Breezy is the word as we sail through Twinkle Khanna's life in her debut book "Mrs. Funnybones". When Raja gave me the book I was certain i'd read it - I do enjoy reading funny books. And this one got good reviews too! Twinkle Khanna takes her day-to-day life and sees the lighter side of things in it. She pokes fun at herself and her family which takes something to do (and which I think any sensitive humour writer does). While doing that she somehow retains a balance which hurts no one, gives everyone respect and yet points out the issues that are funny and exasperating. Mostly she never drops names and prefers to be another anonymous writer for the reader who does not know her as an actress, daughter of a superstar actor and actress, married to a top actor. And she is honest and intelligent.
The first thing you realise is that she is having the same problems as most. Kids, growing older, mother, mother-in-law, husband, weight, insensitive neighbours etc. Then she drops a couple of interesting things - like an 'illeist' which is a new word I learned from the book (someone who talks in third person) - and that she was certified with an IQ of 145. She is equally comfortable writing about being the fattest girl in class or being a reluctant cook. More interestingly, every once in a while she slips in a ponderous note effortlessly as she writes about things she feels about - student suicides, growing older, and one fine bit - that memory of hers in Goa as a youngster which she describes very well indeed.
Twinkle Khanna can write. Since this book was more of a collection of columns that she wrote for a newspaper, it is still tentative writing in my opinion. In my opinion humour writing is one of the most difficult writing. It needs intelligence, a sensitive world view that can see through the farce and an ability to be starkly honest. I love all the funny men and the funny women in the world - where would we be without them.
But then I believe she can write serious stuff even better than her humour (which is pretty good as it is). There is an element of honesty in her writing and a certain courage that stays with you after the book is put down that runs deeper than the content in this book.
The first thing you realise is that she is having the same problems as most. Kids, growing older, mother, mother-in-law, husband, weight, insensitive neighbours etc. Then she drops a couple of interesting things - like an 'illeist' which is a new word I learned from the book (someone who talks in third person) - and that she was certified with an IQ of 145. She is equally comfortable writing about being the fattest girl in class or being a reluctant cook. More interestingly, every once in a while she slips in a ponderous note effortlessly as she writes about things she feels about - student suicides, growing older, and one fine bit - that memory of hers in Goa as a youngster which she describes very well indeed.
Twinkle Khanna can write. Since this book was more of a collection of columns that she wrote for a newspaper, it is still tentative writing in my opinion. In my opinion humour writing is one of the most difficult writing. It needs intelligence, a sensitive world view that can see through the farce and an ability to be starkly honest. I love all the funny men and the funny women in the world - where would we be without them.
But then I believe she can write serious stuff even better than her humour (which is pretty good as it is). There is an element of honesty in her writing and a certain courage that stays with you after the book is put down that runs deeper than the content in this book.
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