Twinkle Khanna calls mom Dimple Kapadia her ‘superwoman’ ; recalls her 5 am workout routine

Twinkle Khanna has always been open about her life and relationships. She was raised by her mother, Dimple Kapadia, after her parents separated. Twinkle often talks about how her mother played the biggest role in shaping her life. In a recent interview, she said that Dimple taught her how to be strong and succeed as a woman in a male-dominated world.

Twinkle Khanna credits her mother for shaping her outlook

While promoting her new book, Twinkle spoke to BBC India and reflected on the experiences that shaped her personality. When asked what influenced her most, she immediately credited her mother for being her guiding force. Sharing how her upbringing defined her outlook, Twinkle said, “I am probably one of those women who have taken a step back to equality. I always thought that we (women) were superior, and I grew up with that notion. I grew up with a single mom, and we were all women in the house. My mother was the earning member.”

Recalling Dimple Kapadia’s unmatched discipline

Talking about Dimple, she continued, “I have this distinct memory of my mother. My sister and I used to have our mattress on the floor, and we used to share the room with my mother and aunt. My mother would wake up at 5 am and would work out around us. She was an actress with three shifts a day, and she had to look good while taking care of the house. I would look at her, and she was my superwoman, and she was even wearing tights. That set a precedent for me.”

Feminism is learned by watching, not teaching

Twinkle said she was never taught about feminism in a direct way. She learned it by watching her mother and the way she handled things in daily life. She said, “We never spoke about feminism; that word wasn’t there. But it was very clear that this is the way it’s going to be. It has very clearly shaped my choices. I have been married for about 25 odd years, and so has my sister. We never thought about changing our last name; we are the Khanna sisters. I have a crazy aunt who keeps saying, ‘You aren’t Khanna sisters; you are pagal (mad) sisters.’ I said if I had to change my name, I’d change my first name. It’s Twinkle, and I am actually happy with Khanna.”

Dimple Kapadia’s remarkable journey

In 1973, Dimple Kapadia married superstar Rajesh Khanna when she was just 16 and he was 32. However, their marriage didn’t last long. Dimple, who wanted to continue acting and lead life on her own terms, reportedly clashed with Rajesh over her independence. After their separation, she focused on raising their daughters, Twinkle and Rinke, while also making a strong mark in Bollywood with her work.

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