TAHIRA KASHYAP KHURRANA

IN A TÊTE-À-TÊTE WITH HELLO!, THE AUTHOR AND FILMMAKER LETS US INTO HER THOUGHTS ON WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION, HER LATEST BOOK AND HUSBAND AYUSHMANN KHURRANA

- SHRADDHA CHOWDHURY

Humour and wit, with a healthy dose of snark. Those who spend ample time around Tahira Kashyap Khurrana are familiar with her trademark quirks — as are fans of her books that come seeped in these endearing traits.

In 2018, Tahira drew praise for sharing moments from what was possibly the most trying period of her life — her battle with breast cancer. Today, a champion of women’s rights, she pushes for greater female involvement in filmmaking through Indian Women Rising, an organisation she co-founded, and breaks stereotypes surrounding mothers and “the weaker sex” through her writing — most recently, in her book 7 Sins of Being A Mother.

In conversation with HELLO!, Tahira gets candid about using humour to advocate for causes, her upcoming projects, and having the support of her husband, actor Ayushmann Khurrana.

Be it your writing or speech, your way of putting things into perspective for women is liberating. Does your upbringing have a part to play in this? My parents have a huge role to play in how I express myself. I had a very progressive upbringing. It’s sad to say that when women work, it’s dubbed ‘progressive’. I’ve always seen my mother juggle work and home, and that liberation of feelings comes from a personal space. My father is the one with the funny bone, and I get my sense of humour from him. I’ve mixed the two worlds, and that reflects in my writing.