Neha Dhupia HONEST Interview: Kids, Husband Angad Bedi, No Filter Neha, Bollywood Friendships & More
How would you describe your journey as both an actor and an individual, transitioning from participating in the play “Graffiti” to taking on the role of the host for “No Filter Neha”?
I find it challenging to address this question in just two minutes. However, the journey has been intriguing. You consistently put in hard work, hustle, and strive to figure things out. You work on improving your skills in the profession, finding inspiration from your surroundings, the environment, and fellow actors. The landscape has evolved significantly over time. So much time has passed that the mediums you engage in are vastly different, and the choices available to actors are both interesting and diverse. It becomes a journey through multiple layers, one where you are constantly learning and evolving. When I initially started, there was no social media or Instagram, and now people are making a livelihood out of it. The industry has undergone tremendous changes.
Can you recall any specific memories from your initial experience filming a music video with Euphoria?
Certainly, we always cherish memories of the first one, and for me, my most significant recollections revolve around the people I collaborated with. There was Pradeep Sarkar, the director, and Sujit Sarkar, the executive producer. Amit Sharma served as the second AD. Working with Euphoria, then and now, remains an exceptional experience due to their greatness as a band. At that time, being a part of a music video as a model was thrilling for me. It felt nice, truly enjoyable. Engaging in the process, receiving a modest payment, and seeing myself on TV contributed to a sudden burst of fame, as television was widely watched during that period.
While everyone is aware of Neha’s Bollywood film debut, few people are aware that you actually appeared in a Japanese movie before stepping into Bollywood
I don’t remember the title yet, but, I mean, it’s been so long, but it was like an Indo-Japanese project, and the best part was, getting to work with interesting people, but even more than that, is traveling to different countries in your 20s, and it’s so great.
You also made your Telugu debut years ago; any plans to return?
It’s always nice to be working in different kinds of cinema, and it’s great. I would love to go back and work in Telugu cinema. I mean, because of the lockdown and becoming a mom. The break is long and extended, but I’m sending the message out into the universe.
With more than two decades in the industry, how has the equation changed for you, as an actress and as a friend, in the industry?
I mean, obviously, over time, the longer the friendships are, the deeper they get. So, it’s interesting to see how times have changed and my friendships have changed over time. But, I mean, there’s never a professional clash. It’s not like, just because we’re friends, we’re going to work together, and at the same time, just because I’m not friendly with someone, it doesn’t mean that they don’t call me for work. So, it’s always important to know how to maintain that divide amongst ourselves.
Who is your 3 a.m. friend from the film industry?
I always wonder why people ask that question, and I would imagine it’s in the time of an emergency or something. But now I’m married, so my 3 a.m. friend is my husband, because if there is a problem, I’ll just tell him, Angad, wake up. So, I don’t have to pick up the phone and call someone else when I have him.
What do you usually do when you are upset?
I run. So, when something’s really bothering me and I’m like, I can’t deal with it, very few things upset me, but the one thing that upsets me is incompetence. So, when I’m working with people and they don’t know what they’re doing, because I pretty much know that as an actor, I’m supposed to be somewhere on time, look a certain way, look the part, know my lines, come well-rehearsed, all this happens. As a producer, I know my job. As a mother, I’m always learning. But when I’m really upset, one thing that upsets me is incompetence. If I tell somebody, Do this, do that, oh-ho, I don’t understand; I’m just like, I’m just going to go for a run, and it’ll get solved on its own.
You have interviewed so many celebrities on your show. Which is the one interview that you will always cherish?
The first one, right? So, the first one was Karan (Johar), so I will always remember that one.
How do you manage your work with your kids?
I mean, like any other parent would. So, for me, I think the key to finding balance is learning how to say no professionally when you think that you’re cut out for more, because you’re the one who defines what quality of work you want to do. And personally also, and this is one for my professional side as well, to reach everywhere on time. Because when you’re on time, you know you can go back to your children on time. And then also setting an example by going to work in front of your children and being honest with them, saying that this is what mama’s going to do because this is what mama loves to do. So that’s how one balances it. I’ve been blessed with a great partner, and we both kind of define our duties as parents and as equals, and we understand each other’s jobs, so we figure it out.
How is Neha as a mother?
I don’t know; ask my children.
Something that your kids have changed in you.
The ability to say no to work. So, earlier, I would be like, Nobody would call me for work, and sometimes I’d be like, This is not… I wish I was getting a better job, a better opportunity, and a better paycheck. And now, when I think that none of these checkboxes are right, I’m like, forget it. I have these two beautiful children at home; I have my husband; I have my family. I just like to sit at home at night, whatever, stargazing or like, just laying in bed with my family. And I feel like those moments are priceless. I don’t need to be on a film set or another set where I think that I’m cut out for more. So, they’ve helped me define what my value is and where I stand in my own head and in my own eyes, because no one else can define it more than oneself.
