Neena Gupta has spoken candidly about raising her daughter Masaba Gupta as a single mother and the choices that shaped their lives. In a recent conversation with Zoom, the actor reflected on Masaba growing up without her father, former West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards, being around in her everyday life. She also opened up about why she has apologised to Masaba over the years and how she navigated the difficult realities of bringing up a child largely on her own.
‘It is my fault, but she understands’
She also reflected on how people often make decisions when they are young without fully understanding what they may lead to. “I am so honest with her that many times I have said sorry to her that you didn’t have a father with you when you were young. It is my fault, but she understands. We all make mistakes. When we are young, our parents tell us certain things and we don’t listen. That wisdom comes later,” she said.
Telling Masaba the truth about her father
Neena Gupta said one thing she was particularly careful about was making sure Masaba heard the truth about her father from her, rather than from someone else. She chose to have those conversations slowly, answering her daughter’s questions as and when they came up and allowing her to understand the situation with age.
She also wanted Masaba to grow up without bitterness towards either parent. she explained that she made sure her daughter understood the circumstances behind her parents’ relationship, rather than forming an opinion based on what she might hear from others.
“I made her like her father. I told her why and what had happened as she grew up. So, there was no malice or anger towards me because I told her the truth. It is very important because, rather than her hearing something from outside, I thought it was better that I told her myself. I think that was a very sensible thing that I di,” she added.
The relationship behind Masaba’s story
Neena Gupta and Vivian Richards welcomed Masaba in 1989. At the time, Richards was married, and she has spoken openly about their relationship and the circumstances surrounding Masaba’s birth. In her autobiography Sach Kahun Toh, she recalled finding out that she was pregnant after Richards had already returned home. “Vivian and I had an affair and I got pregnant. He had already returned home when I found out,” she recalled.
She has also spoken about how Richards reacted when she told him she was expecting his child. She remembered having a direct conversation with him and asking if he would be okay with her going ahead with the pregnancy. “I’m pregnant,” she told him. “Would you have a problem if I were to have your baby?” His response, according to Gupta, was that she should go ahead.
Their relationship continued for a few years, even though they were often living apart. Gupta has described it as an unconventional relationship that was largely long-distance. “It was long-distance and a very different kind of relationship,” she has said.
Neena eventually married chartered accountant Vivek Mehra in 2008. Masaba went on to build a successful career in fashion and later ventured into acting. She married Satyadeep Misra in 2023, with both her parents present at the wedding.
Neena’s latest work
Neena Gupta was most recently seen in Netflix sitcom Chumbak alongside Deven Bhojani, Arjun Bijlani, Sumeet Raghavan and more. The comedy series followed the everyday chaos, quirks and relationships of five multigenerational families living in row houses in the fictional Chumbak Colony. The show is created by Aatish Kapadia and Jamnadas “JD” Majethia, the duo behind Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Khichdi.
