I believe that you need your parents the most. That's the most important thing.
— Neena Gupta
If you don't have one thing, what's the big deal? Not everybody has everything.
There are mothers who sacrifice their dreams for family and feel terrible about it. There are mothers who are career women as well, without being apologetic about it.
I want to try something on situational comedy.
The condition of women in our country is so bad that compared to them I have been through nothing. I have just had a child out of wedlock, but I get to be the face of the independent modern woman. I don't think it is fair.
I can look Punjabi, South Indian, gareeb and ameer too.
I posted something on Instagram saying I am looking for meaningful work. At that time, I was sure my daughter Masaba would be angry. She however, reposted it and wrote another beautiful post. She is a very good writer. That post almost changed things for me. I am glad I did what I did.
Apart from the money actors earn, it is the love and appreciation that keeps everyone looking forward to do more.
It's important that you are not embarrassed when you try something new.
My mother was very interested for me to become an IAS officer.
My first car was a second-hand Padmini Standard that I bought for '25,000 in 1985. It was a lot of money for me. The Padmini Standard was one of those small cars which was very popular during that time. However, I never drove the car and still don't drive one.
#MeToo has shaken the whole industry. But the sad part is that it is so hard to prove such incidents. I have been on my own for the longest time and have faced a lot of such incidents during my days in college, National School of Drama.
As an actor I am prepared for every role, that's my profession.
It takes effort to not be lonely.
I used to not get work even on TV, but wherever I went, they'd treat me with respect but never offer work.
Films are a business. They take who's working.
It's so strange that God has had his way of looking after me.
My mother was a Gandhian and very strict.
I used to tell myself that I am a good actor, I have a good body, I have a pretty face, have long hair, have a good soul, so if there is one thing I don't have, don't make a big issue of it.
No two mothers are the same.
My upbringing saved me.
I am very much aware that I am considered a 'strong woman.' And I am also aware that that is only because I had a child outside wedlock.
My problem is that I can do variety of roles.
I can never doubt anyone's capabilities. I feel everyone has a talent which takes time to come out.
I've evolved with time and learnt from my daughter which designers and singers are in.
Masaba has helped me break some taboos, like wearing off-white with white or sneakers with a fancy gown. She's given me the confidence to carry off stuff, which looks nice.
In PhD, my topic was Stage Techniques in Sanskrit Drama - theory and practice. I wanted to combine my drama training with Sanskrit drama, which has a very rich history in literature.
I think I don't complain much about cars because I don't drive.
Men should never be the prime focus of women's life.
I want to do comedy and an action role.
Loneliness is always there, it's a phase that comes and goes and it is a very difficult phase.
I got offered big roles after 'Badhaai Ho' but if the film hadn't worked, I wouldn't have gotten. It's business, nobody is emotional about it.
I didn't want to get married to somebody just because I was ageing and wanted a child.
I lost my mother to cancer, so once Masaba was born, my father moved from Old Delhi to live with me in Mumbai.
I know many big stars who asked for work when they were out of it.
It is very tough to bring up a child on your own.
I am genuinely interested in comedy and I know that I have good comic timing as well.
The fact that my parents were both educated and held certain values very dearly, like honesty, self-respect and integrity, meant that I could steer clear of many pitfalls.
I'm a very shy person and find it difficult to ask for work even if I know somebody for ages.
If you do one big commercial film and it's a hit, everybody takes you for that particular kind of a role.
We all want to be appreciated. Don't we?
Every child needs both parents.
I'm was a very shy person, a very shy person and couldn't go to people in my college. We used to do plays, and I would never get the main female role. I would always get a boys' role because it was a girls college and I was a little taller than other girls.
I made '4,000 every month from 'Khandaan.'
I don't know if any woman is completely happy with the way she leads her life or with the way people treat her.
My profession is to change myself according to my role and I work hard on it.
I have found ways to kill this ever-present feeling of loneliness. I try a new dish and experiment with food, I'll clean my cupboard, do the little things in the house, and I keep myself busy. I find things to do.
I think everyone is lonely whether you are in a good marriage or a bad marriage somewhere down the line you become lonely, and to get rid of that loneliness you have to try really hard.
I won't get a role if I say I want to do that. It depends on how saleable you're at that time.
I have lived a life of many shades and am very thankful to God for what he has given me and not given me.
