Jewellery designer Maheep Kapoor gained fame for her sass and style in the first two seasons of Fabulous Lives Of Bollywood Wives. However, in the third season, audiences were introduced to a more intense and emotional side of her. Reflecting on this shift, Maheep, who is married to actor Sanjay Kapoor — the younger brother of Bollywood stalwarts Anil Kapoor and Boney Kapoor — shares, “There is a very vulnerable side to me, and I think it’s about the circumstances.”

In this season, the 42-year-old opened up about her health struggles, including a stint in the ICU and her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes: “It’s a reality show, so whatever you’re going through in that moment is the vibe and feeling you’ll convey on screen. You can’t always be jumping around happy and excited — that’s just not realistic. It came out very organically and I didn’t overthink it.”

She continues: “I’m not playing a character, I’m just being myself. Every woman can relate to each one of us in different ways, which is incredibly gratifying. It’s difficult to put your life out there, especially in an era of social media where judgments are fast and harsh. People are quick to judge but not quick enough to understand. But the love is overwhelming, and I’m grateful that people get us.”

Maheep, whose daughter Shanaya is set to make her acting debut, speaks with pride about the connection she’s fostered with her audience. “There’s a great sense of pride,” she says, adding, “I’m a middle-aged woman, and I’ve said many times that I was very complacent and comfortable. Then Karan (Johar, filmmaker) came along, shook me up, and offered me the show.”