Neena Gupta’s Honest Advice Helped Masaba Gupta Find Her Own Path Beyond Bollywood’s Beauty Norms

Veteran actor Neena Gupta has never shied away from speaking her truth, and once again, her candid reflections on motherhood, ambition and the film industry have struck a chord. In a recent interview, Neena revealed that her daughter, designer-actor Masaba Gupta, once dreamt of becoming a conventional Bollywood heroine—but it was Neena’s honest advice that ultimately helped Masaba carve her own, more authentic path.

Masaba Gupta, the daughter of Neena Gupta and legendary West Indies cricketer Viv Richards, grew up surrounded by creative influences. Like many young people exposed to the glamour of films, she too briefly imagined herself as a Hindi film heroine. However, Neena explained that this desire was not a deeply thought-out career plan, but something shaped by the environment around her at the time.

“It was not her decision. It just happened. Circumstances were like that,” Neena said, recalling how Masaba was influenced by people around her who wanted to enter films.

A reality check rooted in experience

Drawing from her own journey in the industry, Neena chose to be practical rather than encouraging false hope. She openly told Masaba that mainstream Bollywood had rigid beauty standards, especially during that era.

“I told her, look, your face is like this, your body is like this. You won’t get the heroine of a Hindi film because you don’t look like that. It’s a fact,” Neena said, adding that it was never meant as criticism but as a reality check.

Rather than discouraging Masaba from acting altogether, Neena guided her towards a more sustainable approach. She encouraged her daughter to train as an actor and think beyond the traditional “heroine” mould, focusing instead on character-driven roles.

From fashion powerhouse to confident screen presence

Masaba soon found her true calling in fashion, going on to build the hugely successful House of Masaba brand and establishing herself as one of India’s most recognisable designers. Years later, she revisited acting on her own terms, making her debut with Netflix’s Masaba Masaba, where she played a fictionalised version of herself. Neena starred alongside her as her on-screen mother, blurring the lines between reel and real life.

Watching her daughter perform left Neena emotional. “I cried when I saw her work. She is such a good actor. She’s very natural. I was shocked. She was like a pro,” she said, praising Masaba’s confidence and ease in front of the camera.

Masaba later appeared in Amazon Prime Video’s Modern Love: Mumbai and was also seen in a dance number in Kesari Chapter 2, continuing to explore acting alongside her thriving fashion career.

A lesson in honesty, timing and self-belief

Neena Gupta’s advice, though blunt, proved pivotal. It helped Masaba avoid chasing unrealistic expectations and instead build a career that suited her personality and strengths. Today, Masaba stands as an example of how success doesn’t always come from fitting into existing boxes, but from creating new ones.

On the work front, Neena Gupta continues to impress audiences with her choice of roles. She will next be seen opposite Sanjay Mishra in the crime thriller Vadh 2, set to release in theatres on February 6, 2026.

Sometimes, a difficult truth shared at the right moment can change everything—and for Masaba Gupta, her mother’s honesty became the foundation for a career built on confidence, creativity and choice.