - Deep dives into Velvetpur's districts and culture - Craft notes on noir storytelling - Writing updates on future projects

If you're interested in dark thrillers, morally complex characters, and stories set in a fictional Bollywood-style metropolis, welcome.

Velvetpur is waiting.

The question is: are you ready to enter the City of Dreams?