Actress Neha Dhupia has openly discussed a very personal and difficult phase of her life, getting pregnant out of wedlock. While appearing on the podcast Raising Parents with Mansi Zaveri recently, Neha reminisced about the feelings, doubts, and social pressures she faced when she got to know she was having her first child with actor Angad Bedi.
Neha and Angad got married in an intimate ceremony in May 2018. Only a couple of months later, they announced that they were having their first child. Back then, their quiet wedding and swift pregnancy reveal raised eyebrows and speculation in the media. Years later, Neha has spoken about what was actually happening behind the scenes.
“It’s hard. You didn’t even date the guy. You’re pregnant. You don’t know where it’s headed. You’re in love. You think you want to do the next thing. And you don’t know what the next thing is because you don’t know the person well enough,” she told her.
The actress acknowledged the fact that the decision to wed so rapidly was not an easy one. It was driven by love, sure, but by the pressure of the moment and uncertainty of the future as well. She characterized it as a leap of faith, with feelings running high and things still unclear.
Neha also accepted the societal criticism and fear of reaction that was involved in being a public figure at that point. However, she stressed that she defended her choices and decided to live her truth, however different it seemed.
“There was fear, but there was also courage. I chose to own my reality instead of hiding it.”
Neha and Angad are now proud parents of two kids and a very close-knit couple and parents. By opening up, Neha wants to shatter the stereotypes surrounding unusual timelines and inspire others to lead with honesty, love, and acceptance.
