Veteran actor Neena Gupta, who often shares videos of herself speaking in Hindi, in a new video said that she has been mocked for speaking in her mother tongue, and was called 'Hindi-medium'. Neena took to Instagram Reels on Wednesday to give a befitting answer to those for using terms like 'Hindi-medium' and 'TV actor' for her.
She said in the video, “Mujhe ek baat kehni hai jo mujhe yaad ayi aur main bade din se kehna chah rahi thi... hamare desh mein na kuch terms hoti hai, jaise 'Arrey yeh toh TV actor hai'. Ek term hota hai 'yeh toh Hindi-medium hai', aur ek term hoti hai 'Arrey haath se kha rahi hai, chee! Churi-kaate se nahi kha rahi hai' (I have been wanting to say something for a few days. In India, we hear some terms like 'TV actor' or 'Hindi-medium'. Sometimes people also mock you for eating with your hands instead of using knife and fork).”
Neena continued, "Toh mere ko bohut bar boltein hain 'Hindi-medium hai' kyunki main achi Hindi bolti hoon, kyunki yeh meri matra bhasha hai. Toh main yeh kehna chaah rahi hoon ki isme hume kabhi sharam nahi karni chahiye (Many people call me 'Hindi-medium' because I speak well in Hindi as it is my mother tongue. I want to say, we should not be ashamed of speaking in Hindi)."
The veteran actor added she was proud of herself, and happy with how she spoke, dressed or ate food. "I am proud to be 'Hindi-medium'. I am proud to eat and dress up the way I want to. And I am proud to be called a TV actor. Hum kayin baar gussa ho jate hai ki hume 'Hindi-medium' kaha, ya apne aap ko neecha samajhne lag jate hai. Nahi samajhna (Sometimes we get angry or look down upon ourselves, when people mock us for speaking in Hindi. Don't do that to yourself). I am proud to be what I am, if I feel from inside that I am doing the right thing. Am I right?"
Reacting to her video, a fan commented, “Yes absolutely. I don’t understand these stars, who want their children to act in Hindi films but always speak to them in English at home. Why would they do that? You live in India, you want them to act in Hindi films, why would you not teach them the language?" One more said, “Spanish talk in their language, Italians in Italian, French in French. Then why can’t Indians talk in Hindi?”
Neena, in a recent interview, opened up about feeling 'envy' after seeing Priyanka Chopra and Alia Bhatt at Met Gala 2023, as well as Deepika Padukone at Oscars 2023.
