Neena Gupta, a veteran actor in the Indian film industry, is enjoying a career resurgence at the age of 63. Gupta, who had previously played supporting roles, found mainstream success with her 2018 film “Badhaai Ho”, which was a box office hit and earned her critical acclaim.
Now, Gupta is taking on the responsibility of carrying the weight of a film as the lead actor in eight upcoming projects. In a virtual interview with PTI, she expressed her excitement about the opportunity to play diverse roles and take on new challenges.
“It is not what I used to do earlier, like a supporting actor. I’m the main actor now. There is a responsibility to carry the weight of the film. This is amazing. I can’t believe it sometimes, whether it is a dream or reality?” Gupta said.
Gupta’s recent success has been attributed to her willingness to take on unconventional roles and challenge traditional norms. In “Badhaai Ho”, she played a middle-aged woman who unexpectedly becomes pregnant, defying the stereotype of older women as non-sexual beings. Gupta has also been vocal about the importance of representation in the film industry and has advocated for more opportunities for women and people of color.
Her upcoming projects include a range of roles, from a mother in a family drama to a politician in a crime thriller. Gupta said she is excited to explore new characters and bring them to life on screen.
“I am very excited about all the projects. They are all very different from each other. I am doing a mother’s role, a politician’s role, a cop’s role, a corporate woman’s role, so it’s all very different,” Gupta said.
Gupta’s career resurgence is a testament to the power of perseverance and the ability to reinvent oneself. As she continues to take on new challenges, she inspires others to pursue their dreams and break barriers in their own lives.