Gauri Khan (née Chhibber; born 8 October 1970) is an Indian film producer and fashion designer who works in Hindi films and the designing industry. She has produced films including Main Hoon Na, Om Shanti Om, RaOne, and Chennai Express under the production company Red Chillies Entertainment that she co-founded in 2002 with her husband, actor Shah Rukh Khan. Gauri is also an interior designer who has designed spaces for high-profile individuals such as Mukesh Ambani, Roberto Cavalli and Ralph Lauren, among other celebrities. In 2018, Gauri was named one of Fortune magazine's "50 Most Powerful Women".

Early life

Gauri Khan was born as Gauri Chhibber in Delhi to Punjabi Hindu Brahmin family of Savita and Colonel Ramesh Chandra Chhibber who belong to Hoshiarpur. She was raised in the suburbs of Panchsheel Park, Delhi. She completed her schooling at Loreto Convent School, completed high school at Modern School Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, and graduated from Lady Shri Ram College with a B.A. (Hons.) in history. She also completed a six-month course in fashion design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology and learned tailoring due to her father's garment business.

Career

In 2002, Gauri Khan and her husband Shah Rukh Khan established the film production and distribution company Red Chillies Entertainment. It was transformed from the now defunct Dreamz Unlimited which the couple first established in 1999. She serves as co-chairperson and the main producer of all the films produced under the banner. The first film she produced was Farah Khan's directorial debut ''Main Hoon Na''. The film performed well at the box office, becoming the second highest-grossing film of the year. She also made a guest appearance in one of the films she has produced ''Om Shanti Om'' (2007).She is managed by Bottomline Media, and close confidante and friend named Tanaaz Bhatia from NYC. In 2002, Gauri Khan and her husband Shah Rukh Khan established the film production and distribution company Red Chillies Entertainment. It was transformed from the now defunct Dreamz Unlimited which the couple first established in 1999. She serves as co-chairperson and the main producer of all the films produced under the banner. The first film she produced was Farah Khan's directorial debut ''Main Hoon Na''. The film performed well at the box office, becoming the second highest-grossing film of the year. She also made a guest appearance in one of the films she has produced ''Om Shanti Om'' (2007).She is managed by Bottomline Media, and close confidante and friend named Tanaaz Bhatia from NYC. Khan also designed a fashion collection titled 'Cocktails and Dreams' for Satya Paul in 2016.Gauri first expressed interest in interior design as a hobby while renovating her Bandra bungalow, Mannat at Siraj Dokadia Road. The bungalow is a tourist spot and a heritage building deemed important to the townscape and hence exempt from demolition. However, in 2010, she professionally ventured into interior designing in partnership with interior designer and close friend Sussanne Khan to design exclusive interior projects together. The same year, they collaborated on their first commercial project together in Vadodara. In 2011, Gauri partnered with Sussanne again to launch and introduce ''The Charcoal Project'' foundation in Mumbai. In 2016, Gauri was invited to show her designs at the prestigious Maison et Objet show in Paris.In August 2017, Gauri launched her design studio, '''Gauri Khan Designs'''Juhu, Mumbai. Khan has collaborated with various international artists including Roberto Cavalli and Ralph Lauren for home accessories. In a 2017 interview with Vogue India, she spoke about her project, and said "It’s been an exciting experience, seeing it all come together. I’ve been influenced by my travels across India and the globe. I take a keen interest in the architecture of places when I travel." For her work in the field of interior design, Gauri was awarded with the Excellence in Design Award at the Hello! Hall of Fame Awards in 2018.In 2017, Gauri Khan curated a collection of designer lights for TISVA, a premium home decorative lighting brand from Usha International Limited which introduced smart-control magnetic systems—launched for the first time in India. Gauri Khan is known for keeping a low profile and being media shy, though she is often cited as one of the most stylish women in Bollywood. She appeared on the cover of page of the popular Indian lifestyle magazine, ''Vogue India'' in January 2008. The photos were taken by the well-known British lifestyle photographer Chris Craymer. The magazine called her the "First Lady of Bollywood". She appeared again on the cover page of ''Vogue India'' along with Sussanne Khan in April 2012. She also walked the ramp alongside her husband for filmmaker turned fashion designer Karan Johar at the HDIL India Couture Week 2009.In 2008, she appeared in a television and print commercial for the home furnishings brand, D'decor along with her husband. The couple play themselves in the commercial.

In the media and Personal life

Khan is known for keeping a low profile and being media shy, though she is often cited as one of the most stylish women in Bollywood.

Gauri first met Shah Rukh Khan in 1984 in Delhi, before the start of his career in Bollywood. The couple married on 25 October 1991 in traditional Hindu wedding ceremony, after a six-year relationship. She appeared on the cover of Vogue India in January 2008. The magazine called her the "First Lady of Bollywood".They have a son Aryan Khan (born 1997), a daughter Suhana Khan (born 2000) and Abram Khan (2013), who was born through a surrogate mother. Her husband is Muslim and they raised their children in the religious traditions of both Islam and Hinduism.

Personal life

The couple married on 25 October 1991, in a traditional Nikah and Hindu wedding ceremony shortly after. They have a son Aryan (born 1997) and a daughter Suhana (born 2000). In 2013, they became parents of a third child, a son named AbRam, who was born through a surrogate mother. According to Shahrukh Khan, while he believes in the religion of Islam, he respects his wife's religion greatly. Their children follow both religions; at home the Qur'an is situated next to the Hindu deities.