Samriti DhatwaliaVeteran actress Neena Gupta recently opened up about some of the difficult phases in her acting career, including the kinds of roles she accepted early on and the uncomfortable situations she faced in order to keep working. Speaking on podcast host Shubhankar Mishra’s show, she spoke candidly about choices she made for financial stability.
Gupta revealed that, at a time when work was scarce, she took on parts that didn’t always align with her age or aspirations including one where she played the older sister of actor Feroz Khan in Yalgaar (1992), even though she was nearly two decades younger than him.
Neena Gupta and Unpleasant Set Memories
One of the most talked-about moments Neena Gupta shared was from the set of the 1993 film Khalnayak. While shooting the iconic song “Choli ke Peeche”, the director Subhash Ghai allegedly asked her to wear a padded bra so she would “appear fuller” on camera, a request that left her feeling humiliated and angry at the time.
Gupta explained that Ghai pointed to the costume designer and said she should look “fuller”, which made her uncomfortable. She said she was initially very upset, as the comment felt inappropriate. Looking back, she added that she now understands it was an expression of the director’s vision for the scene, even if it impacted her then.
Industry Double Standards on Age and Casting
The actress also touched on broader gender and age biases in Bollywood. She commented that filmmakers often cast older male actors opposite much younger actresses, while they rarely do the reverse, reflecting societal norms that favour such pairings.
According to Gupta, films simply mirror what society accepts, and because audiences appear uncomfortable with older women in lead romantic roles, filmmakers hesitate to explore those narratives.
Creative Choices and Audience Influence
Gupta also spoke about her television work, revealing that while directing Saans, she had originally planned for her character to choose independence after her husband’s infidelity. However, following audience feedback from a Star Plus survey, the storyline was changed, and the character reconciled with her husband, a shift she felt reflected societal expectations more than creative intent.
Neena Gupta On Love, Parenthood & Relationships
Finally, Gupta spoke about her relationship with West Indies cricketer Sir Vivian Richards, with whom she shares a daughter, Masaba Gupta. She laughed off the idea of defining their relationship strictly, suggesting it was a mix of love and life choices.
While acknowledging the joys they shared, she also spoke candidly about the challenges of raising their daughter alone and advised others to consider those difficulties before making similar decisions.
