Neena Gupta gets candid about career regret and missed chances

Mumbai: Veteran Bollywood actor Neena Gupta has opened up about what she considers one of the pivotal missteps in her early career, saying that taking on certain roles in the beginning limited her opportunities for leading parts and delayed her rise to prominence in the industry.

The candid reflections come as the seasoned performer continues to enjoy a successful phase in her career after decades of steady but unremarkable work.

In a recent interview, Gupta admitted that her choice to appear in the film Saath Saath early in her career proved to be a long-term setback. She said the role, though memorable, typecast her and robbed her of chances to be seen as a heroine — a label she believes might have opened more doors had she been cast differently.

“That film took away my chance of being seen as a leading heroine,” she said, adding that in hindsight she recognised her own lack of patience and low self-esteem played a part in how her career unfolded.

Gupta’s admission points to the broader challenges faced by many actors navigating Bollywood’s complexities, where early choices and industry perceptions can have lasting effects.

Despite such early frustrations, she has experienced a resurgence in recent years, with acclaimed performances in films like Badhaai Ho helping to redefine her public image and secure more substantive roles.

The actor, who has worked in cinema since the early 1980s, stresses that understanding the business side of the film industry was a learning curve that came with time. In the interview, she also took personal responsibility for some of her early decisions, saying they were shaped by a lack of guidance and industry savvy.

Today, Gupta’s experience and candour are reflected in the diverse roles she chooses, and she urges aspiring actors to be mindful of their early career decisions while remaining resilient. Her journey underscores how perseverance and adaptability can ultimately lead to recognition, even if success arrives later than expected.