Within days after Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi’s hush-hush wedding in May 2018, speculations were rife that the couple is expecting their first child and were married because of her pregnancy, after which every next public appearance of Neha came under the scanner with people suspecting her baby bump. But nobody confirmed the news, not even her father until August. Finally, Neha reveals why she kept the good news under wraps for long.
Blaming it on the mentality of how the industry works, she explained that the demand of her profession was a major reason of the decision saying, ‘I didn’t want to tell people that I was pregnant for a large part of these nine months because I didn’t want people’s attitude towards me to change. I was worried people would stop offering work. It was a good thing my bump wasn’t showing till the sixth month because appearances matter here, and one might be assumed to be unfit for a job. Fortunately, my energy levels are high. I did Eela and Styled By Neha through my pregnancy.’
Throughout her pregnancy, Neha has been out and about and has been fulfilling her work commitments. Neha and Angad took to Twitter to confirm rumours of her pregnancy in August. ‘Ha! Turns out this rumour is true,’ Angad wrote. The couple also shared a series of special portraits on Instagram, in different cute poses.
Neha is very excited to welcome her baby, this November and feels Angad will make a great dad as she quoted her love for him, ‘I feel at home finally. When I have nightmares and wake up to his face, I am immediately at peace,’ she gushes, before quipping, ‘He is the best dad-in-the-making, but I’m worried what will happen when he and the baby gang up on me.’
Ask Neha if she will take a maternity break and she retorts, ‘I don’t want a maternity break. It’s not that I am against women who decide to take those months off. It’s my choice. It doesn’t amount to saying that those who decide to take time off should be looked down upon,’ says Dhupia, who has been effortlessly dividing her time between her radio show, promotions for Helicopter Eela and her fashion-based television show.
Currently, in her final trimester, the mommy-to-be vows to be on her feet till she goes into labour. Neha is headstrong with her decision and inspires women as she quotes, ‘I promise you it is the sweetest feeling ever. And it is so wonderful to see women come to work with their pregnancy. It is so empowering. I just want to tell everyone out there that this is no reason to sit at home and you should just come out and work every day. Make your child already ready for it and feel special, that’s the most important thing.’
Neha and Angad also walked the ramp for the first time ever at the Lakme Fashion Week, earlier this month.
In an interview Angad too poured love for his wife and was all praises for Neha, ‘I feel very proud when I see her do so well. She has done some great work in cinema and made a name for her. She is an accomplished woman and I treasure it because she gives me a great perspective on life. She has kept her relationship with people intact. It’s easier said than done but to be a liked person by all is not easy. And Neha does it so effortlessly,’ he said.
Well, we see what great parents these two are going to be. And while for the double standards of our society against women and their decisions, we will say-time is changing and society needs to change too.
