On Father's Day, Twinkle Khanna paid an emotional tribute to her father, legendary actor Rajesh Khanna, revealing that he always called her 'Tina Baba' instead of 'Tina Baby'. In a heartfelt social media post, she reflected on her unique upbringing, noting that unlike other girls, she never faced restrictions.
Twinkle Khanna's Unconventional Upbringing
Twinkle, known for her role in the film 'Mela', admitted she was not raised like conventional girls. She wrote, "If my father hoped for a boy as his firstborn, I was never told. All I know is what he said to my mother: That I was the best present she could have ever given him as I entered the world, feet first, on his 31st birthday."
She continued, "He always called me Tina baba, never baby, and though I didn't realise it at that point, my upbringing was different from all the other young girls around me. The restrictions drawn around their adolescence did not define mine. The permanent marker, one that would later be passed onto their husbands, to enforce the circle of captivity did not exist in my case."
Loss and Memories
Twinkle shared how small things can evoke memories of loved ones unexpectedly. "Loss is not a constant ache, nor does it come equipped with a full stop. It lives between pauses and emerges at unexpected moments. Sometimes it's a song on the radio or when I am applying kohl and I see his eyes, under the same arched brows staring out of my reflection," she wrote.
She concluded her post by revisiting Rajesh Khanna's birthday wishes for her, something she deeply misses. "It is lurking within every birthday when I wake up in excitement before my heart sinks. The man who loved words, always used them in a precise order. These things could not be tampered with, replaced or changed. Just the way he didn't like anyone moving his books, glasses and packets of Dunhill. Year after year, he said the same thing. Something that no one else can ever say again, 'Happy birthday to you too, Tina baba'," she wrote.
Father's Day in December
Twinkle signed off with a poignant note: "Father's Day may fall in June, but for me it will always be in December."
