Twinkle Khanna recalls Dimple Kapadia’s 5 am workout routine before juggling 3 shifts: 'I grew up with a single mom...'

Twinkle Khanna shared that in her childhood, she saw her mother Dimple Kapadia waking up at 5 am daily to exercise before 'she had three shifts to work'.

In a candid reflection on independence and the lives of working women, author and former actor Twinkle Khanna revealed that her mother, veteran actor Dimple Kapadia, was a real-life 'superwoman' who would wake up daily at 5 am for a workout before heading off to work 'three shifts'.

Dimple Kapadia has two daughters with Rajesh Khanna: Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna. (Instagram/ Twinkle Khanna)

Speaking to BBC News India on December 10, Twinkle drew upon her personal upbringing to illustrate the strength and self-reliance she witnessed in her mother, Dimple Kapadia, that initially led her to believe that women were inherently superior.

Twinkle recalled the demanding schedule Dimple managed while raising her children: she would wake up at 5 am every morning, and would put on a Jane Fonda workout tape (on mute, so as not to disturb the others) and exercise. This early routine was essential as Dimple had 'three shifts to work' and, as an actor, needed to ‘look good while doing all of this (being a single working mom)’, Twinkle said.

‘My mother would wake up at 5 every morning’

She recalled, “I always thought we were superior. I grew up with that notion, and I grew up with a single mom (Dimple shares her daughters Twinkle and Rinke Khanna with late actor Rajesh Khanna), we were all women in the house and I had lived with my aunts, uncles and grandparents, but my mother was the earning member. And I have this very distinct vision. My sister would have a mattress on the floor, and we would share the room with my mother and our aunt, and my mother would wake up at 5 every morning. She had three shifts to work, and she would put on the Jane Fonda tape (exercise video from early 1980s by Hollywood actor Jane Fond), then work out around us because, as an actress, she also had to look good while doing all of this. So it was on mute, and she would work out around us, and I would look up at her, and she was my superwoman. She was even wearing tights, but I think that set a precedent for me that you have to be independent.”

‘Every woman should strive to be independent’

Twinkle added that her mother's example had a profound impact on her views of self-worth. She said: “Every woman should strive to be independent, and your self-worth and value lie in being able to stand on her own. The only person you can rely on is yourself. And from there, I had to come a little bit, you know, sort of to the back and say that, okay, it's okay to, you know, rely on a whole bunch of people, but you still have to be independent. So, we never really spoke about feminism. This word was there, but it was very apparent that this was the way it was going to be.”

Dimple, now 68, began her career as an overnight sensation in 1973 with the iconic romantic blockbuster Bobby, directed by Raj Kapoor. She has maintained an interesting career in films since the 1970s.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.