Neena Gupta clarifies her statement about feminism during an interview and says only that portion was used for promotions, possibly to stir controversy.
Veteran actress Neena Gupta, known for her views and opinions, recently shared her thoughts on financial independence in a conversation with Ranveer Allahbadia on his podcast, and how it's important for both men and women. She also highlighted her own experiences to stress the importance of men in women's lives. However, her calling feminism 'faltu' (useless) sparked intense reactions on social media.
Recently, the 'Badhaai Ho' actress clarified her statement in an interview with The Indian Express.
She said, “What they did is that they only used that chunk from the whole interview for promotions, to create a controversy. It said that I don’t believe in ‘faltu feminism’, and after that people are fighting amongst each other. If one person is cursing me for saying that, someone else says, ‘What do you know? Watch the whole interview’. There should be a reference to what I said.”
In the podcast, Neena Gupta had said, “I want to say that it’s not necessary to believe in faltu feminism or the idea that women are equal to men.”
In addition to this, the actress who is active on Instagram, also said that she has become cautious of what she posts on social media. “I have made mistakes a couple of times. Many of us do. I now make sure that I don’t post anything on social media if I am angry, or if I’ve had a fight with someone. One should also not post if they are drunk, because if you do, then you regret it later. Thoda sambhalna padta hai (You have to be careful). You have to use the right language because a lot of people are listening to what you say. I have goofed up big time too," Neena said.
Neena had also said in the interview with Allahbadia, "Focus on achieving financial independence and giving attention to your work. If you’re a housewife, don’t look down on it; it’s an important role. Boost your self-esteem and avoid thinking of yourself as small. That’s the main message I want to convey. Additionally, men and women are not equal. The day men start getting pregnant, that day we will be equal."
She cited an example from her personal life and added, “You need a man. I will tell a small story. I had to catch a flight once at 6am. I did not have a boyfriend at that time. I came out of the house at 4 am and it was dark. A man started following me, and I was so scared. I went back to my house and I missed my flight. The next day I booked the same flight. But I stayed at my male friend’s house and he dropped me off. I need a man.”
On the professional front, the actress made her comeback in 'Panchayat,' 'Lust Stories 2,' amongst many more. Currently, the actress is enjoying the release of 'Mast Mein Rehne Ka' along with Jackie Shroff. The show is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.