‘Jab bhi ghar ki Lakshmi ready ho na…’: Tina Ahuja on how parents, Govinda and Sunita, taught her the power of self-presentation
Tina Ahuja, daughter of actor Govinda and Sunita Ahuja, recently spoke about how this habit of always showing up looking put together is something she has learned from both her parents.
In an interview with Curly Tales, where she appeared alongside her mother, she described her parents’ relationship behind the scenes. She said, “I think they are more like friends. Itna romantic toh maine inhe kabhi nahi dekha (I’ve never seen them as that romantic), obviously, I won’t notice that side of them. When they are around each other, they’ll be like friends.”
She fondly recalled, “Ek cheez joh mujhe apne father ke baare main bahut pasand hai (one thing that I really like about my father) is that when he comes to meet her anywhere, he’ll come all decked up. Ek dum daadi waadi karke, goggles laga ke, ek dum hero banke jaenge (He’ll go all out with a beard and everything, wearing goggles, looking like a hero).”
She added that she has imbibed this quality from both her parents, stating, “That’s what I learnt from both of them. Even my mom, you will never see her in a jhalla (shabby) state, or you know, like wearing loose pants just for the sake of it or casually tying her hair in a bun and saying ‘chalo yaar’, never. Both of them. They like to dress up and that’s what has come in me. Ghar se agar main mandir bhi jaa rahi hu, gurdwara bhi jaa rahi hu toh I’ll see to it ki main acha pony baandh ke I should look good (Even if I’m just going from home to the temple or gurdwara, I make sure to tie a neat ponytail and look presentable).”
Sunita Ahuja, too, credits her mother-in-law for this habit of never stepping out looking shabby. “Sunita, jab bhi ghar ki Lakshmi ready ho na, Lakshmi jaisi dikhni chahiye (Sunita, whenever the Lakshmi of the house is getting ready, she should look like Goddess Lakshmi too),” she remembers being told.
Psychological or emotional benefits of dressing up, even in small, everyday moments
Counselling psychologist Athul Raj tells indianexpress.com, “Dressing up, even for something as simple as stepping out to the mandir or buying vegetables, can become a small act of emotional grounding. It is a way of saying to yourself, ‘I matter.’ In therapy, I often notice that on days when people feel low or directionless, even brushing their hair or putting on a clean outfit shifts the energy slightly.”
He adds that it gives the day a starting point. It helps regulate our emotional state by creating a sense of readiness and dignity. When the world feels uncertain, these small rituals bring structure. You are not waiting for an occasion — you are making everyday life feel worth showing up for.
The struggle between being ‘comfortable’ and ‘presentable’
To strike a healthy balance between both, Raj states, it starts with redefining what presentable means for you. If your clothes allow you to feel at ease, carry yourself with confidence, and reflect your mood or personality, that is enough. “Comfort and care do not need to be opposites. A clean kurta, a soft cotton sari, or a fresh T-shirt with combed hair can all carry intention. The key is dressing in a way that feels true to you, rather than performing a version of yourself that feels forced. When it comes from within, it feels natural, not pressured. There is quiet power in choosing what suits your state of mind that day,” he explains.
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How do generational family values influence our approach to self-presentation and self-care?
These patterns are rarely taught directly. We absorb them by watching. A mother who puts on bangles before stepping out, a father who always irons his shirt, a grandmother who wears her perfume every morning–these gestures leave lasting impressions.
“They teach us that self-care is not always loud or indulgent. It can be quiet, consistent, and rooted in routine. For many families, dressing well is not about showing off. It is about self-respect, and about meeting the world with a sense of pride, no matter where you are going,” concludes Raj.
