Twinkle Khanna responds to Deepinder Goyal's claims about gravity and ageing: 'I was tempted to take him seriously...'
Twinkle Khanna has responded to the statement of Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal about gravity being one of the reasons of ageing.
Deepinder Goyal, CEO of Zomato, in a tweet on November 15 shared his take on longevity, claiming that gravity is the reason ageing happens – and this opinion divided the internet. His tweet was a part of a long series explaining the Gravity Ageing Hypothesis about how the constant pull of Earth's gravitational force has an impact on our body, particularly the brain, which may result in accelerated ageing.
Now, actor-turned-author Twinkle Khanna has reacted to Deepinder's claim in her Times of India column, published on November 29. She dismissed the idea with her hallmark wit, using humorous examples to question the logic behind his hypothesis. In the process, she also reflected on her grandmother's simple longevity habits, which, according to her, make today's tech bros and their anti-ageing plans look like ‘amateurs.’
She rebutted, "I am chronically lazy so, for a moment, I was tempted to take him seriously. Imagine telling my husband (Actor Akshay Kumar), as I lounged in my armchair with my legs on a footstool and chips in hand, ‘I am counteracting the effects of gravity.’"
Astronauts would return as superheroes?
She pushed back against Deepinder's claim with funny examples, hinting at the lack of logic at the very foundation of the hypothesis. She shared that if gravity were truly what caused ageing, then astronauts who spend months and sometimes years in microgravity and weightlessness on the International Space Station would come back as superheroes, stronger and much agile. But that's not the case in reality, she explained
Twinkle wrote, “If gravity were the kryptonite stopping us from turning into Superman, we might consider astronauts like Sunita Williams, who returned to earth in March after spending nine months floating in microgravity. She returned not with superhuman powers or looking like she had visited the same surgeon as Kris Jenner, but with weaker bones, muscles, and heart.”
She used the example of astronaut Sunita Williams, who spent 286 days in space, but she returned, as per Twinkle's observation, with weaker bones, reduced muscle mass, and a stressed heart. This shows that bodies naturally need gravity to stay strong. Without it, both muscles and bones are impacted adversely.
Grandma's longevity hacks
Twinkle pointed to projects like Bryan Johnson’s anti-ageing routine, which involves him tracking his health parameters while injecting young plasma into his veins. Then there are others like Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel, who are pouring millions into rejuvenation research, Twinkle shared.
But Twinkle considered all these high-budget experiments amateur in front of her grandmother's simple home remedies and lifestyle habits. The longevity hacks her grandmother followed were easy and organic. They included regular kitchen staples. Twinkle added, "Nani’s longevity secrets were simple. She once told me that after she crossed 70, she ate a raw garlic clove every morning. She claimed it was great for the immune system.”
Twinkle further highlighted that her grandmother's approach to staying healthy also includes eating those things that could be soaked, for added benefits. There were methi and fennel seeds soaked overnight, as well as walnuts, raisins, and almonds, she shared. Her grandmother would also do yoga or go to the gym. She outlined that her nani followed the basic rules of good health: sleeping well, eating clean, staying stress-free, and keeping herself happy.
‘Living’ life matters more for longevity
According to Twinkle, truly living is what matters. Life is not judged only by how many years you spend on this planet, but by the emotional legacy you leave behind. In her view, the ideas that you leave behind hold more weight. It brings a new perspective to the concept of longevity.
She reflected on the concept of immortality, citing examples of legendary individuals who, despite their brief lives, left a lasting legacy. To her, true immortality wasn't about living forever, but about the impact one makes. She pointed to Van Gogh, whose vibrant sunflowers still shone bright despite his passing at 37, Mozart, whose music echoed in elevators globally though he passed away before 40, and Joan of Arc, who fell at just 19, yet remained an enduring symbol of bravery and defiance.
