Neha Dhupia recently opened up about the backlash she faced around her pregnancy as she welcomed her first baby only six months after her marriage to Angad Bedi. Neha Dhupia mentioned how actresses in Bollywood are constantly under heavy scrutiny over their personal lives and especially about their decision to marry or have children.
In a recent interview, Neha reflected on how most people reacted when she welcomed her baby daughter, Mehr only six months after her wedding to Angad Bedi. Neha shared that people insisted on stressing on the fact that she was pregnant before she got married and how some other actresses have also faced similar scrutiny. Neha mentioned Neena Gupta and Alia Bhatt's name in the list of 'stars who became mums before wedlock'.
She recalled the conversations that began right after her marriage and the birth of her daughter. She said, “I married Angad [Bedi], and after six months we welcomed our daughter [Mehr]. But the biggest conversation around our wedding was, ‘How did the baby come in six months? Ye ho kaise gaya?’" The actress explained that even today, women in the film industry are subjected to the same line of judgment and gossip.
She admitted that her name often gets linked with others when the subject of pregnancy before marriage comes up. “Even now, I see stories and tags on female actors who get pregnant before marriage. I feel, at least, I’m on the same list as Neena Gupta and Alia Bhatt. But honestly, this is ridiculous.”
Alia Bhatt announced her pregnancy just two months after marrying Ranbir Kapoor in April 2022, and at that time speculation was rife that Alia had conceived before her marriage. The fact that Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor had a simple, intimate wedding at their home added fuel to the rumours of an unplanned pregnancy. However, Neha insists personal decisions are always up to the individual.
Neha also stressed that such personal choices should not be up for public discussion or speculation. Though she didn’t directly quote more on the subject, her stance was clear that marriage and motherhood are deeply personal matters, and no woman should have to defend her decisions about the timing of these things.
Neha also shared that the backlash she faced became the inspiration behind her initiative, Freedom to Feed. Through this project, Neha has worked to normalise and encourage open conversations around motherhood, breastfeeding, and the challenges new mothers often encounter.
Now her comments, especially referencing Alia Bhatt and veteran actress Neena Gupta, have reignited the debate on how society continues to place unnecessary scrutiny on women in the public eye.
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