Shah Rukh Khan with his wife Gauri Khan
Shah Rukh Khan revealed on Monday that ‘Mannat’, his famous sea-facing home in Mumbai’s suburban Bandra, was his wife Gauri Khan’s first project as an interior designer.
He said that before he and Gauri Khan purchased ‘Mannat’, they used to live at his director’s friend’s house near Taj Lands End, the five-star hotel.
When the couple, now married almost 30 years, gathered some money, Shah Rukh Khan stated they decided to buy a house, which went on to become ‘Mannat’.
Shah Rukh Khan said, “We managed to buy (‘Mannat’). But, then we didn’t have the money to furnish it. We called one designer, and the lunch that he served us was telling us how he would design this house. It was way more than the salary I used to earn in a month. So, we thought now that ‘We have bought it, how do we do this house?’ Then I said, ‘Gauri, you have artistic talent. Why don’t you become the designer of the house?’ ‘Mannat’ started like that”.
“The money that we earned over the years… We kept on buying small things. Once we had little money, we bought leather fur sofas… And all the small things we used to buy”, he added.
The Bollywood actor was speaking at the book launch event of Gauri Khan’s ‘My Life in Design’.
According to Gauri Khan, the book recounts her career as an interior designer and would be useful for any aspiring decorator.
Gauri Khan said, “I have compiled everything for people to go through design. When I chose this profession, designing homes, bringing them to life… (It) was extremely satisfying and exciting. And, seeing a smile on a client’s face gave me so much joy. I wanted to pen down all these thoughts and designs in one book”.
Shah Rukh Khan, who wrote the preface to ‘My Life in Design’, added that having an interior designer in the house made things easier for him.
He went on to say, “Starting early without a designer helped her learn. One thing led to the other, she kept on designing stuff. For me, it’s very nice that I don’t have to look for another designer. I think I can scream and shout at her that ‘This is not very nice, change this’. Just joking! It is just easier”.
The actor applauded his wife, a film producer, for forging her own path in the profession.
The ‘Pathaan’ star further said, “At 40, she began doing this and I told her, ‘Should I be helpful? Should I tell some friends? I will talk to them, she said, ‘No’. She started with a 10 feet by 20 feet shop in Lower Parel and she got it all out on her own and continues doing what she does”.
Shah Rukh Khan described Gauri Khan as the busiest person in the family and said he admires her for doing what satisfies her.
“It’s never too late to follow one’s dreams”, he added.
“(Once) I asked her, ‘What are you doing all day? Why do you keep doing so hard?’ She says ‘Because it satisfies me’, and this book stands for that. Follow your dreams, do what satisfies you…”, the actor advised his wife.
The actor remarked, “We have dinners at home and we have to have dinner together and, on those days, we discuss, ‘How was your day at work?’… She believes a satisfying day is a happy day. At whatever stage, whatever age, you are trying to follow your dream at the end of it, (and) it is very important to follow that, is what we have learned from Gauri”.
‘My Life in Design’, published by Penguin Random House, traces Gauri Khan’s path as a designer with unique photographs of her and her family – Shah Rukh Khan, Aryan Khan, Suhana Khan, and Abram Khan.
According to the publishers, the book includes previously unseen photos of her Mumbai mansion, ‘Mannat’, as well as the design thought processes that went into it, as well as other major projects.
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