Life Beyond Reel: Twinkle Khanna, is a breed apart

Life Beyond Reel is part of ETV Bharat Sitara's series that will feature actors who couldn't dazzle in the filmdom but carved a niche in other fields. Twinkle Khanna who dusted off the failure as an actor and built her multi-faceted identity brick by brick in other fields. She donned several hats from actor to interior designer to columnist to author of several best selling books to entrepreneur apart from being a doting wife and mother.

Twinkle Khanna is all decked for the launch of her third book titled 'Pyjamas are Forgiving'. As she was about to leave her beach-facing villa in Juhu, the cook comes in to bother her with the dinner menu. The author in her grumped a little and said, "The whole day boss (Akshay Kumar) has been sitting at home in his shorts doing nothing, you haven't asked him! I'm all dressed up in my heels – it's my big day and 'khane main kya banana hai' – is all that I've to deal with today!"

Twinkle gave an insight into a working woman's life when she narrated what had happened hours before she was to unveil her labour of love in a then interview. Known for her wits and playing with words like pro, the 44-year-old is a true-blue feminist who doesn't shy away from speaking her mind on various issues.

She might be the highest-selling female author of 2018, wife of a superstar, born to then superstar Rajesh Khanna (1942-2012) and actor Dimple Kapadia, Twinkle did not allow herself to rest on the enviable well-padded backside.

In an interview, Twinkle described herself as both, a "warrior and worrier". When one looks at the niche that she has carved for herself after failing as an actor, Twinkle must have given herself a well-deserved pat on the back.

Twinkle had made her Bollywood debut in 1995 with Barsaat and her last released film as an actor was Tees Maar Khan (2010) in which she did a special appearance. In the span of 15 years, she has worked in 17 films. But, the actor who is apparently not very proud of her filmography had once said that all her movies should be banned and she wouldn't want her son Aarav and daughter Nitara to watch any of her work on-screen.

Twinkle made a splash in the world of words with Mrs Funnybones, a compilation of her newspaper columns.

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Before anyone seeks fun out of her acting stint, Twinkle, who is her biggest critic: "I haven't given a single hit in fact. I think that all my films should be banned so that no one can watch it."

There are enough examples of star kids and actors sinking into oblivion when things don't unfurl as expected. But Twinkle dusted off the failure as an actor and built her multi-faceted identity brick by brick.

Post dropping the actor title, she went on to don several hats: interior designer, columnist, author and entrepreneur apart from being a doting wife and mother.

Khanna's writing stint began with newspaper features where her inherent sense of fun, irreverence and relatability made it easy for her to strike a chord with her readers.

A good sense of humour is almost always a sign of intelligence, said Albert Einstein. If going by what the wire-haired physicist said, it is Mrs Funnybone's humour and intelligence that keeps her floating.

Twinkle Khanna signing 1000 copies copy of the Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad for a contest

An ardent fan of Neil Gaiman, Twinkle deals with a range of subjects, from motherhood to Modi with a sprinkle of humour as she opines humour lets her "get away with a lot more than serious pieces."

READ | Twinkle Khanna imitates Modi's meditating pose, pic goes viral

Twinkle made a splash in the world of words with Mrs Funnybones, a compilation of her newspaper columns. The success of her maiden book followed by The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad. Twinkle is also the co-owner of the production house, Grazing Goat Pictures under which she bankrolled PadMan, based on a story written by her.

Earlier this year, Twinkle spread her wings to dive into the ever-growing digital and social media market.

When Twinkle came up with a bilingual digital platform for women named Tweak, it came as no surprise as she has always been vocal about key issues affecting girls and women. With Tweak, she aims to create a judgement-free place for women.

Mrs Funnybones at her writing desk

Her ability to take all sorts of criticism with a grain of salt and focus only on upping her game has probably led her where she is today. But then, great outcomes are nothing but coherent choices one makes in life.

Twinkle followed her calling and walked out on being in the limelight to spend hours at her writing desk surfing on the waves of imagination to create a world of hers -- not on reels -- but on paper.

"I look after my brain. Eventually, I will come to a point where looks will begin to fade and I'd have to rely on my brain until I get Alzheimer's and then I'd have nothing to rely on." - Twinkle Khanna