Neha Dhupia recalls taking 45-day-old daughter Mehr to Roadies set: ‘I asked for a break every 3 hours’

Neha Dhupia discusses balancing work and motherhood, recalling bringing her 45-day-old daughter Mehr to the Roadies set.

Over the years, many actors have continued working during pregnancy, including Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor and others. Neha Dhupia is among them. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Neha opened up about how she had to bring her daughter Mehr to the Roadies set when she was just 45 days old, and recalled how she managed the situation.

Neha Dhupia with her daughter Mehr and husband Angad Bedi.

Neha Dhupia on taking 45-day-old Mehr to Roadies set

Earlier, Neha had voiced her support for Deepika Padukone’s 8-hour shift request on social media, calling it fair. She reiterated her support during the interview and said that if that’s what Deepika wants—and deserves, given who she is—it could pave the way for change and benefit others as well. Neha also reflected on her own experience of balancing work and motherhood.

She said, "I was on the set of Roadies when Mehr was 45 days old, and I took her with me because I was still exclusively feeding her. And in that kind of environment, which is still not very comfortable—you have your support staff, but it’s still not the same thing—you have to go and have that conversation with the people you're working with."

Neha Dhupia backs Deepika Padukone

She added, "I said that every three hours there would be a break because I’d need 40–45 minutes off for my child. Otherwise, my child would go hungry and I’d be uncomfortable—and they understood. So one has to be extremely sensitised when working with a new mum, because the demands change. It’s not just her, but also her child. And I know she (Deepika) has already signed another project—so kudos to her."

Neha has been a part of Roadies since its thirteenth season. She welcomed her daughter Mehr in November 2018, and Roadies Season 16 began in February 2019. After Season 17, she took a break, during which Rhea Chakraborty replaced her as a gang leader in 2024. However, Neha made her comeback this year in Roadies XX. Although she didn’t win the trophy, fans were thrilled to see her return.