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With a twinkle in her eye

Perin Ilavia

Twinkle Khanna packs quite a punch in her life and does not for a moment regret quitting Bollywood.

Twinkle Khanna was in town for the finalé to the month-long Movado campaign. Not many can boast about both parents being superstars of an era. As a child, she did consider the profession on and off, but she had other things in mind, like becoming an accountant, doing interiors, but when she got so many offers, she consented. “It was not a meditated move. I thought I should give it a shot, for I did not want the ‘could haves’ hanging around later.”

Creative instinct

She recalls her mother and grandmother being major influences during her formative years. The whole family is madly creative. They made dolls, did embroidery.

Her mom made candles as a hobby, later she and her sister began scenting them and unknown to Dimple, started a business.

‘Far Away Tree’ had the distinction of creating 1000 candles for the Sahar wedding. Twinkle worked as an apprentice to an architect in Mumbai, trained as site supervisor with an interior decorator, and is thankful her parents did not expose her to cinema as a child artist.

“It’s the worst thing that can happen to anyone. The more you shield your children the better. It is not really something an immature child can handle.”

Her first movie, Barsat, in 1990 with Bobby Deol was well received. “I did not know Bobby and we had a lot of ego clashes, were busy stamping on each others toes, threw attitudes. Now he and his wife are friends, and we can laugh about it.”

She feels she was too young to think about public expectations.

“If I had, I’d have been too frightened. I was 17, busy finding my bearings.” She never thought then that 15 years later, interiors would be her profession. “It’s destiny,” she affirms.

Motherhood wonders

Getting married and motherhood is wonderful. “There’s one thing about Akshay and me, we never speak about our personal lives. Where do you draw the line between what’s sacred to you and what’s fit for public knowledge? No one knows how we met and what’s happening and I like that, it’s only for me.”

A doting father, Akshay Kumar took care of night feeds and changing nappies, and now even bathes the baby who’s three. “I think it’s great.”

Twinkle has had many exciting moments, but the birth of her son proceeds all. Winning the El Décor Award for her outlet White Windows, “was a real high, an acknowledgement, that I’d done the right ting in quitting movies.” The new genre of actors she finds have more poise, and not for a moment regrets not being in the arch lights.

About Dimple doing a movie after a long gap, she says, “It’s not a come back. I think she shouldn’t have left, I’m sure the whole country thinks so.” Passionate about food, jewellery and travelling, she says, “I’m frank, an achiever, and above all a workaholic.”