Veteran actor Neena Gupta has revealed that former West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards had agreed to her decision to have his child, but she chose not to take any financial assistance from him while raising their daughter, Masaba Gupta.Opening up about that phase of her life, Neena recalled that becoming a mother was entirely her decision. “It was my decision to have a child. Then I asked him (Vivian) if he was okay with me giving birth to his child, and he said yes,” she told Shubhankar Mishra. She also shared that Vivian had no hesitation in publicly acknowledging that Masaba was his daughter.However, despite his support, Neena said she never asked him for money while bringing up Masaba. “I didn’t feel like it. I had so much pride. I never even asked my parents for money. I took only whatever they gave,” she said, explaining that financial independence was important to her.She added that her parents were already unhappy with her decision to pursue acting and had reservations about the profession. “They always felt that acting wasn’t a good (respectable) job. Since I came to Mumbai against their wishes, how can I ask them for money?” she said.
Neena has often spoken about the challenges of raising a child alone, admitting that it is not an easy path. While she cherishes the time she spent with Vivian, she has maintained that single parenthood comes with emotional and practical difficulties. Masaba, who has carved her own identity as a successful designer and entrepreneur, has frequently spoken about the strength and resilience her mother showed while raising her independently.
