Actor Neha Dhupia has candidly addressed the trolling she continues to face for becoming a mother before tying the knot, admitting that over time she has learned to brush it off.
Humorously, she remarked that being on such lists puts her in the same company as Neena Gupta and Alia Bhatt.
Neha tied the knot with actor Angad Bedi in May 2018 and welcomed their daughter, Mehr, just six months later.
Neha Dhupia on facing backlash
In an interview with Midday India, Neha reflected on the intense scrutiny surrounding her pregnancy prior to marriage. ‘I married Angad (Bedi), and after six months we welcomed our daughter (Mehr). But the biggest conversation around our wedding was, ‘How did the baby come in six months? Ye ho kaise gaya?’ (how did it happen),’ she recalled.
She added, ‘Even now, I see stories and tags on female actors who get pregnant before marriage. I feel, at least, I’m on the same list as Neena Gupta and Alia Bhatt. But honestly, this is ridiculous…Pregnancy is beautiful, and that’s it!’
What inspired Neha to launch Freedom to Feed
Neha also revealed that the criticism she faced inspired her to launch Freedom to Feed, a platform aimed at fostering open conversations about motherhood without shame or stigma. She emphasized the importance of normalizing discussions around women’s health, dispelling myths, and reassuring mothers that they are not alone.
Earlier, in a conversation with Times Now, Neha shared how she informed her family about the pregnancy. ‘We had a nonlinear wedding. We were pregnant before we got married. So, when we went and broke the news to my parents, they were like okay, this is great. But you have 72 hours before we turn this around. Let’s get married. I was given 2 and a half days to then go back to Bombay and get married,” she said.
Family Life with Angad
Neha and Angad exchanged vows on May 10, 2018, in an intimate Anand Karaj ceremony at a Delhi gurdwara, attended only by close friends and family. Later that year, Neha gave birth to their daughter, Mehr Dhupia Bedi. The couple also welcomed a son, Guriq Singh Dhupia Bedi, in 2021, completing their family.