Neena had to HIDE her pregnancy while shooting for Gulzar

Back in 1989, Neena Gupta made a decision that was incredibly brave for that time. She chose to embrace motherhood as an unmarried woman after discovering she was pregnant with her daughter Masaba. The father was none other than West Indies cricket legend Vivian Richards. In a world where people were quick to judge, her decision was rare and gutsy.
Neena’s life changed overnight. While she had always been known for her acting talent, this decision made her stand out even more for her strength and honesty.
She did a dance number in her eighth or ninth month
In an interview with Bombay Times in September 2024, Masaba Gupta opened up about how her mother managed to work while hiding her pregnancy. “She (Neena Gupta) had to hide her pregnancy. She was telling me how she (even) did a dance number in her eighth or ninth month,” Masaba shared, clearly in awe of her mum’s strength. It’s not every day that you hear about an actress performing in front of the camera while heavily pregnant, especially during the 80s.

Neena revealed it was for ‘Mirza Ghalib’
After Masaba’s revelation,

Neena

was asked about this in a conversation with Bollywood Hungama. She confirmed that the project was Gulzar’s classic TV series ‘Mirza Ghalib’. “It was for the TV show, ‘Mirza Ghalib’ (directed by Gulzar). There’s a scene where I am coming in a tonga and it was shot in a ‘ubad khabad’ road. When I began shooting for the show, I was only four months pregnant. Even then, I did a dance number. But during the seventh month of pregnancy, they told me that a scene hadn’t been shot. I had to sit in a tonga and shoot for it. I was very scared.”
It’s not hard to imagine how difficult that must have been, bouncing on a rough road while pregnant, just to finish a scene. But for Neena, work came first.

Gulzar saab knew, others didn’t
When asked if the team knew she was expecting, Neena was honest. “No, not many people knew. Gulzar saab knew from the very beginning. I told him kyunki itni beimaani main nahin kar sakti na kisi ke saath (I told him since I could not betray him). I had told him about it way in advance. He used to look after me like a father figure (smiles). Ultimately, it’s an actor’s job to shoot, come rain or shine. Hence, I went for it.”
Today, Masaba Gupta is a successful fashion designer and actress. She often praises her mother for her sacrifices and strength.

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