Neha Dhupia: If a woman is pregnant, don’t deprive her of her professional side

As Neha Dhupia, who turns 41 on August 27, admits that pregnancy and her little girl, Mehr, is keeping her on her toes.

Actor Neha Dhupia admits shooting through her third trimester comes with lots of struggle. But, she’s putting all her energy in her work to set a precedent, with a hope of bringing about a change in the business, so there’s more work for pregnant women.

Currently, actor Neha Dhupia is in her third trimester, and busy shooting.

“I’m not going to lie. It’s very hard shooting during the Covid-19 times. Plus, I’m in my third trimester, so the exhaustion is more. But, somewhere I feel that I’m doing this to prove that if I can, other can, too,” confesses Dhupia, who turns 41 on August 27.

She points out that a lot of women are forced to choose between their personal and professional lives. “I can’t do both , but if I can [strike a balance], then maybe things can change in the business. [I hope this woule result in] more roles not just for women, but for pregnant women as well,” says the Chup Chup Ke (2006) actor.

Dhupia, a mother to two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Mehr, shuns the misconception that being pregnant means one has to sit at home.

“Why should it be, ‘Now, I’m going to make some personal choices, which would require me to take a sabbatical’. You don’t want to do that. You don’t want to come back four steps behind from where you left your career. Since I’ve been through it, I know how it can break people at different levels. I’m setting an example and hoping to change a thing or two for women in the business. If a woman is pregnant don’t deprive her of her professional side,” stresses Dhupia, who’s married to actor Angad Bedi.

While the Tumhari Sullu (2017) actor’s work is keeping her busy — she recently stepped out to dub for her film, Sanak — she intends to take a break with her family on her birthday, and chill for sometime.

“We may travel somewhere very close to home, about two hours away from home. I can’t go very far away because I need to have access to medical attention right now. And my birthday plan revolves around what Angad really wants to do, but he’s very accommodative. We really wanted to travel out. Last year, we were in Mumbai because of the pandemic, and this year, we can’t (travel out) because I’m super pregnant,” concludes Dhupia.