Talking money is crass and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s wife Gauri certainly subscribes to that theory. Recently, her husband emerged as the world’s second richest actor beating the likes of Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks. Wealth-X, an ultra-high net worth (UHNW) intelligence firm, estimated him to be worth $600 million (Dh2.2 billion) in their annual ranking.
“I find it so inappropriate to answer this question. I will pass because if I say that it [the results] is not true, that could make headlines. If I accept it, it is just obnoxious,” said Khan, before letting us in on an anecdote.
“When that article came out, I was in my interior design store in Mumbai. Somebody who had a consignment to stock at my store came in for a meeting. But his attitude as we discussed business was — ‘You don’t need that money, do you?’. The best part was that he wasn’t saying it but I could see it in his eyes,” she said, throwing up her hands in exasperation, clearly indicating being flustered.
Clad in a black, figure-hugging LBD, the 46-year-old fashionista, who owns homes in Dubai, London and India, exudes a zen-like persona. She was in Dubai last week to announce her collaboration with Dubai-based design firm The First Ferry. She will be on call to design their clients’ homes, hotels, yachts or galleries around the world.
“People don’t get it. I am not in it for the money. But I also believe that nobody is going to take you seriously if you are in a profession and the numbers are not there. Designing is not just a hobby for me … it’s a different matter that I may ultimately give that money away to charity or my relatives,” said Khan, who runs the store The Design Cell in Mumbai.
Enigmatic figure
Until a year ago, Mrs Khan was an enigmatic figure in the Bollywood star-wives club. She was a sturdy presence in SRK’s life and pitched in for that occasional red-carpet appearance at his film premieres, but she never interacted with the press and was always surrounded by beefy bodyguards. However, that invisible wall she had created seems to crumble as you sit down to have a chat with her.
Just like her design mantra, Delhi-bred Khan likes to keep her life clutter-free.
“Too much clutter is a disturbance to the energy of a space for me. It’s big no-no for me. My designs are free-flowing in their approach and I want to create an ambience of warmth and tranquility,” she said.
She discovered she had an eye for interior design when she began decorating her sea-facing mansion ‘Mannat’ in Mumbai. The collective appreciation from friends in the acting fraternity made her think about taking it up as a career. But she claims she has never sought validation for her work.
“I was always confident. I don’t need anybody to tell me or guide me. The work which I do is my passion. It is not a 9 to 5 job. It is not like someone is sitting with a stick and saying you need to do it. This is what I love doing. I am very easy with it. It comes instantly and quickly to me. And I don’t need to spend hours designing ... I could design on a beach or while travelling,” said Khan.
Wide appeal
Probably, it’s one of these qualities that attracted The First Ferry founder Prateek Chaudhry to Khan.
“She has a unique sense of style that has a universal appeal ... her level of commitment showing when she agreed to fly into Dubai for just a few hours,” said Chaudhry.
Khan may not seek approval from anyone, but she claims she has been greatly influenced by designer Alexander McQueen and his works.
“I like the theatrical imagery of his work and find it very interesting that he could extend his designs to shoes, scarves, handbags and other accessories instead of being relegated to just clothes ... I also like the work of Tom Dixon [self-taught British designer] and love his modern style of accessories; in fact, his work can also be found in my store The Design Cell,” she said.
The mother of three children, who can multi-task with ease, says she’s always open to discovering new things about herself. In March, Khan had accompanied her close friend and business partner Sussanne Khan (estranged wife of Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan) to Dubai to speak about their bespoke Goa villa project.
Charity organisation
While chatting about The First Ferry, she also hinted launching her own charity organisation. “I am curious to hear about people who wish to do charities and their involvement. It has always fascinated me ... Your doors should always be open and never say never.”
While philanthrophy may rock her boat, clients who sign her up as a designer should stay away from micro-managing.
“I would design for anybody who gives me a free hand and who doesn’t sit on my head. Also, as long as they don’t take 10 hours to say — this handle is not the right shade, I am good.”
