Look for positives

Look for positives

The Gravittus Foundation was set up by Usha Kakade to work towards the development of women and children. While it was previously called USK foundation based on her initials, Kakade decided to change the name to Gravittus so the NGO can have its own identity. The foundation honoured many individuals who have made commendable contributions towards the development of women and children in the country, featuring them in a coffee table book released by the organisation. 

The book was launched by Kakade along with Gauri Khan and Amruta Fadnavis at JW Marriott in a grand celebration.  MP Sanjay Kakade, Serum Institute’s chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla, Credai national president Satish Magar, Symbiosis Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Vidya Yerawadekar, MLA Madhuri Misal and many other prominent persons from the city like Varsha Chordia and Sabina Sanghvi were also present.

After the felicitation of all the personalities featured in the book, actor Sonali Kulkarni hosted a session where she interviewed Gauri and Amruta. “When I was offered a role in the film Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), Rajat Mukherjee the director, asked me if I knew Gauri, and told me to try and be like her in the film. I said, ‘Gauri who?’ ‘Gauri Khan!’ he told me with this dreamy look in his eyes. He said, ‘She’s so beautiful, she’s the best wife, she’s so level headed... he came up with a variety of adjectives and I knew it right then what he was expecting. Since then you have been my heroine,” Sonali said to Gauri, adding, “We all know you’re such a beautiful wife, doting mother and successful interior designer. How did you start the journey of coming out of your comfort zone and start to work for yourself?,” asked Sonali.

Gauri has a luxurious flagship store in Juhu, Mumbai. She has also been busy designing homes of celebrities and lavish restaurant spaces in the metro. “I’ve always been inclined towards designing. And when I started designing my own home in Mumbai, I realised that I loved doing it and was extremely passionate about it too. And soon after that I started my own store in a small space. I said, let me give myself a few years to see where I go with this. Fortunately, the store did extremely well. I put in a lot of effort and all the things required to make it work, just like you would do in any other profession. Then I opened my flagship store in Juhu,” said the interior designer who has not only been endorsed by her superstar husband Shah Rukh Khan, and close friend Karan Johar, but also a number of other clients. 

When asked about her most important and challenging projects, she said, “All my projects, small or large, are important. Currently, I am working on a luxury hotel spread over 1 lakh sq ft. It is such a remote location that it takes three days just to reach there. It is a task to organise the meetings and work out all of that,” she said. A mother of three, she is asked the obvious question posed to any working woman with kids — how does she manage to balance her work and family life. “I really think I am a working wife/mother just like anyone else. I am really connected to my work and I think it is important that I enjoy it too. The inspiration for my work comes from seeing the smiling faces of my clients,” she answered like a boss. 

Culminating the conversation, Sonali asked Amruta and Gauri how do they deal with the everyday pressures of being the spouse of such famous personalities. While Gauri quipped, “My husband and my children are popular. But I think because of who Shah Rukh is, there are a lot of positives. Of course there are some negatives too, but I have to brush them aside. And the reason for this is very simple — he helped me launch Gauri Khan Designs, so he is very important to me.” Amruta said, “Whether my husband is the chief minister or not, the pressure of being in the public eye is always there. But it’s all positive.”

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