Showing posts with label Mehr Dhupia Bedi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mehr Dhupia Bedi. Show all posts
Neha Dhupia opens up on getting pregnant before marriage: "I’m on the same list as Alia Bhatt or Neena Gupta"
10:34 PM
Neha Dhupia on embracing motherhood before marriage and how public scrutiny inspired her to launch her podcast, ‘Freedom to Feed’
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 24, 2025)
Two red lines on a test kit and a blood test confirmed that she was pregnant. Nine months later, she became a mother. Somewhere in between, she married the father of her child — but the world didn’t make it easy. After the last season of Freedom to Feed, actor and host Neha Dhupia faced backlash, with listeners targeting her personal life and criticizing her for getting pregnant before marriage.
When she found out she was expecting, she decided to tie the knot with her partner. Recalling the moment, she said, “I married Angad [Bedi, actor-husband], and after six months we welcomed our daughter [Mehr]. But the biggest conversation around our wedding was, ‘How did the baby come in six months? Ye ho kaise gaya?’”
Knowing she wasn’t the first woman to be scrutinized, Dhupia dismissed the commentary with humour. “Even now, I see stories and tags on female actors who get pregnant before marriage. I feel, at least, I’m on the same list as Neena Gupta and Alia Bhatt. But honestly, this is ridiculous,” she raged.
She added that no one had the right to dictate, question, or assume when a person should marry or have a baby. “Pregnancy is beautiful, and that’s it!” The criticism became the fuel behind her decision to launch Freedom to Feed, a platform that champions open, stigma-free conversations around motherhood.
Reflecting on her own journey into motherhood, Dhupia said she felt women needed a safe space to talk about pregnancy, breastfeeding, postpartum recovery, and “every challenge that comes with it.”
She added, “We need to normalize discussions around women’s health instead of treating them as taboo. [I wanted] to spread awareness, break myths, and remind women they are not alone in this journey. These subjects should not be swept under the rug. If I’m being trolled for talking about things that affect half the population, then so be it. I’m not going to stop.”
When a man takes care of kids, it's blown out of proportion-Neha Dhupia
8:05 AM
Neha Dhupia talks about sharing equal parenting responsibilities with husband Angad Bedi
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 14, 2022)
Why is it expected that only a mother should take care of her child? What about the father? This is what actor Neha Dhupia wants to know. She and her husband, actor Angad Bedi, are parents to two children: Meher, three, and Guriq, one. And she finds it “problematic” when certain people think that it is only her duty to take care of the kids.
“A significant shift in mindset is required. When my daughter was born, my husband and I were both working. When everyone saw him, they asked, ‘What are you wearing and expecting this evening?’ And when they would look at me, they’d ask, ‘Where is the baby? Who is watching over her?’ What happens is that society blows it out of proportion when the father does it [takes care of the child],” says the 42-year-old, who recently appeared in the short film Good Morning, wherein she is seen playing a mum who is juggling her personal and professional life.
However, she is relieved that such questions do not arise in her relationship as Bedi shares equal parenting responsibilities. “We don’t even have these conversations that revolve around equal parenting because we are on the same page,” says Dhupia, adding, “When I was coming for this interview, Guriq made a face, so I signalled to Angad, ‘You need to take over’. And it was as if he had his autopilot mode on as he took over.”
I will go back to my notorious ways of hiding my kids again-Neha Dhupia
10:54 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 12, 2022)
For the first time, Neha Dhupia broke her rule recently and introduced her kids — Mehr (3) and Guriq (nine months old) — to the public. But the actor indicated that it (keeping her kids in the public glare) wasn’t a permanent thing. To celebrate 20 years of being crowned at a beauty pageant, Dhupia was accompanied by her kids and husband, actor Angad Bedi, on stage. “I think it is still one glimpse and go. I am in a phase where I want to keep them under wraps and protect them. It was just one special moment on stage, which was really important to me. I would have never thought that I would be recrowned after 20 years,” she says.
The 41-year-old adds that she wanted her children to be a part of her special day. “I thought to myself that many years from now, there might come a day when they would ask me, ‘What were we doing? Wasn’t it special for us?’ It was a mixed feeling,” shares the Sanak (2021) actor, adding, “I did break my own rule. But I think that this occasion was way too special.”
However, Dhupia admits that she was nervous about “exposing” her children: “I have complete respect for people who do. But I will go back to my notorious ways of hiding their faces. It was just a moment of joy, and not an indulgence or a promise that they will forever be on social media.”
Dhupia embarked on a journey in the Hindi film industry in 2003 with Qayamat: City Under Threat. She’s done films like Chup Chup Ke (2006), Shootout At Lokhandwala (2007), Tumhari Sulu (2017), Helicopter Eela (2018) and A Thursday, among others, in the last 20 years. Today, she juggles multiple roles in reel and real life, from being an actor and a producer, to a wife and mother.
Talking about her two-decade-long journey in the entertainment industry, Dhupia says, “If I look back at the entire journey, it has been great. I have paved my own path and place. There have been ups and downs. I made some new friends and lost touch with a few. It is impossible for me to sum up the past 20 years, but I can say it has been an adventure,” ends the actor.
Neha Dhupia reveals that her son's name is Guriq Singh Dhupia Bedi
8:34 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 8, 2022)
For the past three months, fans have been speculating on the name of actors Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi’s son. And she has finally let the cat out of the bag exclusively for us, revealing that they call him Guriq Singh Dhupia Bedi. “We are happy and extremely proud that we attached both our surnames to our son and daughter’s (Mehr) names. There you go! Now you know what we call him,” Dhupia tells us.
Opening up about the meaning of the name, she explains, “Guriq means one with God, one from God, and saviour of the world. It is a different name, and we love it. Even the spelling is beautiful and unusual. The credit for the name goes to the mother [me], and the credit for the spelling goes to the father [Angad].” Guriq is the couple’s second child, born in October last year.
“We are glad that we zeroed in on Guriq, because we love the sound of it. He (her son) also reacts beautifully to the name. He is just three months old, and now he recognises sounds,” shares the 41-year-old actor.
For the parents, he might be Guriq, but for Mehr, he is her “Koala brother”. “Before the delivery, when we were preparing Mehr that she would soon have a baby sister or a baby brother, she suddenly started calling the baby Koala. Even now, she calls him that. We love it because she stuck by the original, and we came up with the name much later,” Dhupia ends with a laugh.
It was a big win to be back on Roadies when Mehr was 45 days old, and breastfeed her through its making-Neha Dhupia
8:11 AM
Returning to Sanak promotions within two weeks of welcoming baby boy, Neha proud to be among working mothers who are redefining the industry norms
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 16, 2021)
When we get on a call with Neha Dhupia, we hear the newborn’s cries before the actor’s voice. Naturally then, we begin by asking if she has decided on a name for her son yet. “Angad [Bedi, husband] and I keep vetoing each other’s suggestions, and are yet to find a middle ground,” laughs the second-time mother.
After welcoming her baby boy on October 3, the actor soon threw herself into the promotions for Sanak that dropped online yesterday. “Angad is shouldering a lot of responsibilities with Mehr [daughter]. The little one is more dependent on me right now.”
Sanak is a typical Vidyut Jammwal fare, loaded with action. “While it’s very much his film, I play a cop and have a strong [track]. It was only towards the fag end of filming Sanak that I realised I was pregnant. I shot the film in my first trimester.” Dhupia also plays a pregnant cop in her next, A Thursday.
Taking a sabbatical was out of question for her during both pregnancies. She asserts that it’s essential to change societal attitude and show that motherhood has little impact on one’s professional life. “They make us stronger, not weaker. We don’t need to sacrifice either professional dreams or personal aspirations. I shot a movie when I was eight months pregnant. I did that because I had become another person the first time around. I didn’t want to go there again. I didn’t want to be in a dark and lonely space, sitting at home. I focussed on being happy.”
Dhupia is proud that she pulled off two movies during her pregnancy. “It was a big win to be back on Roadies when Mehr was 45 days old, and breastfeed her through its making. But is there scope to make it more inclusive for women to start families? Of course. We could be more relaxed if our personal decisions didn’t affect our careers.”
With two babies to take care of, everything has to be at double the speed now-Neha Dhupia
8:09 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 16, 2021)
Neha Dhupia and her husband Angad Bedi welcomed their second child, a baby boy, two weeks ago. The actress is loving this phase, but slowly wants to get back to her normal routine. However, with two kids now at home, it’s not easy, she says. A few days after delivery, Neha got back to work and shot for two projects from her home. In a chat with Bombay Times, she talks about balancing work and personal life and how her experiences from her first pregnancy are helping her keep postpartum stress at bay. Excerpts:
It’s been two weeks since you welcomed your second child. Has the feeling sunk in that you are a mother of two now?
Our baby boy was due for arrival on October 7, but he arrived on October 3. He was in a rush I guess as he came in a few days earlier! Some experienced people had told me that having a second child would be more hectic than when you have just one. I didn’t understand what they meant then, but now I do. With two babies to take care of, everything has to be at double the speed now. There is no time left for yourself as when one kid sleeps, the other wakes up. Breastfeeding is another ball game altogether as you do it after every three hours. So ideally, I am feeding my baby throughout the day and night after every three hours. The toughest bit is the night as whenever I am about to sleep he wakes up and I feed him again.
How has the older sibling, your daughter Mehr, reacted to this new addition to the family. And how are you dealing with balancing attention between two kids as a parent?
Mehr just knows that there’s a little baby that has arrived in the house. A couple of days ago, she took her brother in her lap. As a kid, she just sways between being caring towards him, but at the same time being naughty. The other day he was fast asleep in his cot when she just came in and screamed out loud and woke him up. As parents, we had decided that from the time the new baby arrives we would give a lot of our attention to Mehr. That’s because at their age they wonder why the two people who loved them with all their heart are actually dividing time between them and the other person. So, we are very conscious about not letting her feel misplaced at all. Though eventually, I know we will be divided into teams…two against two. I have a feeling it will be Angad and Mehr versus me and our little baby boy. Angad and Mehr are inseparable. When Mehr doesn’t see Angad at home for a long time, she literally behaves like a fish out of water.
You got back to work soon after you had Mehr, and this time, too, you were working throughout your pregnancy. Do you plan to return to work full-fledged soon this time around, too?
On the ninth day, after Mehr was born, I was back at work. This time around, I returned to work on the sixth day after the delivery. Yes, I already did two shoots at home. With the little baby around, it was a must for the team to do their COVID tests and only then do they step into my house. I personally feel that if you want a break then it is important to have one as recovery is very important. Childbirth takes a lot out of you. It is not easy. So, my advice is you give yourself time to recover. It’s just that I am extremely fond of what I do and I wanted to get back to work as soon as possible. Options like work from home have proven to be such a blessing in today’s day and age. I have worked hard over the years and there’s a long way to go. I feel like my entire career has been about being relevant at all times — neither being extremely successful nor being invisible.
At the time when you delivered your first child, you had opened up about your postpartum stress. How are you dealing with it this time around?
I am still getting used to breastfeeding at night; it can get rather lonely as you are waking up when everyone is sleeping. Postpartum depression is something I still don’t see enough women or new mums talking about. I think people should reach out to others on this subject. Anything can trigger it... like when you see your body post-delivery, you just feel so hollow. Things like breastfeeding through the night or not being able to sleep or not knowing what to do when you have a crying baby in your arms... these are the things I am aware of now, and so I am not letting them upset me. My experiences are being my own saviors. Very consciously, I talk to myself and not let myself slip into it. Right now, I am holding up well and being absolutely fine. Getting back to your routine sooner makes it much easier. Appreciating yourself as a mother is very important and I feel every new mum should do this. When you see yourself in the mirror, just appreciate your body that has given life and don’t be hard on yourself. So whether you have stitches or stretch marks or a few extra inches… own it, because what you have done, nobody else can do.
Have you and Angad thought of a name for your son?
Mehr already has a cute little nickname for him, which I am not going to share right now (laughs!). As far as the parents are concerned, there’s been a constant battle between us; both Angad and I have come up with a name each. He is just too unaccommodating with my choice of name! So, may the best name win! As a family, we are just looking at having an appropriate name for the boy. Mehr, too, got her name very naturally and organically. At the end of every message, her grandfather (Angad’s dad) would write Guru Mehar Kare and that’s how we picked up Mehr as her name. Meanwhile, Angad and I had a good time doing up the room for our little boy. The décor comprises hot air balloons, little fox and bunnies. We have a Simba carpet as Mehr is obsessed with the character. Her cot is right next to her little brother’s.
I came to Mumbai to make a career, but this city gave me that and a loving family-Angad Bedi
8:10 AM
The actor, who is ecstatic about being a father once again, tells us how Neha, he and their daughter Mehr have prepared to welcome the new addition to their family
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; October 6, 2021)
Angad Bedi and Neha Dhupia welcomed their second child, a baby boy, on Sunday, October 3. Neha, who was working throughout her pregnancy, was still going in and out of dubbing suites two days before her delivery. Angad, on the other hand, had wrapped up shoots to be by his wife’s side. The proud parents took to social media to announce the arrival of their son, whose name they are yet to figure.
Talking to BT about the arrival of the new family member, Angad says, “Things are hectic, but they’re good. It’s so overwhelming! As second-time parents, you may know the drill, and you know how it is going to go, but there is always an ounce of nervousness and those butterflies in the tummy. We are a complete family now — a daughter who we love to the moon and back and an adorable son. We’re fortunate to be blessed with two healthy children. I have to admit, my wife went through so much in the last three-four years. The entire process of bearing a child itself is so demanding. A woman’s body goes through so many changes; there are mental and emotional situations that arise and one has to be strong to go through it with a smile. I am proud to say that Neha is a very strong woman. I am blessed to have a warrior as my wife.”
Neha and Angad have been hands-on parents to their daughter Mehr, who turns three years old this November. Talking about his daughter, Angad says, “Neha was completely in control of Mehr’s schedule even in her third trimester. In fact, while she’s in the hospital, she has given me a detailed routine for Mehr for the next seven days, including studies, play dates and so on. I’m home with my girl, and I’m following that. When we were expecting Mehr, we had made a nursery that was leaned towards the girl child, but this time, we have kept it neutral in shade, with softer colours and an animal theme.”
The Gunjan Saxena actor says that they made a conscious attempt to ensure that Mehr’s choices were also taken into consideration while planning the nursery for their new baby. Angad shares, “As parents, we are conscious of the fact that while paying attention to the newborn, we have to ensure that she’s equally attended to. We also want Mehr to learn and understand the dynamics of having a sibling. She already feels like the big sister. It’s a big responsibility to raise two kids without making either feel less important. And it’s best when kids grow up in each other’s company. Mehr will be sharing her space with her sibling, so keeping her likes in mind was just as important as making the newborn comfortable. She has always been fond of animals and hence, the theme. We don’t want her to feel that she’s not the apple of our eyes. She always will be that for our entire family.”
Neha is expected to be discharged from the hospital in the next few days. While her mother is by her side, Angad’s parents are expected to fly down in November, closer to Mehr’s birthday. Bring this up, and Angad says, “I came to Mumbai to make a career, but this city gave me that and a loving family. It was my dad’s 75th birthday on September 25. There was a chance the baby could have been born on that day, but it didn’t happen. He has a jhalak of his dadaji. Each time I see him, I feel like I am looking at my dad’s miniature version — Little Bishan Singh Bedi!”
The couple is yet to decide on a name for the tiny tot. “We haven’t decided on a name yet,” says Angad, adding, “I would have loved to name our son Bishan Singh Bedi Jr, but that name comes with such a tremendous amount of responsibility and pressure. I dealt with it when I wanted to be an actor and people expected me to be a cricketer. To fill my dad’s shoes is a big responsibility and I do hope that my son can carry his grandfather’s legacy forward. My dad is ecstatic to have a grandson. He played a big part in naming our daughter; hopefully, he can do that for our son, too. We want him to spend time with both the children because that joy is unparalleled.”
Neha Dhupia, Angad Bedi welcome baby boy
8:06 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (October 4, 2021)
Bollywood couple Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi welcomed their second child on Sunday. Angad took to social media to share the happy news and wrote, “The almighty today blessed us with a baby boy. Both Neha and the baby are well. Mehr is ready to pass on the ‘baby’ title to the new arrival. #Bedisboy is here!! Waheguru mehr kare @nehadhupia thank you for being such a warrior through this journey. Let’s make it a memorable one for all 4 of us now (sic).”
The couple, who tied the knot in 2018, announced the second pregnancy in July by posting a photo along with their daughter Mehr, who will turn three next month. Neha had captioned the picture, “Took us 2 days to come with a caption... The best one we could think of was... Thank you, God.”
Once I had to go inside an airplane toilet to breastfeed as I didn’t want to get others uncomfortable-Neha Dhupia
8:03 AM
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 6, 2021)
Neha Dhupia, after the birth of her first child Mehr in 2018, has actively spread awareness about breastfeeding and how it has to be normalised. The actor, who’s pregnant with her second child, is happy to have started the conversation.
“By having a conversation, I feel much more empowered. I know I’ll get on that journey and even try my best to be on that journey again, and be treated with the most normal manner with my real experiences. I’m glad I started that conversation two years ago because the second time, it’ll be better for me,” Dhupia says adding that she’s looking forward to it.
She started an initiative two years ago, called Freedom to Feed. “We need to normalise breastfeeding. The more we talk about it, the more we make people aware,” she explains.
Talking about why it’s high time to make breastfeeding easier for new mothers, the 40-year-old says, “I heard a lovely saying around the time I gave birth — ‘Everybody looks after the baby but who looks after the mother?’ We’ve to look for nooks and crannies to breastfeed. Once I had to go inside a toilet of an aircraft as I didn’t want to get others uncomfortable. We should normalise it and stop sexualising it. It’s my child’s nutrition and I should be able to provide it in a most comfortable space,” she explains.
To those who troll young mothers for sharing pictures of them breastfeeding Dhupia says: “People just need to get their heads out of the gutter. They’ve been through the same process in their own home. We need to pull up such people.”
My daughter Mehr already has her own name for the baby-Neha Dhupia
8:47 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; July 20, 2021)
Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi will be welcoming their second child soon. The couple took to social media yesterday to announce the news of the second pregnancy with a family picture. “It’s a big part of our personal life that we finally put out there after waiting for a while. Life is going to change again in a few months,” says an excited Neha.
Angad and Neha, who had tied the knot in 2018, are parents to two-year-old Mehr. Sharing her thoughts on welcoming their second child, the actress says, “In the last two years, we became confident that we should have one more child. The first time around, you are jumping into an unknown territory, while during the second time, you know how beautiful it’s going to be.”
While the entire family is eagerly awaiting the baby’s arrival, Neha says that it is Mehr who cannot wait to have someone for her company. “Mehr knows we are on the onset of bringing in a new family member. She knows that the member is really tiny. She’s been talking sweet things about sharing her things with the baby. She keeps discussing her plans with us (laughs!). She has her own name for the baby already,” she says.
Talking about her current routine, Neha says, “I have been hitting the gym and working out regularly. This time, I am not eating for an army, like I did the last time when I got pretty excited. I am just trying to get all the right amount of nutrients.” Though the actress doesn’t reveal the due date, she says that the baby will be arriving in the next few months.
While Angad is taking good care of Neha, she mentions how he’s been pulling her leg. “He keeps joking that considering I am pregnant, I might have minor mood swings, and so, it would be better if he takes up a job or goes on a long schedule and travel out for about 40 days (laughs!). He is very chilled out and manages things well,” she signs off.
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Neha Dhupia gets candid about the new challenges that came with her second pregnancy
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 20, 2021)
Actor Neha Dhupia is expecting her second child. And it has been a ride, with her husband — actor Angad Bedi — testing positive for Coronavirus in the initial months of her pregnancy. “We went through a lot. It’s always hard when someone around you gets Covid-19, and harder during pregnancy. But Angad helped me stay positive,” she tells us.
In a chat with us, soon after announcing her second pregnancy on social media, Dhupia, 40, confesses that things are a little different this time around. “The second pregnancy has been different. I have got less questions as I know why and how the mind and body reacts... But, the lockdown didn’t make it easier,” admits Dhupia, who is due in October.
She shares that the environment is more controlled now. “We’re treading with a little more caution this time — mostly staying indoors, making the most of the time with Mehr, gearing her up and the home for the baby,” she gushes.
There are many things that overwhelm her often, and she has to pause and find her calm. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, like are we bringing our child into a safe zone or not, if you’re good enough [as a mum],” she shares.
Ask her about Bedi’s reaction when she shared the news with him, and Dhupia tells us, “It was full of excitement and joy. We looked at each other [and realised] that this is what we wanted.” Her two-year-old daughter, Mehr, also knows that she’s going to be a big sister. “She has a pet name for the baby,” she adds.
However, a tough task lies ahead for Dhupia, and that’s to make Mehr understand how to share everything, “including mummy and daddy time”. “Mehr’s padded with so much love between her grandparents and parents. It is going to be hard for us to prepare her [to share],” concludes the actor.
My daughter could not understand why I was away; these emotions break you-Angad Bedi
7:53 AM
Angad Bedi shares how his isolation after testing Coronavirus positive impacted Mehr
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 1, 2021)
After spending over 16 days in isolation, actor Angad Bedi is back with his family, but feels the experience has altered his life forever. “It has been a challenging time. You realise the gravity of the situation when you face it yourself,” says Bedi, who recently shared a video of himself meeting his daughter, Mehr, after testing negative for Coronavirus, on Instagram.
Even though Bedi, his wife, actor Neha Dhupia and daughter, were all in Delhi, he says it was difficult to be away from them. “Mehr is just two-and-a-half, and she doesn’t understand why her father can’t come and see her. These emotions break you,” he shares.
For the actor, explaining his daughter the reason behind his absence has been the biggest challenge. “She would ask, ‘Papa, why are you not coming to see me?’. I’d say that I’m not feeling too well, but she’d counter it with, ‘But I’ve been unwell in the past, and been with you’. Such innocent questions... it was difficult for her and very difficult for me,” Bedi, 38, confesses.
However, being in isolation gave the actor some time to introspect. “These things change you as a person. I’ve learnt to give more time to family. If you’re surviving and breathing, you should be grateful,” says Bedi, who’s waiting to get the jab after his recovery.
I get myself tested whenever I travel between Mumbai and Delhi; I must have undergone 35 tests-Angad Bedi
8:30 AM
Divya Kaushik (BOMBAY TIMES; March 23, 2021)
Angad Bedi was in Delhi recently to spend time with his father, former spinner Bishan Singh Bedi, who’s recovering at home after undergoing a bypass surgery. In the last one year, Angad has made a conscious effort to travel more to his Delhi home. “Till now I must have undergone around 35 Coronavirus tests, as I have got myself tested each time I travel between Delhi and Mumbai. Neha (Dhupia, wife) and I have been coming to Delhi often in the last one year because both our parents are here. We wanted to make sure they’re doing fine. 2020 was a testing time for everyone, and all we could do was be with each other. If there’s one thing the pandemic made us realise, it’s that nothing comes above family. We also wanted our daughter Mehr to spend time with her grandparents,” says Angad, who’s also glad he got to spend time with 4 his two-year-old, but says that as parents, it has been tough to keep toddlers at home and make them understand why even they need to wear masks.
Angad adds, “This pandemic has been really tough for kids, who missed being outdoors. I can’t even imagine how we’d have reacted if we faced something like this as kids. It has been tough as a parent of a two-year-old, but the positive part was that we got to spend quality time with Mehr, who had started to think that both her parents stay at home with her. When work resumed after the lockdown, we had to tell her that her mom and dad also have to go out for work (laughs!).”
The actor says that they had started to take Mehr to a park after months of being indoors, “however, with COVID cases rising in Mumbai recently, she has been indoors.” He adds, “But because we’ve been travelling with her, she sees everyone in masks and knows that one has to wear a mask whenever we are out. We got her matching masks with dresses, so she understands that she has to choose a mask to wear with every dress. In fact, now if she sees us stepping out without a mask, she points it out to us.”
Angad suffered an injury last year while shooting, and despite that, he continued with promotions and completed the shoot. This year, he is waiting for his shoot to begin in London and says that it’s high time one gets used to working while being careful. “We must remember that hundreds of people depend on shoots for their livelihood. So, we have to continue work at any cost, but we should remember that we have to be careful, be responsible about our and others’ safety,” he signs off.
The last memorable cop drama was Shootout At Lokhandwala, 13 years ago-Angad Bedi
7:58 AM
Even though Bollywood has tackled the subject often, Angad Bedi on why his police-gangster fare MumBhai will find takers
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; November 10, 2020)
How often have you seen a film about an encounter specialist in hot pursuit of a dreaded gangster? If you grew up in the '90s and the early 2000s, probably one too many times. Mention this to Angad Bedi, who plays encounter specialist Bhaskar Shetty in the upcoming web series, Mum Bhai, and he counters that Bollywood has surprisingly had little success with the subject in the recent past.
"I know there have been many gangster films, and stories revolving around the underworld. But honestly, the last memorable cop drama was Shootout At Lokhandwala [2007]. That was 13 years ago. After that, I don't remember a single cop drama that was well-written. It's a tough role to play. I am shouldering a huge responsibility by doing this role," begins Bedi about the web series that is inspired by true events.
Incidentally, the 2007 actioner was produced by Ekta Kapoor with Apoorva Lakhia at the helm of affairs. The duo has reunited for the upcoming ZEE5 offering, which is set in the '90s and sees Sikandar Kher portray an underworld don — the yin to Bedi's yang. While he has strong conviction in the script, the actor adds that Kapoor's vision for the material further boosted his confidence.
"Ekta has a sharp sense of what will appeal to the public. She knows how to penetrate the tier-II cities and towns. With Mum Bhai, the objective is to tap the smaller towns because it is an engaging story [that will appeal to them]. Ekta has the ability to balance both rural and urban audiences. It's fascinating to collaborate with a mind like that because she gives you a free hand, and acting is all about spontaneity," he says, adding that the writers — Lakhia, Chintan Gandhi and Raj Vasant — have etched a well-rounded character in Bhaskar Shetty, making him heroic yet vulnerable. "He is an underdog; such a character always connects with the audience. We have ticked all the boxes, making the story relatable and realistic." In his bid to perfect his act of a cop, who hails from the Konkan belt, Bedi picked the South Konkani accent.
After being confined within the four walls of his home for the past seven months, Bedi has headed to the outskirts of Mumbai with wife Neha Dhupia and daughter Mehr. The doting father points out that a change of scenery was necessary for his two-year-old tot. "Mehr is growing up; she needs to run and be around nature. How much can a child explore in 3 BHK flat? We have to invest in her. We can't make her sit with an iPad all the time, only to complain later that kids are not active and don't indulge in outdoor activities. You have to take that leap of faith, and live your life normally." The trio recently headed to the Maldives for a quick vacation. "Neha and I had countless discussions before we travelled overseas with Mehr. She was tested before we went there. I had also gone to Dubai for the shoot of MumBhai. Over the past five months, I must have undergone the Coronavirus test over 15 times."
Despite minor fights, we have great understanding-Neha Dhupia
8:34 AM
Sangeeta Yadav (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 10, 2020)
It has been two years since actors Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi took everyone by surprise as they tied the knot in a hush-hush ceremony in Delhi. And for their second anniversary celebrations, they aren’t letting the Coronavirus lockdown play a spoilsport.
On how they plan to enjoy the days, Dhupia, 39, shares, “We’ll raise the toast to two years of our marriage with our fans by going live on social media. I’ll interview Angad on marriage, and the questions are going to be a complete surprise for him. We’ll also be taking fans queries.”
And Bedi, 37, is all game, and says, “I never do live sessions, but this time, I’m going to do it only for her. I’ll speak from my heart, be honest and not diplomatic.”
As they celebrate their anniversary and Mother’s Day on the same day this year, Dhupia says, “I wish it was on two separate days, so I could have had a week-long celebration. I’m hoping that I’ll get a double surprise.”
While the duo has been going strong as a couple, Dhupia feels the lockdown is an “ultimate test for marriage”. How, we ask? “If the one you love the most is willing to tolerate everything and make a happy peaceful environment, then you know you have made the right choice. Angad and I might not be a perfect couple and we do have minor fights once in a while, but we have great understanding,” she shares.
And no matter how angry Bedi gets with his wife, he says nothing can affect his love for her. “We fight, but never in front of our one-and-a-half year old daughter, Mehr. Whatever ups and downs we go through, the foundation of our relationship is strong and we never shy away from showing mirror to each other,” he says.
I’ll tell about lockdown to my daughter when she grows up-Neha Dhupia
8:22 AM
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 13, 2020)
Taking care of a child and keeping them indoors especially at this time of social distancing is no cakewalk. But Neha Dhupia is enjoying her quarantine days as she’s spending time with her one-and-a-half year old daughter, Mehr Dhupia Bedi. Ask her if she has been taking special precautions to protect her from Coronavirus and she says, “We’re following all the rules at home. I was away on a shoot and ever since I came back, I’ve been in quarantine with my family even before the 21-day lockdown was announced. I made sure that very few people are in contact with our daughter.”
The actor believes that it’s every parent’s duty to first protect their own health so as to ensure the safety of their children. “We’re staying clean and hygienic. As parents, we always tend to panic. But Angad (Bedi; husband) has been amazing, too, and that’s a big help,” she says, adding, “We’re keeping her dietary habits healthy and keeping her as active at home as she was when she would step out. I’m also trying to make sure that she sits in the balcony and gets enough sunshine.”
Dhupia says that she has been making the best use of this time by keeping her daughter engaged in productive activities. “I’m indulging her in activities such as painting and teaching her the basics in terms of the syllabus that has come from her parent-toddler programme based school,” she shares.
Urging all mothers to create a positive space at home, Dhupia says, “I’ve been teaching her to fold clothes and clean the wardrobe. I believe children are intuitive. Our daughter hasn’t been throwing any tantrums. I think this will be a story to tell her when she grows up.”
The first word I taught my daughter was ‘bas’. She should know when to say ‘enough’-Neha Dhupia
7:42 AM
Divya Kaushik (BOMBAY TIMES; January 9, 2020)
Soon after winding up her day-long schedule in Delhi recently, Neha Dhupia was set to fly to Chandigarh for another event. She was literally counting hours to be with her daughter, Mehr Dhupia Bedi. “I started shooting when my daughter was just 45 days old. And now that she is growing up, I look forward to spending as much time with her as possible, even if it is the time when she is sleeping,” Neha tells us.
“Mehr hasn’t seen me or Angad (Bedi) on screen as she hasn’t had any screen time yet. But we have magazines lying around the house. And since she can crawl now, she saw me on one of the magazine covers and recognised me. When Angad’s pictures are in papers, she can recognise him, too,” Neha says.
The doting mama says that her daughter has learnt some words and she can’t wait for baby Mehr to talk to her. “The first word I taught her was ‘bas’. She should know when to say enough. If the food being fed is too much she says ‘bas’, if she is being forced to do anything or if somebody is pulling her cheeks more than she would like, she knows that she has to say ‘bas’. She knows how to say no. Strong women raise strong daughters and I always tell my daughter that if she is not comfortable, she should just say it. The other day she was playing and somebody tickled her and she said ‘bas, bas’. So, she knows when she has to say no, and she would apply it for the rest of her life now. As a mother, I want to raise my daughter believing that she has a voice and she should know how to exercise the power of that voice,” shares the actress.
She also proudly reveals that her daughter has started showing interest in cricket. “She spins the ball very well. It’s cool to see her do that. We are a family connected to cricket, everyone knows that my father-in-law (Bishan Singh Bedi) and Angad used to play cricket. I grew up watching a lot of sports. So, as parents we couldn’t be happier to see that she is interested in sports already,” says Neha.
You see glimpses of Sridevi in Janhvi Kapoor’s acting-Angad Bedi
8:05 AM
Dhaval Mehta (DNA; September 28, 2019)
Angad Bedi’s most recent release was The Zoya Factor starring Sonam K Ahuja. His next big-screen outing will be opposite her cousin, Janhvi, in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl. But before that, he will be seen in the web series The Verdict — State Vs Nanavati, which will stream on September 30. The actor talks about working with the two actresses, career, struggling period and how marriage and fatherhood have changed him.
Tell us about your character in The Verdict: State v/s Nanavati.
I play the role of Karl Jamshedji Khandalvala, a Parsi by birth who doesn’t think he’s a lawyer despite being the best one in India and never losing a case in his life. He considers himself a connoisseur of art and music and has been an ex-Air Force Pilot. He then takes the most controversial case that 15 top lawyers have refused and wins it.
How is the show different from Rustom (2016), which was on the same subject?
In Rustom, you only had one perspective and in The Verdict, you see it from three different perspectives through late Ram Jethmalani, Chandu Trivedi and Karl Jamshedji Khandalvala. It is a completely different take on it. We have 600 minutes of edited footage and 10 episodes have been made out of it.
After working with Sonam Kapoor aka Sonam K Ahuja in The Zoya Factor, you are also working with her cousin Janhvi Kapoor in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl. Did you find any similarities between them?
They (Sonam and Janhvi) are poles apart as individuals. Sonam has won a National Award for Neerja and played the part in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga really well. Zoya Solanki was a tailor-made role for her. Janhvi is extremely spontaneous and hardworking. A lot of times when she is performing, you see glimpses of Sridevi ji in her acting and she has the same twinkle in her eyes. She is dedicated and still in the zone of trying to prove herself.
You have three back-to-back projects. Would you say you are reaping the benefits of hard work and perseverance now?
It all depends on timing. When you are going through a sound phase, you get quality work and you also start working hard. I was and still passionate about my work. I was just waiting for the right break and filmmakers to put their faith in me.
What did the period of struggle teach you?
You have to persevere and keep being sane. No role is big or small; every character does its magic and brings its own connect with the audience. Every actor goes through a patch, where everything seems to work and all my roles have different roles, looks and people will see me in characters that are poles apart from each other.
Has content superseded star power? How do you see the balance between these two factors?
It is a blurred line. Star power will always remain relevant but content has become the king. A star can pull in the crowd on Friday, Saturday and Sunday but Monday onwards, the collection of the film gets decided by the content and performances. Beyond a point, a star also needs a good script for him/her to shine.
And how much does the length of the role matter?
In today’s time, nobody waits for the perfect character. If you are part of good projects and working with good filmmakers, you will automatically get good roles. I have never really stressed about the length of the character. I would love to do a slice-of-life comedy, and make sure that my characters don’t get repetitive.
How much have marriage and fatherhood changed your life?
Since my marriage with Neha (Dhupia) and the birth of my daughter Mehr, everything is going pretty smooth. Both (Neha and Mehr) have brought good luck into my life and I am really appreciative of that fact.
Breastfeeding normal part of women’s lives around the world; needs to be normalized in India too-Neha Dhupia
8:20 AM
As people around the globe are celebrating World Breastfeeding Week, actress Neha Dhupia wants to start a conversation about breastfeeding and the challenges faced by nursing mothers due to lack of facilities in India
Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; August 3, 2019)
Neha Dhupia has always been known for voicing her opinions on various issues and it is no different on World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), which took off on August 1 and will conclude on August 7. While the week aims to create an awareness about the health benefits of breastfeeding infants and encourage the same, the actress has her own reasons for supporting it.
As a new mom, who is currently breastfeeding her eight-month-old daughter Mehr, Neha’s experience has been a revelation of sorts for her. Even though she has a supportive family, Neha has faced unpleasant situations due to lack of facilities when it came to breastfeeding her child in the environment that we live in.
Elaborating on this, she shares, “I remember travelling alone with my three-month-old baby in a plane. At one point, I needed to turn around and ask, ‘Hey, can I get the bathroom for 15 minutes, because I need to feed my baby.’ Inside, I was sitting there and looking up at the fasten seat-belt sign, hoping fervently that the sign doesn’t come on before my child finishes her feed. I went in saying sorry and I came out saying sorry again for occupying the washroom for so long. My point is: Why do mothers have to be apologetic about something that is so right?”
What Neha finds appalling is that when she voiced her opinion, it was met with disdain in her circle. “There were enough and more people who told me, ‘Really? You want to talk about breastfeeding?’ Come on, we are almost in 2020. There has to be noise around nursing,” she maintains.
Neha believes that breastfeeding awareness should not be restricted to just one week. “Freedom to breastfeed a child is a basic human right that every mother deserves. We need to talk about the lack of facilities, infrastructure, and the lack of awareness here in India,” she says, adding, “Mums are struggling and we need to start a conversation on that. If there are smoking rooms everywhere, why not nursing rooms? We should have places that a mother can access easily whenever she has to feed her child. It is not as if I am sitting in an ivory tower and talking about breastfeeding. I am not! I am talking just like every other mother. Breastfeeding is such a normal part of women’s lives around the world, it needs to be normalized in India, too.”
Feeling strongly about the issues pertaining to breastfeeding, Neha has started an online movement #FreedomToFeed, where moms from all over can share their experiences and struggles with breastfeeding. Narrating another incident that urged her to take up the cause, Neha shares, “Once, I was in the car feeding Mehr, when I saw a family frowning at me. I feel this attitude stems from the fact we don’t talk about breastfeeding enough. I don’t want to sound offensive, but hasn’t that family also gone through breastfeeding? People are aware of climate change, sex education, sanitary pads and toilet hygiene, because an awareness has been created around it. And this is the reason, we need to talk about breastfeeding, too. People need to be sensitised about the fact that a woman should have the freedom to feed her infant, wherever and whenever she wants to. She need not be apologetic about it, she shouldn’t be frowned upon or stared at. People need to understand that if a mother is breastfeeding publicly, she has already gone through a lot. She should be made to feel comfortable. We are heading there, but we have a long way to go.”
Neha feels that breastfeeding is one of the most special and beautiful things in the world. “I would never have figured this out till the day I became a mom myself. There is an immense sense of bonding with your child which is second to none. And you can’t feel that with anyone,” adds Neha.
The actress has already reached out to a lot of people — mom bloggers and friends — who are active on social media to support breastfeeding. “I want mothers to share their stories — kind, gentle and sometimes, painful. I will repost all the stories. The more we talk about it, the closer we will get to making a bigger difference in society,” concludes Neha.
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MOST AWKWARD PLACES WHERE MOMS HAVE BREASTFED
Broom closet of an airport
The waiting area of a govt office
Bank queue
Crowded food court
Bench in a mall
Common washroom for men and women Crowded beach
In the employees changing room at a restaurant
The lobby of a hotel during a party
Corner of a supermarket
The waiting room of a hospital clinic
Office storeroom Bus stop
Open outdoor
Temple queue
On the pot
School’s parent-teacher meeting
During a family function
Local train
TOP MOST PLACES WHERE MOMS HAVE BREASTFEEDED THEIR CHILD
The statistics are as per a six-month-long survey, that involved 900 Indian women, conducted by Mompresso, a community of 18 million mothers
My first trip abroad was to Mauritius, so is Mehr's-Neha Dhupia
7:49 AM
Neha Dhupia on celebrating her first wedding anniversary with hubby Angad Bedi and daughter Mehr Dhupia Bedi
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; May 4, 2019)
If their nuptials last year was an intimate affair, their first wedding anniversary won't be any different. Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi will be heading to Mauritius on May 6 for a week-long trip to celebrate their year of togetherness. Keeping them company in their we-time will be their six-month-old daughter Mehr.
"It's a tough flight for a little baby, but we are going to do it. It's Mehr's first trip abroad. The first time I ever travelled out of the country was Mauritius, and it is the same with my daughter. We had her passport made when she was a month-and-a-half old, and her photograph saw her all swaddled up in clothes," laughs the proud mommy.
She says the island nation is an ideal location as Mehr is growing up to be a water baby like Bedi and her. Having been busy with her chat show, Dhupia says the vacation will give her a well-deserved break with her family. "Ours is young love. Angad and I didn't spend much time with each other before our marriage. So this feels like our dating phase. Every day, I feel I can't love him more, but I just do."
At five months, my daughter has travelled to 15 cities-Neha Dhupia
2:30 PM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; April 27, 2019)
Neither pregnancy nor motherhood has slowed down Neha Dhupia. In fact, she has become super busy now! Currently, she is juggling a Colors Infinity chat show with being a hands-on mom to her five-month-old daughter Mehr and is also in the midst of shifting houses. “My life is crazy right now and I am loving it. Recently, I judged a beauty pageant in which contestants were asked, ‘What is the one thing you would do if you had superpower?’ They gave cliched answers, like changing the climate, but if you ask me, I would like to stop time! I am trying to do a lot of things together, so I need more time,” she laughs.
Ask her how she is managing everything and she gives the credit to her baby girl and husband Angad Bedi. “My daughter has already travelled to 15 cities already, nine of which were by road! And she has not troubled me at all. At three months, she knew her mum has a lot to do, and she is the sweetest person. My husband is so co-operative. You need a secure man to stand by you at all times. We have had to pull double shifts looking after Mehr and work,” she explains.
Not surprising, as nine days after she delivered her baby girl, Neha was back to work and started shooting for the adventure-reality show Roadies. And since she was nursing her daughter, she took her along, too. “I really thank the channels and the producers of my shows for the support. I had ongoing contracts with then and not for a second did they think about dropping me post motherhood. Instead, they provided me all the support on the sets. Times have changed now,” she says.
However, there were some people who trolled her for the weight that she gained post delivery. “I may not look like what some people expect me to but that is fine,” says the actress who is in a happy space.
Talking about the chat show, which will have Janhvi Kapoor and her sister Khushi appearing together in the first episode, Neha says that it was sweet to interview the Dhadak actress’ sister. “It was Khushi’s first time on TV and she was nervous, honest, cautious and vulnerable. I found it very cool. As for Janhvi, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Both of them share a great equation and it felt like I had walked into their apartment,” says the Tumhari Sulu actress, who got Janhvi to do push-ups on screen. Neha also has a surprise in store for Ishaan Khatter’s female fans who can look forward to the actor taking off his shirt in another episode. Interestingly, he appears with Rajkummar Rao as his BFF. “You can make out they are new to it as they are still getting to know each other,” says the host.
To a query on when she is planning to host the next season of her podcast #NoFilterNeha, the actress laughs, “I hope we have a season 4! Of course, there’s no reason not to, but I am not revealing anything now.” What she is more excited about right now is her first marriage anniversary. “On May 10, we will complete one year of marriage and we are planning to go on a holiday,” she says signing off.
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