Veteran actress Neena Gupta has once again won hearts with her honesty as she opened up about a deeply painful chapter from her personal life. In a recent conversation with Humans of Bombay, the Panchayat star revealed that a man she was engaged to had called off their wedding at the very last minute, leaving her heartbroken and confused.
Recalling the incident, the 66-year-old actress shared that the relationship had seemed serious and stable at the time. “We had exchanged rings. I was engaged,” Gupta said, adding that the wedding plans were already in motion when the man abruptly backed out. According to her, he cited an unusual reason for cancelling the marriage, saying he needed to undergo a sinus operation.
Neena, however, was left stunned by the explanation. “I said sinus ka operation to baadmein bhi ho sakta hai,” she recalled, pointing out how the reason made little sense to her. The sudden decision shattered her emotionally, leaving her questioning what had gone wrong.
Six months later, the same man returned, expressing his desire to marry her after all. By then, Neena had moved on emotionally and was firm in her response. “He came to me after six months and said, ‘Let’s marry’. I said, ‘f**k off, now I don’t want’,” she revealed candidly. Despite her blunt reaction, Neena also showed maturity by acknowledging that people often make decisions under pressure. “We make decisions under compulsion. Let’s not judge people based on their decisions,” she added.
Neena Gupta went on to share her strong views on marriage and independence, especially in a patriarchal society. According to her, many men find it difficult to sustain relationships with strong, financially independent women. “Men don’t like strong, independent women. As a woman, if you are earning more than some men, then you are definitely out of the conversation,” she stated bluntly.
She further added that strong women are often unfairly labeled as “not marriage material.” In her opinion, men are conditioned to prefer “damsels in distress” because it gives them a sense of power and control. “They hate strong women, or women who have their own thoughts, women who work, who are committed to their own careers,” Gupta said.
Neena Gupta eventually found companionship and stability when she married chartered accountant Vivek Mehra in 2008. Today, her candid reflections serve as a powerful reminder of the societal challenges faced by independent women—and why speaking up still matters.