Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna, married for over two decades, are proud parents to two children — son Aarav and daughter Nitara. Recently, Twinkle shared a heartfelt story in her column for The Times of India about an incident that deeply affected their daughter Nitara and how a book played a crucial role in helping her overcome her insecurities about her skin color.Twinkle Khanna on How a Book Helped Daughter Nitara .
Nitara’s Struggle with Skin Color Comparison
Twinkle Khanna narrated an incident where Nitara almost gave up swimming due to a hurtful remark made by a relative. The comparison between Nitara’s and her brother Aarav’s skin color left her feeling self-conscious. Twinkle recalled, “There was a time when my little one (Nitara) wanted to discontinue her swimming lessons. A tan had become her nemesis. ‘I want to be the same color as bhaiya (brother).’ A chance remark by a foolish relative within her earshot had not gone unnoticed. ‘She is so cute but not as fair as her brother!’”
Twinkle Khanna on How a Book Helped:
To help Nitara navigate this challenging period, Twinkle gave her an illustrated biography of Frida Kahlo. Twinkle explained, “I gave her (Nitara) Frida Kahlo’s illustrated biography. Gleaming skin of a shade not unlike hers, with eyebrows that met in the center, a formidably talented woman as a role model.” This book, featuring Frida Kahlo’s unique appearance and incredible talent, served as an inspiration for Nitara. It helped her see beauty and strength in her own skin color.
The impact of the book was profound. Twinkle mentioned how Nitara’s perception of her skin color changed positively. “These days, she claims she doesn’t need to use as much sunblock as her brother. ‘White is a light color, so it gets dirty fast like my T-shirt; brown is darker, so it doesn’t,’” Twinkle shared, highlighting Nitara’s newfound confidence.
In a recent interview, Akshay Kumar praised Twinkle for her continued pursuit of education and the positive influence she has on their children. Speaking on cricketer Shikhar Dhawan’s chat show, Dhawan Karenge, Akshay said, “Main to anpadh aadmi hu, zyada padha nahi hu. Main gadha mazdoori karta hu, wo (Twinkle Khanna) dimag wali hai. (I am an illiterate man, I have not studied much. I do manual labor, whereas she is the one with the brain).”
He continued, “I go to work and she has taken such good care of my children (son Aarav and daughter Nitara). I am surprised about how my wife looks at life even today. She is 50 now and still goes to study. She has finished her master’s and is now doing her PhD.”