Neena Gupta tells Kareena Kapoor about being dumped by man she was about to marry: ‘I used to live with him’

Kareena Kapoor on Monday launched actor Neena Gupta’s autobiography, titled Sach Kahun Toh. In their interaction, posted on Instagram on Monday, Neena and Kareena discussed ‘loneliness’, and how forthright Neena had been about talking about it.

Neena Gupta said that besides a few ‘small affairs’, she didn’t really have a companion after moving to Mumbai. She is now married to Vivek Mehra.

Neena told Kareena Kapoor, “In fact, while I was writing the book, I realised in my prime years I have been without a lover or husband. Because I came here, then small affairs, nothing really materialised. Basically, I was all alone.”

She continued, “Even with Vivian, he was far away, he had his own life. We met very seldom.” Neena and cricketer Vivian Richards had one daughter, Masaba Gupta.

Neena also recalled being on the verge of marriage with one man, who cancelled at the ‘last minute’, while she was shopping for clothes. “Till today I don’t know,” she said about what happened. “That happened. But what can I do? I moved on. I would have loved to get married to him. I had a lot of respect for his father, mother. I was living in their house. He’s going to read, he’s alive, he’s happily married. He has children.”

She said that she still feels envious when she sees people in regular relationships. “People say I lived my life on my own terms. Actually, I never did. Wherever I went wrong, I accepted it and moved forward. I wanted to have a normal husband, children, my in-laws. When I see other people I do feel a little envious. I did not blame, I did not become alcoholic, because what I wanted I did not get,” she said.

Also read: Neena Gupta on raising Masaba Gupta without any help: ‘Mai jhadu laga lugi but I won’t ask for money’

The book will take readers through Neena journey from her time at the National School of Drama (NSD) to moving to Bombay (Mumbai) in the 80s and her single parenthood. It will also address issues like film industry politics, the casting couch, and also what it takes for a young actor to survive without a godfather or guide.