The new avatar of Gauri Khan

Much has been spoken and written about Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra's alleged relationship. The latest gossip doing the rounds is that the two have secretly tied the knot. While each B-town camp is giving its own spin to the hushed whisper, some outrightly denying it ("it's ridiculous, PeeCee is merely using his name for publicity") while others giving it their stamp of approval ("I believe its true, poor Gauri!'), no one has actually paid enough attention to what the first lady of Bollywood - Gauri Khan has to say about the entire episode.

We recently sat down with a Mannat insider who gave us all the juice on how she's coping with the various conspiracy theories doing the rounds.

It can’t be true!

Early on when reports claimed Shah Rukh was giving Priyanka preferential treatment over other actresses (recommending her to producers), Gauri shrugged it off as a mere professional relationship. However, she started seeing red flags when SRK started inviting PeeCee who was never a Mannat regular to their house parties only certain celebs (Karan Johar, Arjun-Mehr, Hrithik-Sussane) had access to. Despite regular visits from the Desi Girl, Gauri feigned ignorance and even tried to warm up to her in the early days. Our khabru reveals, "Shah Rukh had kept a party for a select few at Mannat after his return from Berlin from the Don 2 schedule. Priyanka was invited as well. She turned up late, and surprisingly spent most of the time chatting with Gauri. Every one including KJo was stumped with this new bonding." When close friends (Mehr-Sussane) tried to warn Gauri of Chopra's ways, she shut them up by saying they were being ridiculous and there was neither any smoke nor fire to be wary of.

Is this really happening?!

With time, Gauri started accepting the inevitable fact that Priyanka Chopra was not going anywhere and this wasn’t a temporary phase in her husband’s life. Soon SRK and PeeCee started hosting award shows, travelling for film festivals, even pitching themselves as a pair for brand endorsements. The winds inside Mannat had taken a different course and according to insiders the weather had turned quite stormy. Those invited to Mannat last year to cut the cake and celebrate SRK’s birthday, reveal how pale and forlon Gauri looked. “There were days when she would roam around the house wearing dark glasses and only come out to see her kids off to school. She wasn’t taking it too well and it was quite apparent. The only support she had during this time was her BFF Sussane Roshan who perhaps took a leaf out of her own book (Hrithik’s torrid affair with Barbara Mori) offering solace to her friend. Things started getting awkward when PeeCee’s name was missing from invites , but would later be added on SRK’s behest. But the nail in the coffin was producer and best friend Karan Johar’s birthday bash where he had to eat the humble pie and invite Piggychops despite the big crack in their friendship (Chopra had anonymously planted a column in a leading tabloid bashing KJo who then took to Twitter to express his anger). An eye witness who attended the bash reveals, “Shah Rukh played the perfect host for Priyanka. The moment she walked in, he jumped over the couch, received her with a kiss on her cheek and went around introducing her to every one in the room. All this happened in front of Gauri who was left standing in a corner clutching her glass of a non alcoholic drink. After returning home, the couple had a huge show down where the two gave each other ultimatums. Gauri was clear that she didn’t want her husband working with Priyanka. (Twinkle Khanna too gave her husband Akshay Kumar the same threat after news of his affair with the actress leaked during the making of Andaaz). Shah Rukh on the other hand brushed the warning off and continued to court Chopra.

I'm-over-it

We are told that Gauri has finally made peace with the situation and has decided not to let it affect her anymore. This was apparent at a recent party hosted for Steven Spielberg where she made a solo appearance, looked like a million bucks and mingled with every guest without having to worry about a certain ‘actress’ crossing her path. Our insider adds, “Gauri feels like a new person. She has turned to reading, meditation, taken a spiritual path. Her insecurity about losing her husband is nowhere to be seen and those who have met her recently only talk about how she is glowing and radiating happiness.” But only time will tell if this is for real or just a façade Mrs Khan is using to hide those tears!