Dimple Kapadia's 5AM Workouts Taught Daughter Independence

Watching your mom silently work out to a muted Jane Fonda tape at 5AM while raising two kids alone can reshape everything you believe about strength.

Author and former actress Twinkle Khanna recently revealed how these early morning observations of her mother, Dimple Kapadia, fundamentally shaped her views on independence and gender. While most kids were sleeping, young Twinkle watched her single mother balance three acting shifts while maintaining the physical demands of her career.

"I always thought we were superior," Khanna told BBC India, explaining how she initially saw women not as equal to men, but stronger. The sight of her mother in workout tights, exercising around her sleeping daughters before dawn, created what she calls her "superwoman" moment.

That constant demonstration became an internal rule: women must be independent, and self-worth comes from not needing anyone. Khanna admits she eventually had to step back from that extreme view, learning it's okay to rely on others while maintaining independence.

Why This Inspires

Psychologist Rasshi Gurnani explains that growing up with self-reliant parents creates what researchers call a "modeling effect." When children see women occupying both nurturer and provider roles, it disrupts traditional gender expectations and normalizes female capability.

The impact extends into adulthood, creating high self-efficacy and a belief that competence isn't gendered. However, Gurnani notes this can also lead to hyper-independence, where people struggle to accept help or share responsibility because self-sufficiency becomes their identity rather than just a skill.

Finding balance means recognizing over-functioning patterns and reframing dependence as collaboration rather than weakness. Gurnani emphasizes that sustainable independence is ultimately about choosing when to stand alone and when to lean on others, without guilt or fear.

The shift happens through what psychologists call "emotional co-regulation" in healthy relationships. It teaches that autonomy and support can coexist, transforming the childhood blueprint into a more flexible adult approach.

Khanna's reflection captures something countless people inherit quietly: beliefs about equality formed not through lectures, but through watching parents navigate daily life. Those silent 5AM workouts spoke louder than any conversation about gender roles ever could.