Twinkle Khanna wears multiple hats. She is an interior designer, an author, a columnist and also a film producer on the professional front. Khanna, who is known for her wit and humour, has donned the role of mentor for students of INIFD, Salt Lake. She also launched Medhavi Skills University & NSDC degree and diploma programmes that will give students an edge in the industry. Before leaving the venue to soak in the colonial-era history of Calcutta and tease her tastebuds with the city’s street food, Mrs Funny Bones spoke to t2 about her favourite Bengali authors, her views on augmented reality and more. Excerpts.
When was the last time you visited Calcutta? Do you have any memory of the city?
I used to come here a lot because of my sister who used to stay here but that was a long time ago. I haven’t seen much and hence don’t have too many memories of the city but I am going to visit Victoria Memorial and have puchkas. That’s the plan. All my favourite writers are Bengali and there are so many of them. The first Indian science fiction writer was a Bengali and, if I am not mistaken, he was also a scientist who wrote this story for a competition that was given for some hair oil. He ended up writing science fiction.
We are at a design institute and this is the age of AI. How do you think AI will impact the industry?
It depends on how we use it and how AI develops. For the next five-seven years, it will be a tool that will really help us expedite our work. As for it being a threat, I wouldn’t be able to comment on that.
Talking about designing, we have many Indian designers making it big on the global fashion map but the representation remains small. What do you think we need to do to improve our footprint?
I think it’s a progress and we are making inroads slowly... globally, and as the world becomes more connected, via social media and other platforms, each sector will have its prominence.
You keep reinventing yourself, whether it’s by going back to university for a course or starting an online platform like Tweak India. What is it that keeps you going?
I strongly believe that every organism has to keep growing and since I cannot grow vertically anymore and I don’t want to grow horizontally then I have to grow, perhaps, intellectually.
A book that you are reading at the moment?Tweak India has a book club and the book of the month is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, and I still have about 20 pages left to finish it.
Bengali authors who are there on your reading list....
There are many but I will have to narrow it down.
Any OTT content that you are hooked to?
Nothing in particular... may be something that has zombies in it.
Where do you derive your sense of humour from?
That’s like saying why does someone look at the world differently; we all do. Things that people find traumatic I find funny for myself, not their misery but my own. That’s where it comes from.
Your last book was Pyjamas Are Forgiving. What are you writing next?
I am working on something and will share the news soon.
