Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 4

Sassy and witty Twinkle Khanna, participated in a virtual session ‘Twist in the Tale’, held by FICCI FLO Amritsar chapter today. A celebrated author, who is known for her unapologetic self, shared bits from her life as she discussed several twists in her tale with Manjot Dhillon, chairperson, FICCI FLO, Amritsar.

“It is my unusual name that somehow pushed me to develop my humour,” she revealed as a conversation starter.

Sharing that she had always wanted women to be unabashedly open about complex topics such as sex education and feminine health, Twinkle said her vision for a modern and independent woman is to be financially independent and socially confident. “Tweak India, a space I created, is a medium for modern Indian woman to challenge old ideas and discover new ones. My mom has been a great source of inspiration as I would often find her walking on her own path. Growing up made me realise that we don’t really need men for anything essential, except a companionship and pleasure,” said Khanna, who is popular as Mrs Funnybones. When questioned about her views on marriage, Twinkle very candidly called it an outdated institution and titled Indian marriages as a festival bonanza.

Addressing the members, she encouraged the women of today not to be pressurised by anything and possess the ability to step back from the zones that make them uncomfortable. “My mantra is ‘Be Yourself’ and I disapprove of the idea of following someone else. Confidence is the magic carpet that can take you to the places you have only dreamt of,” she reminded the audience. It’s also her mantra to deal with criticism.

Talking about parenting, queen of wit said, “We have to undergo a driving test before we get a license to drive a car, why there’s no such thing before turning into a mother or father? We have to have a system wherein the couple has some sort of training, a refresher course, before they could raise a child. We must not spend our lives teaching morals to just our daughters. We should focus on our sons too,” she added.

She also expressed her desire to learn and speak Punjabi and fondly remembered her father’s association with Amritsar, his place of birth.