Twinkle Khanna Reveals Akshay Kumar's Hilarious Role in Her Writing Career
Synopsis
On World Book Day, author Twinkle Khanna revealed that Akshay Kumar's only input to her writing career is telling her 'mat kar' — don't write about that. The sharp, humorous disclosure offers a rare peek into the creative life of one of India's most beloved celebrity authors, who also shared her all-time favourite books.
Key Takeaways
Twinkle Khanna revealed on World Book Day, April 24, 2025 , that Akshay Kumar 's only input to her writing career is saying 'mat kar' — advising her not to pursue certain topics.
Twinkle has authored five books , including Mrs Funnybones (2015), which became one of India's bestselling titles that year.
She has been trying to complete a personal manuscript she began at age 18 and, at 52 , has made three unsuccessful attempts to finish it.
Rajesh Khanna , her late father, is credited with instilling in her a deep appreciation for precise and evocative language from childhood.
Her favourite reads span global literary fiction — from Arundhati Roy and Kiran Desai to Haruki Murakami , Octavia E.
Twinkle attributes many of her writing themes to witnessing gender inequality firsthand during her years as a young actor in Bollywood .
Mumbai, April 23 — Author and columnist Twinkle Khanna has offered a candid and humorous glimpse into her creative process, revealing that her superstar husband Akshay Kumar's sole contribution to her celebrated writing career is a two-word piece of advice: 'mat kar' — meaning 'don't do it'. The disclosure came on the occasion of World Book Day, as Twinkle reflected on her literary journey, her inspirations, and the books that have shaped her worldview.
Akshay Kumar's 'Only Contribution' to Twinkle's Writing
Speaking candidly about the dynamic between her creative instincts and her husband's cautious counsel, Twinkle Khanna said: "This morning, I was discussing the topics I plan to touch upon in my next column, and he told me, 'Mat karna... do not get into that issue'. Mat kar is basically his only and biggest contribution to my writing career."
The remark drew attention for its sharp wit — a hallmark of Twinkle's public persona. Far from being discouraged by Akshay Kumar's reluctance, she appears to treat it as background noise to her prolific output. The anecdote underscores a broader truth about creative partnerships: sometimes the most influential voice is the one you choose not to listen to.
Twinkle's Philosophy: Unravelling Layers of Conditioning
Twinkle Khanna, who has authored five books — Mrs Funnybones, Mrs Funnybones Returns, The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad, Pyjamas Are Forgiving, and Welcome to Paradise — spoke with clarity about her purpose as a writer.
"My job is to make people reflect on the things that are visible. But our own conditioning blinds us to those factors. It might make people uncomfortable and they might call it offensive... I think about how I will unravel the layers of conditioning not just around them but also around me because I also find my way through life as I write," she explained.
This philosophy positions Twinkle not merely as an entertainer but as a social commentator — one who uses humour and personal narrative to examine systemic inequalities, particularly those between men and women. She acknowledged that many of her observations stem from her years as a young actor in Bollywood, where gender disparities were stark and largely normalised.
The Influence of Rajesh Khanna and a Family of Readers
Twinkle traced her love for language back to her late father, veteran actor Rajesh Khanna. She recalled a childhood memory that crystallised her relationship with words: "I said, 'Will you pick me up from school?' And he said, 'Are you a pickup? I will fetch you from school.' That kind of just set my parameters of what language can do."
Growing up in a household of avid readers — with her sister Rinke Khanna reportedly reading even more than she does — Twinkle developed a deep reverence for books that has only deepened over time. She noted that her 20-year-old self consumed literature at a pace she can no longer match today.
Reflecting on what she would tell her younger self, she said: "Just keep doing what you're doing and finish the book you started when you were 18. I'm 52, and that one book I haven't been able to finish yet." She added that the unfinished manuscript may be too emotionally close for her to complete — a rare admission of vulnerability from a writer known for her sharp, unsentimental prose.
Twinkle's Literary Favourites: A Bookshelf Worth Exploring
On World Book Day, Twinkle Khanna shared an eclectic and deeply personal reading list that spans continents and genres. Her recommendations included Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove, Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things — which she has read multiple times — and Kiran Desai's work.
She also cited Haruki Murakami's Men Without Women, feminist science fiction by Octavia E. Butler, works by Ursula Le Guin, short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri, and the timeless prose of F. Scott Fitzgerald and P.G. Wodehouse. The breadth of her list — spanning Indian literary fiction, Japanese surrealism, Afrofuturism, and British humour — reflects the same range visible in her own writing.
Why Twinkle Khanna's Voice Matters in Indian Literary Culture
Twinkle Khanna's transition from actor to author was initially met with scepticism — a pattern common for celebrity writers in India. Yet her debut, Mrs Funnybones, became one of the best-selling books by an Indian author in 2015, validating her instinct to write rather than simply perform.
Her work occupies a unique space in Indian publishing: accessible yet sharp, personal yet politically aware. At a time when conversations around gender, conditioning, and social norms are gaining mainstream traction in India, her voice — shaped equally by Bollywood's inequalities and her father's linguistic precision — carries genuine cultural weight.
As Twinkle hints at a forthcoming column and continues work on her long-elusive personal manuscript, readers and literary circles alike will be watching closely to see which direction she takes next — with or without Akshay Kumar's 'mat kar' in the background.
Point of View
But it quietly exposes a dynamic many creative women navigate — the well-meaning but inhibiting caution of those closest to them. That she treats it as comic material rather than a constraint says everything about her creative independence. In a Bollywood ecosystem that historically expected its women to stay decorative, Twinkle built a literary career on precisely the topics she was told to avoid. Her continued relevance in Indian publishing is not despite her celebrity — it's a rebuke of the industry that once defined her only by it.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Twinkle Khanna say about Akshay Kumar's contribution to her writing career?
Twinkle Khanna said Akshay Kumar's only contribution to her writing career is telling her 'mat kar' — meaning 'don't do it' — whenever she discusses column topics with him. She shared this on World Book Day 2025, calling it his 'biggest and only' input into her work.
How many books has Twinkle Khanna written?
Twinkle Khanna has authored five books: Mrs Funnybones, Mrs Funnybones Returns, The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad, Pyjamas Are Forgiving, and Welcome to Paradise. Her debut Mrs Funnybones became one of India's bestselling books in 2015.
What are Twinkle Khanna's favourite books?
Twinkle Khanna's favourite books include A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami, and works by Octavia E. Butler, Ursula Le Guin, Jhumpa Lahiri, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and P.G. Wodehouse.
What unfinished book has Twinkle Khanna been writing since she was 18?
Twinkle Khanna revealed she started a personal book at age 18 that she has attempted to complete three times but still hasn't finished at age 52. She believes the subject matter is too emotionally close, making it difficult to translate onto the page.
How did Twinkle Khanna's father Rajesh Khanna influence her writing?
Twinkle Khanna credits her late father, veteran actor Rajesh Khanna, with shaping her sensitivity to language from a young age. A childhood memory of him correcting her use of 'pick up' to 'fetch' set her understanding of what precise language can achieve.
