'Thank God, Bach Gyi': Panchayat actor Neena Gupta reveals why she ended relationship with her boyfriend

Neena Gupta, a veteran actor, recently shared insights about her early years in Mumbai during an interview with Siddharth Kannan. She discussed her struggles when she first arrived in the city with her then-boyfriend, revealing how they both faced challenges in finding work. Gupta recounted that her boyfriend asked her for money to buy cigarettes while she was working at Prithvi Café, where she prepared food in exchange for meals.

Gupta's Early Experiences

In her conversation, Neena Gupta highlighted her tough start in Mumbai. She recalled, "When I came here in Mumbai I came with my then-boyfriend… Both of us did not have work. I used to work in Prithvi Café; I used to make bharta in the evenings, so Prahlad who was the owner, gave me free dinner. Just helping. We used to hang around there so that some director may spot us."

She expressed her frustration when her boyfriend questioned her ambitions, saying, "One day, my boyfriend came, and I think he was drunk, and he asked if I had come all the way from Delhi only to become a waitress here? To do this? I said at least I am doing this and you ask me for your cigarette money! This is our standards. Thank god shaadi nahi kiya (I did not get married to him)."

Personal Life and Career

Neena Gupta married Vivek Mehra, a chartered accountant, in the United States in 2008. She is also the mother of Masaba Gupta, whose father is former West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards.

Recently, Gupta received a National Award for her performance in the film Uunchai. She has appeared in various projects, including Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, Lust Stories 2, Ishq-e-Nadaan, and Mast Mein Rehne Ka. Additionally, she played a significant role in Vishal Bhardwaj's web series, Charlie Chopra, and stars in the Malayalam web series 1000 Babies, which airs on Disney+ Hotstar.