Five times ace actor Neena Gupta won people’s hearts with her raw honesty

Neena Gupta is different. One wouldn’t expect a 60-something woman who has tasted success and personal hardships to bare all the vulnerabilities on and off screen, and for that reason, she has become the much needed breath of fresh air in Hindi cinema, and a solid inspiration for women of all generations. 

At the virtual launch of her tell-all biography Sach Kahun Toh (the title could not have been more accurate) with Kareena Kapoor Khan on Monday night, Neena peppered the audience with more unabashed truths about her life. 

Here are five times the ace actor inspired people with her raw authentic personality and choices as an actor:

The time she asked for work on Instagram

In 2017, Neena Gupta, who was already a two-times national award winning actor, took to Instagram looking for work. She had written, "I live in Mumbai and working, am a good actor looking for good parts to play." 

This inspired global icon Priyanka Chopra and Bollywood filmmaker Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, among many others.

Every time she defies the norm with powerful onscreen persona

The 62-year-old has stunned movie critics and audiences alike with her bold roles in films like Badhai Ho (2018) and Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhaan (2020). Her film, The Last Colour, the directorial debut of Michelin star chef Vikas Khanna, was in the running for Oscar nominations for best picture award.

The time she called out ageism in the industry

Bollywood has been criticised time and again for age-inappropriate casting, and especially creating less opportunities for older female actors. Soon after the release of Saand ki Aankh in 2019, she tweeted about how roles of older women can be offered to her.

“Yes, I was just thinking about this hamari umar ke role toe kamsekam humse kara lo bhai,” she wrote.

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Every time she embraces single parenting with all its hardships

As a single mother, Neena Gupta made it a point to be financially independent by doing any job rather than asking for financial help from family members and friends.  

She has told the media that her journey as a single mother was difficult, one that taught her the value of money as the most important thing but the joy of motherhood made all the challenges worth it. However, if given the choice, she would not have a child outside marriage because having both parents is important for a child’s growth. 

Every time she offers motherly advice

Netflix series Masaba Masaba portrays the intricacies of mother-daughter duo Neena and Masaba Gupta’s relationship and the support Neena lent her daughter. Not one to mince words, Neena continues to share lessons from her life experiences and urges women not to get into romantic relationships with married men.

"Do not get involved in all this, do not fall in love with a married man. I have done this before, I have suffered. That’s why I am telling my friends, you all, try not to do it,” she said in an Instagram video.