Neena Gupta intends to utilize lockdown period to pen a memoir, seeks like-minded writer to help her develop it
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; April 11, 2020)

Neena Gupta has been entertaining fans with her videos of lockdown diaries as she is quarantined in Uttarakhand with husband Vivek Mehra in the wake of Coronavirus outbreak. But the actor, who is winning praise for her act in the recently dropped Panchayat, intends to use the self-isolation period productively. "I have finally decided to pen my autobiography," declares the veteran actor, adding that Mahesh Bhatt had been urging her to do so for long.

One of the bravest women in the industry, Gupta has had an unusual journey — after her relationship with West Indies cricket legend Vivian Richards went kaput, she raised daughter Masaba as a single parent. While Masaba went on to become one of the leading couturiers in the country, Gupta charted a successful second innings in Bollywood with Badhaai Ho (2018), thus paving the way for senior female actors.

The artiste reveals that she has been nurturing the idea of telling her story to the world for almost a decade. "Somehow, I could not muster the courage to write it. It is painful for me to write about my journey because it has not been easy for me. So, I had dropped the idea until now."

While she feels emotionally ready now, the actor is keen to find a like-minded writer who will help her in developing the memoir. "[One has to be careful about] the parts that are retained, and the ones that should be dropped so that you don't inadvertently offend anybody. At the same time, one has to be honest. So, I am looking for a person who will help me pen my memoir."