'I like to find the funny side of mundane things'

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I like to find the funny side of  mundane things

Twinkle Khanna, aka Mrs Funnybones, talks about her short-lived stint in Bollywood, her love for writing (and her newly-released book), her touch of whimsy, raising kids with hubby Akshay Kumar - and how her gorgeous mom Dimple Kapadia keeps her grounded

By Udita Jhunjhunwala

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Published: Thu 8 Dec 2016, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Wed 21 Dec 2016, 3:10 PM

 
She was once recognised and identified as the daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, as the lead heroine of movies such as International Khiladi and Mela, and as the wife of Akshay Kumar. But today, Twinkle Khanna is defined as, admired and celebrated for being Mrs Funnybones, an incisive columnist with a sharp wit who has just published her second book, The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad. Twinkle has often said that she was a terrible actor and has no regrets about leaving a career in Bollywood films behind. Instead, she embraced her role as wife, mother, interior designer and, now, author and columnist. Through her writing, her readers have discovered the real Twinkle Khanna.
Excerpts from an interview:
Do you think people now see the real you - the succesful witty and skilled writer, with a refreshing candour, rather than the stereotype of a Bollywood actor, star wife etc?
People's perceptioms have never really influcenced me in a major way. If they had, I would not have walked an odd path. Since my childhood, everyone would say I am weird and today that is termed 'witty' or 'wonderful'. So it's not like there was a transformation. This is how I have been since I was 12. What is interesting to me is that, at this point in life, I am getting to do something I enjoy, that I can probably do skilfully, and through that if people discover me, that's great. Usually at this age (40), a lot of women find themselves at a loose end - their kids are growing up and you are changing physically and mentally. But for me, this whole midlife crisis got kicked out because instead of worrying about the lines on my face, I had to worry about what lines to come up with for my next column! 
Did you always have an ambition to be a writer/author?
I wrote half a novel when I was 18 and I always thought I would write eventually, because my world has been filled with words. I am a passionate reader. Actually, when I was young, I wanted to become a chartered accountant (CA). I have been working my whole life. My first job was working for my grandmother's sister's company and delivering boxes of fish and prawns. Then, I was working as an assistant to an interior decorator while I was also applying for my CA entrance exam. Math was always my favourite subject. But then movie offers came along and my mother said that, for a young girl, this is the only time to make that sort of money. At that point in time, it was the only route. So I reluctantly gave up academics and shifted to acting. But no regrets. The experiences that made me, the experiences that broke me, all added up to where I am and who I am today. I have a line in my book, "I don't want to look back and choke on the dust of my footsteps." 
What do you think it is about your writing that connects so well with readers?
One never knows how that connect was made, but I think people started looking at me like they know me, like they were my friend or neighbour. There is a small part of me that is leads this glamourous life, but the rest of me is the same as everybody else - I have a job, I have kids, I have problems, I have domestic staff. My maid also won't turn up, or my driver won't turn up, or my kids will give me a hard time - it's everyone's story. I always had this skewed perspective of life. I have looked at things perhaps in a more straightforward way than most, but unwrapped the layers of
tradition and conditioning that we hide the truth in. I have looked at those things without taking them too seriously, with a little bit of whimsy in it. I like to find the funny side of mundane things, to take the things you moan about and make them things you can laugh about.

Tell us a little about the four short stories in the new book.
Each one has a different backstory. I had originally written 'Salam, Noni Appa' when I was 18, with an 18-year-old
protagonist. But the story changed over time and then Noni Appa became a 68-year-old protagonist who is attracted to a man in her twilight years. 'Sanitary Man' came out of resarch I was doing for a column on menstruation. I came across this man who invented a machine making low-cost sanitary napkins, and he became the inspiration for the story. Then, there was this image that kept flashing in my mind about a woman who is more concerned with the weather forecast than the man she is about to marry. That resulted in 'If the Weather Permits'. The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad is about the girl child. Each of these stories is based in different Indian states and set in different time periods and communites, so they required a great deal of research.

You have dedicated The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad to your husband Akshay Kumar. Is he involved with your writing?
It is almost mandatory that I send my writings to him before sending it to the editor just so he can glance at them. And he does have his finger on the pulse of what works. Plus, he has a good sense of humour. So, I appreciate the feedback he gives me, though I don't appreciate the fact that he sometimes removes things, even though it is for my own good. 
What is your mother Dimple Kapadia's reaction to  your new
star status?

She herself is very modest, so when people tell her things about me, she is secretly pleased but she's also embarrassed and when she's embarrased things come out oddly. I always say I can't walk with my nose up in the air because she is always around to tell me if something is stuck up there. So to keep me grounded, I have mother, and that's great.
What do you think has worked for you and Akshay as a unit?
The way we wanted to raise our kids, the way we wanted to live our life, that neither of us wanted to be surrounded by sycophants. We like to do real things, like real people, simple things like going to the cinema with our kids and having
popcorn. We love that. We don't want to deprive our kids of that and put them in a rarefied environment. Also, we have a similar attitude to money and finance. We like to play cards, hang out with the kids, watch movies, and we are very
involved in each other's work, so we don't run out of things to talk about. And that's a very good thing after 15 years of being together.  
wknd@khaleejtimes.com
 


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