‘Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives’: How actor Shah Rukh Khan's wife Gauri made her mark in world of design
Bollywood’s favorite star wife Gauri Khan is all set to make a special appearance on Netflix’s ‘Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives’ which will premiere on November 27. Otherwise identified as the wife of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri is an Indian film producer and interior designer. Gauri, who celebrated her 50th birthday in October this year, has designed spaces for high-profile individuals such as Mukesh Ambani, Roberto Cavalli and Ralph Lauren, as well as Bollywood celebrities such as Karan Johar, Jacqueline Fernandez and Sidharth Malhotra. In 2018, she was named as one of Fortune Magazine’s “50 most powerful women.”
Coming from an Army background, Gauri Khan completed her education from Lady Shri Ram College, India. She met Shah Rukh Khan in Delhi in 1984 before the start of his successful Bollywood career. They tied a knot in 1991 and had three children together, Aryan (23), Suhana (20) and AbRam (7). Gauri Khan is known for keeping a low profile and being media-shy, though she is often cited as one of the most stylish women in Bollywood.
She appeared on the cover of ‘Vogue India’ in January 2008 that called her, ‘First Lady of Bollywood’. In a 2017 interview with Hindustan Times, she said, ”I’m sure I will reach a position in my life where people will understand it’s not about being Mrs Shah Rukh Khan but about the work I do.” Gauri first expressed interest in interior design as a hobby while renovating her Mumbai bungalow, called ‘Mannat’. In 2010, she professionally ventured into interior designing in partnership with interior designer and close friend Sussanne Khan to design exclusive interior projects together.
Gauri launched her first concept store, The Design Cell, in Worli, Mumbai in early 2014. The store showcases furniture designed by Gauri herself as well as various other Indian designers. In 2016, she was invited to show her designs at the prestigious Maison et Objet show in Paris. The entrepreneur has also written a book which is set to release in 2021 as announced by Penguin India. Tentatively called 'My Life In Design', the book will give readers a glimpse into the life and experiences of Gauri as a designer. It will also feature some never-seen-before photos of her work, home and family. 'My Life In Design' also aims to guide aspiring interior designers and readers who would like to know more about designing.
Gauri Khan is very active on Instagram and she uses the medium to share family photos and raise awareness about women empowerment. On September 30, Gauri took to Instagram to share a powerful message after her daughter Suhana revealed that she was trolled for her dusky complexion. Reminding women to stay rooted to their strength, she wrote, “I am a woman. Protector, muse, wanderer, achiever, dreamer... You only see a part of me. The part that is rooted in my role, not in my soul. All that’s unseen completes me, and from there I draw my strength.”
Some of the hit movies that Gauri Khan has produced are ‘Main hoon Na’, ‘Om Shanti Om’, ‘My Name Is Khan’ and ‘Student of the Year’. Recently fans were excited to spot Gauri in the trailer of Netflix’s ‘Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives’.
