‘When It Happened To Me, I Was Shocked’

‘I
have
had
my
share
of
unpleasant
situations
being
a
woman,
like
so
many
other
actors
have
gone
through.’
‘I
took
it
in
my
stride
because
I
knew
it
happens.’
‘What
saved
me
was
what
my
mother
used
to
say:
Education.’

Although
the
feisty

Neena
Gupta,
who
has
just
won
a
National
Award
for
her
film,

Uunchai,
worked
with
the
best
of
directors
in
the
early
part
of
her
career,
she
feels
accepting
small
parts
was
a
mistake.

“I
have
worked
with
Shyam
Benegal,
Kundan
Shah
and
many
film-makers
but
at
that
time,
I
got
only
smaller
roles.
I
never
got
the
main
role,
the
leading
lady.
So
I
was
always
frustrated.
I
used
to
think
I
am
more
capable,
I
am
quite
good
looking,
so
why
wasn’t
I
get
it?
But
everywhere,
it’s
the
same
thing,”
Neena
Gupta
tells

Subhash
K
Jha.

“Film-making
is
a
business,
whatever
sells,
they
take
that.
It’s
your
market
value
because
every
film-maker
has
to
have
a
financier.
You
have
a
good
market
value,
then
you
get
the
leading
part.

“I
think
the
mistake
I
made
was
that
I
settled
for
smaller
parts
because
one
was
desperate
for
work.
So
I
was
labelled
a
supporting
actor.
That
changed
with

Badhaai
Ho,
but
it
took
a
long,
long,
time.
I
had
a
very
good
phase
on
television
during

Saans.
I
produced,
directed,
acted
and
did
a
variety
of
roles.
I
got
good
money
also.
But
again,
at
that
time,
TV
was
smaller
than
films.”

This,
Neena
feels,
has
changed
now.

“All
the
big
film-makers
are
going
to
the
OTT
platforms,
actors
are
working
on
the
OTT
platforms
now.
But
in
my
time,
when
I
entered
here,
it
was
only
films.
It
was
a
very
difficult
phase.

“Today’s
actors
are
lucky,
as
they
have
so
many
platforms.
Film-making
has
also
changed
because
of
OTT
platforms.
Writers
and
directors
are
experimenting
with
newer
subjects.
You
don’t
need
a
star
for
your
project
to
be
a
hit.
The
best
example
is

Panchayat.
If
the
content
is
good,
people
will
love
it.

“We
should
stop
thinking
that
people
don’t
understand.
The
public
understands
everything.
You
give
them
something
good,
they
will
appreciate
it.
Writing
is
the
most
important
part
of
any
project.
I
think

Panchayat
has
surpassed
the
level
of
writing.
That’s
one
reason
why
it
is
such
a
big
hit.”

It
has
never
been
a
bed
of
roses
for
Neena.

“I
have
had
my
share
of
unpleasant
situations
being
a
woman,
like
so
many
other
actors
have
gone
through.
I
took
it
in
my
stride
because
I
knew
it
happens.
But
when
it
happened
to
me,
I
was
shocked.

“What
saved
me
was
what
my
mother
used
to
say:
Education.
I
did
not
compromise
in
that
situation.
I
was
confident
that
I
am
educated.
I
can
do
other
things
to
earn
a
living.
So
I
did
not
compromise
and
that
saved
me.”

Neena
has
advice
for
girls
who
are
stepping
out
in
life:
“I
always
tell
younger
girls
that
you
should
have
a
plan
B.
You
should
know
how
much
you
want
to
compromise.
I
have
nothing
against
women
who
do
compromise
because
their
situation
could
be
different
than
mine.
Each
to
its
own.

“I
got
saved
because
of
my
education.
Even
now,
if
I
need
work,
if
roles
run
out,
I
can
do
other
things
to
earn
my
living.
I
believe
in
the
dignity
of
labour.
I
believe
no
work
is
small.”

Neena
is
thrilled
with
her
National
Award
for
Best
Supporting
Actor
for

Uunchai.

“I
am
very,
very,
happy,”
she
says.
“I
was
very
surprised
and
grateful
to
everyone.
I
am
patting
myself
on
my
back,
saying,
‘Baby,
keep
on
working
hard,
you
will
get
appreciation’.”

“Funnily,
the
first
project,
if
you
can
call
it
a
project,
that
made
me
a
little
famous
was
an
ad
for
Hawkins
pressure
cooker.
After
that,
I
struggled,
struggled,
struggled,
for
many
years.
Then,
my
serial

Saans
happened,
which
was
a
game-changer
for
me.
After
that,

Badhaai
Ho
happened.
These
are
the
three
things
that
changed
my
career
path.

“I’m
very
proud
of
the
girls
today
who
are
balancing
their
family
life
and
their
careers
and
are
successful
in
both.
It’s
a
very
difficult
task.

“Earlier,
if
the
heroine
got
married,
she
never
got
work.
Now,
actresses
are
working
even
after
having
kids.
They
work
hard
on
their
body.
They
lose
weight.
They
look
after
their
kids,
their
in-laws,
their
families,
their
parents
and
still
work.
So
that
is
a
very
big
thing.”

Speaking
on
the
institution
of
marriage,
Neena
says,
“Our
patience
has
grown
very
low
because
we
live
in
a
very
complicated
and
competitive
world.
As
women
are
getting
more
and
more
educated
and
financially
independent,
they
won’t
take
any
nonsense
from
anybody.
Marriage,
I
think,
is
a
lot
of
compromise,
a
lot
of
adjustment.
It’s
becoming
more
and
more
difficult.

“Actually,
I’m
confused
as
to
what
should
happen:
Should
one
live-in
or
stay
single
or
adjust
in
a
marriage,
where
they
have
a
companion
and
children
in
their
old
age?
I
feel
family
is
the
most
important
thing
in
this
world.
Your
work
will
come
and
go,
your
fame
will
come
and
go.
You
can
be
very
successful
and
famous
but
eventually,
it’s
the
family
you
need
as
your
strength.

“I
think
a
very
important
reason
for
declining
mental
health
and
depression
is
because
one
is
lonely.
That
problem
will,
I
think,
mount
slowly
and
people
will
have
to
learn
how
to
cope
with
it.
And
there
is
no
right
or
wrong
way,
there
is
no
easy
way.

“You
are
single
and
lonely,
that’s
a
problem.
You
are
in
a
bad
marriage,
that’s
a
problem.
You
are
divorced,
that’s
a
problem.
Problems
are
everywhere.
So
it
is
up
to
you
and
your
priorities.
I
have
learned
because
I
have
been
alone
for
almost
more
than
half
my
life
and
it
is
very
difficult.”

Looking
back
at
her
career,
Neena
says,
“I
got
my
first
break
at
the
age
of
60,
and
that
changed
everything
for
me.
I
became
a
good
actress.
I
got
solid
roles
and
a
lot
of
respect
from
the
industry.

“If

Badhaai
Ho
hadn’t
happened,
I
would
still
be
doing
small
roles
of
a
mother.
I
am
really
enjoying
this
phase.
During
the
past
three
years,
I
have
worked
almost
every
day.
Five-six
of
my
projects
are
complete
and
awaiting
release,
which
is
making
me
a
little
anxious
because
you
work
so
that
more
and
more
people
watch
you
and
your
work,
and
praise
you
for
your
work.

Neena
has
no
regrets
about
being
a
single
mother.

“I
think
my
being
a
single
mother
has
been
talked
about
a
lot.
But
it
was
not
planned.
I
just
went
with
it.
I
am
very
happy
that
I
have
such
a
beautiful
daughter.
If
I
want
to
change
anything
in
my
life,
I
want
to
change
everything,
apart
from
Masaba.
I
would
want
a
normal,
happily
married
life
with
a
good
career.”