On 2 November 1989, actress Neena Gupta gave birth to her daughter Masaba whose father the legendary West Indian cricketer Vivian Richards was not married to Neena.
By becoming a single mother, Neena sent shock waves across the conservative corridors of the Indian entertainment industry.
Looking back the Badhai Ho actress has no regrets about her decision. However she wishes Masaba had a father at home to share Neena’s parenting responsibilities. “Having Msabaa is the best decision of my life.But if I had to live my life again I’d want to have a family and a husband to support my parenthood.I’d want the child’s father with me. Not so far away.”
However Neena is thankful for her daughter. “What I’ve got is most precious, Sure, I made sacrifices. But it’s all worth it. Masaba is the best thing to happen to my life.”
In an interview with me in 2008 when Neena got married to Delhi-based Vivek Mehra ,she had said to me, “Much as I’m thrilled with the new developments in my life, Masaba is my top concern. She always will be. I can’t leave her alone in Mumbai where she is studying fashion designing. So I guess I’ll be shuttling between Delhi and Mumbai. You see, at the end of the day it’s just me for Masaba. So I can’t afford to slip up.”