Women Must Rely on Themselves: Twinkle Khanna On Her Parents' Separation

Actor-turned-author Twinkle Khanna, who holds a Master’s degree in fiction writing and is the daughter of Dimple Kapadia and Rajesh Khanna, has shared insights into what her father’s career decline and their parents’ separation taught her about life. She recalled with admiration how her mother gracefully handled the challenging circumstances during that time.

Twinkle recounted the challenges her mother faced and how she managed to keep the family together. "Everything I write about seems to be about women finding their place in the world, about the chafing between what a woman is and what she is meant to be," she said. 

Women Must Rely on Themselves: What Her Parents' Divorce Taught Twinkle Khanna

She vividly remembers the period when they moved to her grandmother's house and had to share a room. She described how her mother, Dimple, and her aunt would share a bed, while Twinkle and her sister would sleep on mattresses on the floor. Every morning at 5 AM, Dimple would wake up and put on a Jane Fonda workout tape, doing her exercises on mute to avoid disturbing anyone.

Twinkle admired her mother's resilience and dedication. Despite working three shifts, Dimple never complained and always had a smile on her face. Twinkle stated, "For me, it was very clear at that point that a woman doesn’t have to rely on anyone besides herself. Men were okay, it was enjoyable to have them like a dessert, but they were certainly not the main course." This perspective, shaped by her mother's example, has defined Twinkle's approach to life.

Twinkle's mother, Dimple, also praised her daughter's maturity and support during the difficult times following her separation from Rajesh Khanna. Speaking at a FICCI FLO event in Jaipur, Dimple described Twinkle as her "mother" during that period. "She’s an amazing child. She must have been all of seven or eight when I got separated. The kind of maturity… She was only wanting to take care of me, to see if I was okay, if everything was alright with me. There are lots of things I can’t say because of you know what… But she was like my friend. Then she turned into a monster mother," Dimple said.

In a similar vein, Ranbir Kapoor recently opened up about how the relationship between his parents, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor, influenced his life. Ranbir revealed his fear of the conflicts between his late father and mother, and praised her mother for her unwavering support and communication during those times. 

Neetu Kapoor, in turn, has spoken highly of Ranbir’s parenting style, noting how he is very hands-on with his child, contrasting with his father's approach. She remarked, "I have seen many fathers, but none like him. He is the opposite of his father, who wasn't very good with kids."