Neena Gupta has always been an actress par excellence. She had won two National Awards, and yet, there had been distressing times for her when she had to ask for work. However, she began a fresh run in her career with Badhaai Ho, and now, it is a treat for her fans who get t see her very often on OTT as well as the screen. Now, Neena Gupta has opened up about hoe Badhaai Ho changed her professional life, and also shared how she had been replaced by actresses who were more popular in their heydays, but has managed to remain positive.
Talking to ETimes, Neena Gupta said, “The tendency to slot actresses in a particular mould is still prevalent. That still happens, although I have tried a lot to break it. Today, if you see my work, I am playing totally different characters in my projects. This is exactly what I did earlier, too, but because of this, I didn’t get work. However, fortunately, times have changed and so have people. They are offering and accepting me in varied roles.”
However, she added that she still gets replaced! She revealed, “Having said that, even today, some filmmakers prefer to take a yesteryear heroine instead of me in a role, just like it was back in the day because she was more known in her younger days. It has happened — that I was offered a role and then I came to know that they have replaced me with another actress who was a bigger name in her heydays. These things happen, but I don’t lose heart. If a director or producer thinks that a particular artiste is better for them, I am nobody to tell them otherwise. I am also not bitter about it because I am getting good work. Toh agar ek aadh cheez mein bura lagta hai toh itna bhi nahi lagta. If I crib, God will think that after having given me so much I am still complaining, so that would not be fair (smiles!).”
Talking about how Badhaai Ho changed her career, she said, “I did not get work because of my Insta posts, I got it because of ‘Badhaai Ho’ (2018). That film changed the course for me. I was recognised as a good actor and that got me more work and respect. It’s unbelievable at times to see such good work coming to me now. There was a time when I thought that nothing much would happen unless I made a film for myself. However, I am fortunate that things have changed today, because of OTT platforms and other factors. There are young filmmakers who are working on amazing subjects and older filmmakers who have changed their styles. I am in a very good phase in my life, workwise and otherwise.”
Neena Gupta will next be seen in Sooraj Barjatya’s Uunchai where she will share screen with Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Sarika, Nafisa Ali and Parineeti Chopra. She is also a part of Amitabh Bachchan and Rashmika Mandanna starrer Goodbye.
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