Neena Gupta has long been noted in Hindi cinema for her honesty about the unconventional choices she made in her personal life. Even in difficult phases, he persevered, choosing to move forward with courage and self-belief. The actress fell in love with the West Indian cricketer Vivian Richards and they had their daughter out of wedlock.At the time, Neena faced harsh criticism, especially because Vivian was already married. Despite the advice of many around her to terminate the pregnancy, she chose to keep the baby and raise it independently, without relying on anyone’s help.That period was also marked by financial struggles. When her daughter was about to give birth, Masaba GuptaNeena reportedly had only Rs. 2,000 in his bank account. In the end the C-section delivery she needed would cost Rs. 10,000, an amount he could not afford then. In a turnaround he describes as a miracle, he received a tax refund of Rs. 10,000 just a few days before delivery, his total balance was Rs. 12,000 and allowing them to proceed with the requested procedure.Over the years, Neena raised Masaba—now a famous fashion designer—on her own, navigating both personal and social challenges. Reflecting on her journey in an interview with Mumbai Mirror, she admitted that she has some regrets. he said,“I wouldn’t have children out of wedlock. Every child needs both parents. I was always honest with Masaba, so it didn’t affect our relationship, but I know it suffered.”Neena and Vivian first crossed paths at a dinner hosted by the Maharanis of Jaipur. She had already seen him play and felt an instant connection. Although they did not exchange contact details then, and lost touch for a short time, a chance meeting later at the Delhi airport rekindled their relationship, eventually leading to a relationship.In a recent interview with journalist Shubhankar Mishra, Neena was asked about her feelings for Vivian. He confirmed that they were truly in love and explained why marriage was never an option. “It was not practical. Either I would have to leave my job behind and go to the West Indies, or he would have to give up his career and come to India; neither was possible.”
