In this funny, wise and outrageously Frank book, Tahira Kashyap Khurrana talks of lying in school about getting her periods, falling in love at eighteen with her future husband, her obsession with having a triple D bra cup, going on the world's craziest diets and accidentally getting pregnant because of Chinese meal. And in doing so, she touches every woman's secret heart.....
This isn't a great book. It is a fun book. I enjoyed some anecdotes and the references, the writing was like written to a child. The stories didn't have a purpose.
I personally like Tahira Kashyap, so this was a disappointment.
In a little time, I got on a trip, I read this beautiful book by @tahirakashyap. It's a book that we all could connect to. All the worries we had when we were teens to falling in love, the author expressed it all interestingly.
It's a light and fun read that you will enjoy. A book that will make you laugh, that will remind you of your school days. The witty writing style of the author and the honesty that this book has is something I loved most about this book. From the Punjabi wedding to Family sagas, I loved the way it was portrayed.
With smooth flow of words and intriguing narration, it's a book that you'll enjoy reading. Overall, It's a fresh read.
I finished this book in one sitting and absolutely loved it. It’s not just a memoir, but Tahira has put her whole and honest heart on paper. I have newfound respect not just for her but also for Aayushman after reading this book.
Author explained about her childhood funny moments like not getting periods till the age of 14, and how she used to participate in extra curricular activities etc. later she shared her blissful moments she spent with her lover and how they( her friends) used to party in her home in funny ways.. later part about her marrige, kids , breast cancer.. but one important aspect that i noticed is she demystified some myths related to menstruation, periods,sex life , marriage, having kid's and raising them and how she overcame by her anxiety and depression through chanting ( mantra related to Buddhism)..
i finished this book in 3 days. i have lived a major part of my youth in chandigarh so i could relate to many references and places which made it an interesting read for me. i always feel that we get so carried away by lives of celebrities in bollywood which make such books more eye catching but overall i wasn’t disappointed reading tahira kashyap’s tale. i am little taken back knowing about their initial days in mumbai after their marriage and her obsession with d cup.lol. i loved chetan bhagat’s novels when i was in india but soon it started boring me and now i never read him anymore in last decade so this book was a little game changer and i liked the simple way of writing and mentioning the details of the city and college life. i would recommend reading it for a light state of mind and just for fun.
First of all, I expected a witty set of 12 commandments to live as a woman, I didn't know it was going to be a memoir! only when I was halfway through the book I realized Tahira was partner of Ayushman Khuranna, I think it helped me read it without any ideas beforehand.
This book is a fun, easy read, and in my opinion that's all it is. all 13 chapters start with a commandment, and she goes on with how she lived her life. It's ups ad down in a bright tone, with jokes often. Apart from that, there isn't much else I could find!
It is lovely book, while reading I also laugh out on some incidents. I also got happy on mention of my name. The lessons I learnt from this book are:- Give time to your self. Make yourself priority Chase your dreams don't forget them.
I couldn't really relate to this book as the blurb suggests, and I didn't find it THAT funny, too. It felt as if some humourous parts were added in a desperate attempt to sound hilarious. I did like the part where she talks about her battle with cancer and how she has managed to be humourous during that narration...so overall it's a decent read.
"The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence" - Beyoncé
When you are an avid reader and post reviews regularly, you start analysing every book very critically and carefully dissect it on various basis. Sometimes all we need to do is understand the book, it's story and characters on a personal level and that's what I did with this book.
In this book, Tahira is talking about various commandments of being a woman. The writing style is unfiltered, raw and unapologetic which keep me hooked and I finished reading this book in 3-4 hours. The book will make you laugh, relate at different levels, sad too, there are some cute aww…moments too and what not. You might even see yourself at some points in the book. The book is funny at the start and gets a bit serious by the end and I wasn't disappointed with that fact as it was the need of the book.
I'm sharing some of my favourite lines/ scenes from the book:
Itna direct? No period-ic shit, seedha periods!
What is gedi route? It was a unique Chandigarh phenomenon in which girls and boys chased each other mindlessly from sector 10 to sector 11 in their cars and scooters.
As a middle-class Indian girl it's my duty to explain myself to every second person, just as it is a random person's right to question every girl.
The reason we are born is not to suffer but to strive to be happy.
The universe is like your own personal bank account, the amount we withdraw depends on your faith and faith means fighting life's negative tendencies.
The 12 commandments of being a woman by Tahira Kashyap Khurrana
If you're looking for a breezy read that lifts your grim mood in the current scenario then this is what you need. Tahira unapologetically speaks about her emotions at various stages of life. Either you'll find something relatable or extremely funny.
She speaks very candidly about her insecurities of having a husband who's an actor and has to romance co actors on the silver screen. You really feel for her and the entire situation.
Her unfiltered description of how she lands up in depression is heartbreaking. But the way in which she fights it so beautifully written that it moves you as a reader.
Wanted some more about how she is diagnosed cancer and the entire ordeal of recovery. Hoping there is another book coming up on the same.
If you want to experience small town romance ,pick this one .
If you're fighting depression inspite of being in a situation that seems the perfect kinda life , pick this one.
Expecting an unplanned baby? Pick this one up.
Battling failures and not able to find your silver ray of hope? Pick this one up.
☕ Cuddled up in my cosy blanket with this 📖read ( #flipkaryhaul ) was my favorite thing to do, the past few days!
Although it's a quick read, just 173 pages long, I took it really slow 🐌.
I read 1 chapter at a time and then took a break.
This book came as a fresh 🍃💦breather in this stressful pandemic.
It's beautifully 📝written in a chirpy, peppy, bubbly, honest style ✨ that would definitely touch the reader's heart.
It's no guide or boring self help book! In fact it is the description of author's own experiences right from her childhood days till date.
📌I am in awe of her style, especially her acceptance of self and the ability to make fun about it, gracefully and with ease. Obviously, her husband @ayushmannk comes throughout her writings, only coz her life got weaved with his, quite early in her teen years. And I totally adore their story & their partnership.
This is a fun, light, page turner, no reader would want to miss! Kind of a mini mini biography but a very interesting one👌
The 12 commandments of being a woman by @tahirakashyap khurrana is an outrageously jannock account of her embarrassing and life- altering experiences. The account begins with the author introducing her parents and how they shaped her as a person. She talks boldly (which I'm proud of) about hush (grotesque) moments - periods, obsession with big b**bs, making out in the cinema hall with her 'boy', being a gastronome, getting a brazilian instead of bikini (by mistake! ), getting accidently pregnant, etc.
There are umpteen number of elements to entertain once you start reading. It's a non- stop entertainer with whimsical twists and turns. One can easily complete it in one sitting. I am compelled to remark - honest, frank, witty, and funny Tahira has chosen the title very smartly (smirk!).
One thing that put me in deep thought was her internal struggle with herself and lack of courage to pursue her passion. Her life changed dramatically after she was diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer. She realised that her first identity should be of Tahira, and Ayushmann 's wife is secondary. This is undoubtedly a very powerful message to all women out there.
I feel proud to announce that Ayushmann Khurrana remains the same gentleman in personal life as he projects himself in his professional life. Tahira 's description of him is enough to figure that out. She addresses him as 'my boy' throughout the course of the book.
However, I found some instances subjected to sarcasm forcibly (or deliberately). They appeared highly incongruous and could be tagged, ' just for the sake of ' making it sardonic. I hoped for much more mature content from the author.
🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 - The 12 Commandments Of Being A Woman by Tahira Kashyap Khurrana
#Preads ⭐ Rating: 4/5
"For twenty-five years of my life, I had been Tahira. I was ready to give up on the marriage but I couldn't be named Sita for my Ram." Pg-91
Tahira's 12 Commandments made me realise that there's nothing wrong about priortising someone you love before yourself. My favourite thing about the book was that throughout the novel, Tahira consciously kept her bollywood heartthrob husband nameless and only referred to the him as 'my boy'.
Every chapter of The 12 Commandments brought a smile to my face, as Tahira vividly shared her eagnerness while waiting for her first period, the 'gedi' route to Chandigarh, first night out with friends, the struggle of calling your in-laws 'mom and dad', and the pertinent issues of anxiety and depression.
While Tahira has been bold and courageous in her writing about her personal life, she has unapologetically shared her unabashed opinion about the controversial movie Kabir singh, Mihir's reincarnations in Kyunki Saas bhi Kabhi Bahu, and others. Be prepared for high dosage of sarcasm.
Throughout my reading of the 12 commandments, I was in awe of the girl who boldly went to buy a blue film with her friends and the woman who turned out to be the one man army behind her PR Company. 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆: 𝑻𝒂𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒂'𝒔 𝑷𝑹 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒎 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒎𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑻𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒂 '𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒉𝒂 𝑵𝒂 𝑻𝒉𝒂', 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒙𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒚, 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆.
You need a maximum of two hours and a margarita to rrad The 12 Commandments, and I promise the reason for tbe smile on your face will be the book not the tequila.
The novel is true to the feelings of a reader as well as a writer. I am sure many Bollywood fans would have picked up this book to learn about the details of Ayushmann Khurrana's life. All in vain! This book would have been a bummer for them. For everyone else (also for readers like me), this book is love. I think I loved every moment of this story narrated by the author - Tahira. There are moments in the book, which are related to the children brought up in middle-class families. All the middle-class families have the same concept of how girls should behave, how children are supposed to perform well at studies, how your dreams should be just a hobby and not your career option. I have also read the book Cracking the Code by the couple, but I must say this has been remarkably a favorite read. The book has humor, anxiousness, romance, fights, and enormous love for family. It also speaks highly of women, which is a driving force for the plot. Tahira has addressed the elephant in the room. Women need to keep themselves at priority, just like their family, husband, kids, and job. It is not a sin to take care of yourself. It is absolutely fine to put a brake on your juggling schedule. In the whole book, the name 'Ayushmann' hasn't been mentioned by the author. I liked the fact that she has addressed him throughout as "my boy" or "Coolio" (still sounds cute). Tahira hasn't stated about her painful chemotherapy days, yet she has brought a positive angle - being a Cancer survivor. Everyone starts noticing few people due to some mishaps. It was cancer for Tahira when the world tried to pity, however, the Kashyaps and Khurrana failed everyone. I laughed, where she mentioned her reaction in the hotel room on returning from the hospital (Delhi).
A decent attempt by @tahirakashyap to bring into light incidents from her own life to show how we woman think and how we should think.
The 12 commandments of being a woman is all about , Putting yourself first is not being selfish, its selfcare. Growing up in a country where women & men are assigned with the task of how they should behave at all occasions, its confusing and challenging to cross the threshold of pressure from the people around you. Also when we get married to someone who is famous and have a lot of lady- fans, your insecurities will be bubbling up like a witches pot, & this jealously is a comman trait. Lastly our own career needs to be given the first preference because we studied and worked up for it, leaving it for others happiness would be foolish than being selfish.
A few pointers which could have enhanced the readers interest further :
🦋 The book was a light hearted one. But could have written in depth more about how the author dealt with her issues by shining some light into the depths or the origin of the issue.
🦋 The romance part was a little bit cheesy, where she addresses her husband as "my boy"
🦋 Could have brought into light more about her career, this could have helped other woman greatly.
I usually avoid any food or beverages to have with my reading as I fear it can spill and ruin the pages. But with this one, I let my pages get drenched in with tears of laughter. This book is both emotional and hilarious. A book that deconstructs women and everything about them. Not only Tahira has brought justice to the book with her storytelling but she has done a commendable job by putting herself as a blatantly honest person. From coming beautifully out of the period of depression to identifying her penchant for writing to battling gargantuan cancer. Tahira has defied every ordeal in her life with great valour. Where on earth would you find a mother-in-law bestowing you with a thong? In an era of generation gaps, this came as a thunderbolt with a clearer sky afterwards. We often see women fretting over their body size.
Are you a late bloomer or an early bloomer? We constantly strive to imitate other person's life, and Tahira has admitted to not being immune to these insecurities. But her story inspires you to choose your own path and create your rulebook.
Who should pick up this book?
To all the women who wear multiple hats, to the skinny types, to the voluptuous types, to the short type, to the tall type, to the scarred type and all the men behind strong women. Let's strive for connecting with our best self instead of perfecting the other self that does not belong to us.
*This book will make you forget your Monday blues.*
Tahira Kashyap (@tahirakashyap ) takes us on an endearing journey of a typical middle-class girl from a small town. She has 'meticulously' described her equation with the 3 Bs: boobs, booze, and boys (yes, 'meticulously' because, in an Indian middle-class house, it is all about the grades/merit.) From planning secret night stays with her friends and boyfriend to her aunt obsessing over her looks and helping her get the 'perfect' breasts, there is hardly anything that is not relatable in her book.
Full of witty statements and adventures of the teen Tahira, the book also presents an insight into the Indian marriage system and the unsolicited advice given to the brides (yes, mostly brides.)
Tahira does not waste time beating around the bush. She calls a spade a spade. She does not shy away from calling out her (superstar) husband, her parents, and even disturbing movies like Kabir Singh. Unembarrassed (and rightly so), she gives us a glimpse into her turbulent mind. She talks about her existential crisis and walks us through her recovery. Undergoing the dreaded cancer, she becomes tranquil.
A page turner, this book cracks me up, sends me on a nostalgia trip (more than one time), and gives me hope.
Read this book on a Monday. Your day will become better, I promise!
I cannot wait to see her direct a movie(s) on the big screens like she aspires to!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Book Name : Twelve Commandments Of a Woman Author’s Name : Tahira Kashyap Khurranna No. of Pages : 173 Genre : Non-Fiction Target Audience : Women of all ages Age Rating : All ages , children under the age of twelve must avoid Approximate Reading Time : 1.5 Hours (90 minutes) Publisher ;Juggernaut
This book is Tahira’s work published during the lockdown.It is predominantly based on the female POV of living life starting as a teenager.
Without any plot twist or similar stuff this book is an easy read and does not have much of a writing style of the author to be commented on. It is a semi-autobiography where the author discusses various phases of being a woman and tells twelve important things to know.
Although the chapters keep a person hooked up, there isn’t much of a fine writing but the book feels more like someone’s journal. I personally liked the book as it was a short read and included bold and real instances an Indian woman goes through in her life.
So if you’re looking for a kind of movie masala book where the protagonist is an urban Indian daughter-in-law, this is your read.
Rating: ⅗ About The Author : Tahira Kashyap is a director and writer, known for Zindagi inShort (2020), Sharmajee Ki Beti and Toffee (2017). She has been married to Ayushmann Khurrana since 2008. They have two children.
Content - The book is about the author's life from childhood till now and it is full of her life's incidents,small or big, happy or not so happy. . Read it to know what this book is all about... 📖 📖 My views - The book talks about the author's life with beautiful insights at the start of every chapter. The book is full of hilarious incidents of the author's early teenage years. Lying about getting her periods to get dreams of having bra cup D, falling in love with her husband at 18 to accidentally getting pregnant, the author has taken us to a rollercoaster ride of her life. She has also talked about anxiety attacks, depression, crazy crash diets to get peace of mind through Buddhism and wasn't hesitated at all about keeping her life open as a book to us. Her life after having cancer and how she came over it like a true champion, you get to know all about it and the author has enveloped the whole thing in fun and wit. . The writing and the narration is very quirky and you will find yourself smiling throughout the whole book. . Overall a fresh, fun read.
I am a die heart fan of Ayushman and his real life love story has always fascinated me, I started following Tahira during her cancer treatment and was in awe by the way she carried herself. I have followed her diligently on social media afterwards and always admired her interviews. This book was in my 'to read' pile as soon it was launched, I expected some soulful serious commandments for woman to live by but instead found frivolous anecdotes. As a literature lover, I was extremely disappointed but since I admire the author a lot I kind of liked the book too.
It was fun reading it, as if reading some comic book, getting to know about the sneaky details of her life. It is a memoir, writing style is simple yet witty which can give you hearty laugh at moments but this is definitely not a book for literature geeks. It was light hearted fun read, took me two sittings to finish it. I would recommend this to readers who are looking or some light hearted happy read.
It made me appreciate Tahira and the star duo more , how they dealt with their vicissitudes of life and came this stronger.
It's pretty ironic how people want a girl to be ladylike but never accept the crazy journey that it takes for her to become a woman. "Shh... Never speak of how your periods have been like!" "Never speak of your sex life!" "And yes, never forget keeping your insecurities regarding breast size a secret!" Want to know what it takes to be a savage girlboss in the society of abala naaris? Pick this one up! Many teenage insecurities with a cute love story, a successful professional life and a challenging breast cancer journey, a parent's struggle in fostering her kids and a daughter's underestimated (or perhaps well-understood) disobedience coming your way... Truly rebellious for a good cause! For any girl or lady with her estrogen on peak and also for those who have had it in past, for a father to his daughter, a brother to his sister, a son to his mother, a crush/ex/date/husband to his dream girl, this one's a must read. So why wait! Go fetch your copy right now! (Disclaimer : No aunties and uncles were harmed in the process!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Everyone has their own love story Don't feel bad if yours isn't full of glory.
We have the power to change our destiny, the reason we're born is not to suffer but to strive to be happy.
12 Commandments of Being a Woman is a childhood journey of Tahira Kashyap Khurrana when she was in Chandigarh, her mother being head of the English department in her school. It's a fun clogged voyage of her life in Chandigarh with her friends, crazy relatives and obviously with her family, full of unusual humour.
Tahira Kashyap Khurana talks of lying in school about getting her periods, falling in love at eighteen with her future husband, her obsession with having a Triple D bra cup, going on the world’s craziest diets and accidentally getting pregnant because of a Chinese meal.
I would love to give a full rating to this book, for the author's courage to come up with such bold, honest and delightful writing. Humour in the most bizarre situations, that will make you laugh. Very unique and special.
I read this book in one sitting. I’ve always been a fan of @ayushmannk but after reading this book of @tahirakashyap I’ve became her fan… REALLY!!
“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” This quote is so apt for this book.
I started reading this book in thought of “this going to be a light read” but no, I was wrong… Although this book is fun and witty to read but here the author shared all her life experiences.
From her delayed periods, falling in love with her husband at the age of eighteen, her obsession for bras and undies, craziest diet, getting pregnant, her insecurities towards her husband’s onscreen life to become face to face with breast cancer and learning from her experiences.
I can actually relate to so many situations. This book is relatable to many other women. I’m glad that I read the book!
Highly recommended. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
One of the most heart warming books I have ever read. I personally related a lot to it because I totally understand where Tahira is coming from. I almost too naturally also understand what sort of relationship conundrums she faced. Super relatable, and inspiring because of its relatability. I think as a person I very strongly relate to her urge to grow into a better person no matter how lost she finds herself to be. “Some battles are fought within your own selves and they are as difficult to battle as the ones fought in physical,real life.”
Not for someone who’s not interested in her life, or for someone who cannot relate to her life. There are some sensitivities that are felt by only a certain sensitive group of people and if you can relate to/ are those people, you will love this book, learn from it and just be left feeling all things life is supposed to feel like ✨✨✨✨ It is in the form of anecdotal accounts about her life!
Witty and inspiring, this true account really packs a punch. Hauntingly tender, and written with powerful finesse, Tahira Kashyap’s ‘The 12 Commandments of Being a Woman’ is an outright joy from start to end.
I loved stepping into Tahira’s world that is so soothingly depicted in this book. This book is an honest account of a girl from Chandigarh who continues to pursue her passion for self-satisfaction even after having two kids which of course doesn’t seem appropriate to the age-old conventions.
The book is fun to read and difficult to forget. While reading this book, it seemed more like fiction to me due to the writing style of the author. This book certainly made me a fan of Tahira and of her bravery with which she fought her physical ailment.