Neena Gupta, Bollywood’s unapologetic queen, has never shied from calling out life’s hypocrisies. From single mom struggles to late-blooming stardom, her second innings brought fame, films, and freedom. But at 49, she shocked fans by marrying Delhi CA, Vivek Mehra. On Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, Neena spilled the tea for the first time about her marriage: It wasn’t fireworks romance – it was practicality meets societal side-eye. Her candid chat on love, and society’s views on single women is peak, Neena – bold, real, and relatable. Here’s what she said:

The “most difficult question”: Why marry at 49?

Actress Neena Gupta married Vivek Mehra, who is a chartered accountant by profession, in a small and simple wedding in the US in 2008. Both Neena and Vivek, who dated each other for several years before tying the knot, were in their late 40s when got married– proving that age is just a number when it comes to finding true love.

Picture this: Podcast host Shubhankar asks why she wed in her late 40s. Neena laughs, admits she doesn’t “get” adult love anymore – just fierce mom-love for daughter Masaba. No mushy rom-com vibes. Her reason for getting married at 49, “Jarrurat thi, bahut. Agar humko samaj mein rehna hai toh samaj ki kuch niyamo ka palan karna padta hai.” Translation: Society demands rings, or face weird stares. “Ya toh island par raho, ya jaise marji(sic).” (Otherwise, live on an island or your way—but here? Not possible.)She met her husband Vivek in mid-2000s on a flight. In 2008, after dating and knowing each other for a few years, they got married in a private ceremony in the US. Now, the couple are in a long-distance marriage— with Neena balancing time in Mumbai for shoots, and Vivek in Delhi for his work.Neena’s truth: Single women get judged hard by society. “Shaadi karlo, sab theek ho jaata hai. It’s very sad thing but it’s true,” she shared in the podcast. Sad, but true. Not marrying anyone—just the right fit for peace.

When Neena pushed Masaba to marry, which ended in divorce: “I did it because of society”

Neena flipped the script on her daughter Masaba’s live-in phase: She urged marriage to dodge the stigma she endured. “Maine kaha ‘shaadi kar lo’,” she confessed. Times evolve—young couples push back today. Now? Neena says she is done advising: “Ab advice nahi deti.” Smart move. Her story screams generational shift: Boomers bent to norms; millennials remix them.

लग्नाशिवाय मी बाळाला जन्म दिला. भारत आणि बाहेरील देशात अनेक महिलांनी असं केलं आहे, पण मीडियाने मला धाडसी असल्याचा टॅग दिला, असंही त्या मुलाखतीत म्हणाल्या होत्या.

Flashback to early career abuse – “Maa-behen ki gaaliyan”

Neena’s 1980s grind wasn’t glamorous. In an earlier Bollywood Bubble interview, Neena recalled how a director used to hurl abuses ( maa-behen gaaliyan) publicly. Raw industry underbelly—she endured, emerged stronger. However, the three-time National Award winning actor has owned her life and choices, and how!