Sister Concern

Nigaar Khan: We’re sisters but we’re more like friends. We talk,we fight,but we also love each other very much. It’s the most beautiful relationship in my life right now. You could even say that we would die for each other.

Gauhar Khan: We haven’t always been this close because there’s a four-year age gap between us. Plus,we have a brother in the middle. But over the past five years,we have lived in different cities — me in

Gurgaon and Nigaar in Mumbai. The distance has somehow brought us together.

What was your relationship like when you were growing up?

NK: I remember the day Gauhar was born. I’m dusky so when I saw this white baby,I was just thrilled. I decided then that I would always protect her. I said to myself that I would never let anything evil come near her.

I used to bully anyone who upset her.

gK: Nigaar was my saviour in school. I’ve always been emotional so if anyone made me cry,she would come to my class and yell at them saying,“This is my sister and no one is allowed to mess with her.”

Do you see each other as competition?

NK: Not at all. We’re in two completely different mediums now. I’m on TV and Gauhar is in the movies. So there’s no way we could be competition.

gK: I could never think of her as my competitor. If anything,she’s been my inspiration. I’ve always looked up to her,encouraged and advised her in her career and she does the same with me.

As sisters,what’s the one thing the two of you can’t share?

NK: I don’t like her borrowing my shoes. She walks differently and bends them out of shape. I also don’t like sharing my food with her. She sits down at the table saying she doesn’t want to eat and then takes bites from my plate. I hate that.

gK: I only do that to irritate her. For me,I can share everything with her — clothes included — but I can’t share my personal life. She always wants to know my deepest,darkest secrets and that’s just something I can’t talk to her about. I think she has a problem with that.

Your new show,The Khan Sisters,is going to air on UTV Bindass. Should we be expecting fights and controversies?

NK: There’s no reality without fights. Moreover,this isn’t a reality show,it’s reality television. One might think twice because of UTV Bindass’

Emotional Atyachaar. But honestly,it’s a show about people who belong to the industry and how they lead their lives. At the end of the day,we’re just like everyone else.

gK: We had a long discussion with the channel,going back and forth over the content.

Finally,we decided to go ahead with it because it’s a format that hasn’t been tried in India before and it’s going to be fun because my family is fun.