[Watch] Gauri’s Design Journey Began In Mannat, Reveals Shah Rukh Khan At Wife’s Coffee Table Book Launch

New Delhi: Much is known about the life and times of Shah Rukh Khan but not much is known about his wife Gauri’s foray into designing, which is exactly what her coffee table book, My Life in Design is all about. None other than her husband launched the book on Monday night in Mumbai.

In an interaction with guests and the media, the couple shared that Gauri Khan’s design career actually began in their own house, Mannat in Mumbai’s Bandra. Shah Rukh Khan, who has written a foreword in the book, disclosed how in their early days, the couple had bought a bungalow for themselves but did not have enough money to furnish it. He continued that they had set up a meeting with a designer but soon realized that his fees would be beyond their budget. Left with no other option, it was then that Shah Rukh Khan turned to his wife to design the house.

He told the media, “We had not too much money, as soon as we mustered up some money, we said we have to buy a bungalow. We managed to buy, which was one thing but then we had to rebuilt it because it was kind of broken. And then we didn’t have money to furnish it. And of course, we called upon on one designer but the lunch that he served us telling us how we should design the house, was more than the salary I used to earn in a month. We were like, this guy will charge us a lot so how do we do this house now? Then the only person to turn to was, I said listen Gauri, why don’t you become the designer of the house. So actually, Mannat started like that. So whatever money we earned over the years, we kept on buying small things for the house.”

He concluded by saying, “She started with that whole aspect and now has gone on to design any and everything that we buy in the house.”

Shah Rukh Khan is known to always leave precious messages to the youth. Doing so again, he asked them never let go of their dream to be creative. He said, “For about 23-24 years of our married life, we were just so busy setting down in Mumbai that Gauri never realized there was an aspect of hers, that she needed to give vent to. This book stands for all that. To all the youngsters, all the people who miss out on the dream of their life to be creative, you can start at any age.”

“Starting early without a designer helped her learn. One thing led to the other, she kept on designing stuff … At 40, she started doing this and I told her, ‘Should I be helpful? Should I tell some friends? I will talk to them’, she said, ‘No’. She started with a 10 feet by 20 feet shop in Lower Parel and she got it all out on her own and continues doing what she does. (Once) I told her, ‘What are you doing the whole day? Why do you keep doing so much work?’ She says ‘Because it satisfies me’, and this book stands for that. Follow your dreams, do what satisfies you … We have dinners at home and we have to have dinner together and, on those days, we discuss, ‘How was your day at work?’… She believes a satisfying day is a happy day. At whatever stage, whatever age, you are trying to follow your dream at the end of it, (and) it is very important to follow that, is what we have learnt from Gauri,” SRK was quoted as telling reporters.

After blurting out that his wife Gauri started her career in her “mid-forties,” the actor let his wit get the better of him as he jokingly said, “She is 37 now, in our family, we age backwards.”

Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan unveiled the book together at the launch. The couple, who were twinning in black, also posed for the shutterbugs with the book in their hands. My Life in Design charts out Gauri Khan’s journey as a designer with exclusive photos of the Khans, including Shah Rukh and their three children, Aryan Khan, Suhana Khan and AbRam Khan. The book also features unseen pictures of their house in Bandra called Mannat.