Tuesday, February 3, 2026
News

"No money, no work": Neena Gupta recalls feeling "lonely" during early days in Mumbai

SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend    Print this Page   COMMENT

New Delhi | February 2, 2026 9:19:55 PM IST
Veteran actor Neena Gupta recalled her early days in Mumbai, candidly opening up about the 'loneliness, fear and uncertainty' she experienced when she first arrived in the city to pursue a career as an actor.

Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview, Neena Gupta shared that she came to Mumbai with her then boyfriend but had no money, no work and no family support. Recalling the emotional and financial struggle, the actor said the initial phase of her life in the city was deeply unsettling.

"I felt lonely. No mom, no dad, no money. I was living at someone else's place who didn't want me there. It was scary and very lonely," she said.

"She added that although she did not have the courage to come to Mumbai alone and arrived with her boyfriend, he eventually left her as well. "Although I came with my boyfriend, as I didn't have the courage to come alone. But he also ditched me. Somebody said a very nice thing. 'You don't die of old age. You die of loneliness'. That was very bad here. I had no work," the actor said.

The actor further reflected that during her formative years in the industry, Neena wished she had someone to guide her through the complexities of entering the film business.

"I wish I had someone who would have guided me on the rules of entering the film business. One of the biggest disasters was doing the film 'Saath Saath'. The film was a big hit and I became very confident. And that was the end of it. Actresses who want to lead should not begin with comedy," she added.

Despite the early struggles, Neena Gupta has gone on to carve a celebrated career spanning several decades. She continues to remain active across films and streaming platforms and was most recently seen in the romantic drama 'Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri'.

A three-time National Award winner, Neena's acclaimed body of work includes 'Badhaai Ho', the 'Panchayat' series, 'Uunchai', and the award-winning 'Who Chokri'.

Neena Gupta's upcoming release, 'Vadh 2', described as a spiritual sequel to the 2022 thriller 'Vadh', is scheduled to hit theatres on February 6, 2026.

As per the trailer, lead actors Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta return as Shambhunath and Manju, respectively, in Vadh 2, which offers a glimpse into their lives: Manju has been jailed, and her husband undertakes a dangerous mission to get her out. (ANI)

 
  LATEST COMMENTS ()
POST YOUR COMMENT
Comments Not Available
 
POST YOUR COMMENT
 
 
TRENDING TOPICS
 
 
CITY NEWS
MORE CITIES
 
 
 
MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Mumbai Police traces scooter used in fir...
Grammy 2026: Lola Young bags Best Pop So...
2026 Grammy: Bad Bunny dedicates Album o...
Grammy 2026: Yungblud stylishly wins awa...
Grammys 2026: Lady Gaga takes over red c...
Grammy 2026: Rapper Kendrick Lamar wins ...
More...
 
INDIA WORLD ASIA
Shashi Tharoor attends meeting in Rahul ...
'World's oldest and largest democracies ...
India-US trade deal is historic turning ...
CITI hails reduction in US tariffs on In...
All B-787 must be grounded, checked for ...
Tripura Gramin Bank launches India's fir...
More...    
 
 Top Stories
"Duniya jhukti hai, jhukaney wala c... 
India-US trade deal opens door to m... 
J-K: Fire breaks out at cowsheds in... 
Rajnath Singh hails India-US trade ... 
Budget 2026 positions India to acce... 
India gains edge over regional expo... 
Third uncommanded fuel control swit... 
"Everyone believes we can perform a...