Page 33 - September 2020 Digital Magazine

STARS REVEAL

Randeep Hooda Neena Gupta

Randeep Hooda is someone who is extremely passionate When you talk about strong Indian women, Neena Gupta
about his craft, but at the same time, he’s a man with ranks right on top. She has always lived life on her terms,
varied interests, who equally enjoys life away from the made her own choices, and stood by them. Whether she
limelight, in the lap of nature. He finds fulfillment in riding decided to have a child out of wedlock at a time when it
and nurturing his horses, cleaning beaches, and wildlife raised everyone’s eyebrows or making a comeback to films
photography. in a much bigger fashion in the last three years, Neena ji
Given his love for the outdoors, we asked the Highway has remained honest to herself.
actor how he spent the past few months, confined to his With Masaba Masaba chronicling the journey of her
apartment in Mumbai. It turns out he was going places daughter Masaba Gupta, capturing some of her biggest life
during the lockdown and has his interesting explanation for moments and episodes, Neena ji has a huge role to play
that. “During the pandemic, my horizons have expanded, in it. She, as you guessed it, plays herself and is extremely
both internally and externally,” he said. Talking about his worried and affected by things that happen to her daughter.
acting projects, he said, “I’m reading many interesting Masaba has been raised in a way where she looks at both
scripts, and have also signed up with a Hollywood talent her parents as individuals. “I will never think that my mom
agency. The international project I was a part of, has and dad had this kind of a relationship, so the same will
opened doors for more collaborations.” happen to me. Or that my mom wasn’t treated that way in
a relationship, so I’ll face the same,” Masaba says.
Elaborating on how the pandemic has affected us, Earlier, Neena had confessed in an interview, “I would
Randeep said, “I think over the past few months, I’ve not have a child outside marriage. Every child needs both
changed as a person. Maybe, everyone has changed. parents. I was always honest with Masaba, so it did not
When we get back to work, it’ll be interesting to see what affect our relationship, but I know she suffered.”
new things we bring to the table. It could also be that
we’ve lost a lot from within this time. Also, nature has The mother-daughter duo shares a friendly bond. “We both
proved it can thrive without humans. We need nature, not are very normal mother and daughter. We advise each
the other way around. I hope the pandemic has been an other most of the time. But are we are our own persons
awakening for many.” and decide what we want to do on our own. But we are
always open to each other’s thoughts,” she had added in
On the home front, right before the lockdown was the interview.
announced, he was in Karnal (Haryana) shooting for his Today, Neena is happily married to Vivek Mehra for the
next Bollywood project with Ileana D’Cruz. He said, “I last 12 years. But she reveals that it would have never been
have a backlog of two-three movies, but there is ambiguity a choice for her, had the situation been different. “If my
about when the shoots will resume.” husband didn’t like Masaba or if he was the kind who would
Randeep is an animal lover and every time he talks about never get along with her, I’d never get married to him. No
his horses, his face lights up. Sharing the news with us matter how much I love or lust a man, I wouldn’t have ever
on that front, he said, “I had sent one of my mares to decided to be in a relationship with anyone if they had a
Bengaluru to get impregnated. She’s finally conceived problem with my daughter. It’s very important that she likes
and I am happy that soon, I will become a daddy to a who I’m with and vice versa,” the Shubh Mangal Zyada
baby horse.” Saavdhan actress signed off.

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