‘Mrs Funnybones Returns’: Twinkle Khanna’s new book works better when reflective than when comedic

Years ago, I was working on a television show with Karan Johar. Between shots, he told us that a couple of days earlier he had found himself in Vashi for a shoot. The thought of Johar, a legit passport holder of the Republic of Bandra, making his way to Vashi, which is technically not even Mumbai, was amusing enough. But then, he mentioned that his mother got wind of it and tried to coax him to check out the vegetables in Vashi. “They are fresher and cheaper”. Vashi, incidentally, is a central hub for all fresh produce coming in from all parts of Maharashtra, and is known for wholesale vegetable prices.

Johar didn’t, of course, scout for vegetables, but the anecdote stayed with me for a bit. Even as a seasoned chronicler of celebrity culture, I still do have my “celebrities are just like us” moments – they even have discount-seeking mothers. That the privilege of their lives doesn’t insulate them from its ordinariness always gets me interested. And that, for me, has also been a defining trait of Twinkle Khanna’s writing.

A familiar vibe

In 2015, Twinkle Khanna made her non-fiction debut with Mrs Funnybones – based on her popular column by the same name in...

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