When Neena Gupta accepted 'Uunchai' without hearing script
Veteran actor Neena Gupta, who recently won a National Award for her supporting role in Sooraj Barjatya's 2022 film, Uunchai, once revealed that she had accepted the project without even hearing its script. In a 2022 interview with Pinkvilla, Gupta shared her excitement about working with Barjatya and her journey in the Hindi film industry. Here are more details on this.
'I was shocked,' says Gupta about Barjatya's offer
Gupta recalled her reaction when Barjatya called her to his office to narrate the script for Uunchai. "Main toh shocked thi. Mujhe bulaya unhone apne office mein script sunane ke liye. Main soch rahi thi na bhi sunao tab bhi karungi (I was shocked. He called me to his office to narrate the script. I was thinking that even if I didn't hear the narration, I would have done it)," she said.
Gupta reveals struggles of her early career
The 65-year-old actor further shared that during the initial stage of her career, she couldn't meet prominent directors. She revealed that she had no contacts or godfathers in the industry. Gupta praised Shyam Benegal, director of Mandi, for meeting her as she was from the National School of Drama. However, she added that Benegal didn't offer her any significant roles in his films.
Gupta's first reaction to National Award win
In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, Gupta shared her initial response after winning the National Film Award. She said that she asked her manager to "double-check" it after seeing her name on the winners' list. When asked who she would like to dedicate the award to, Gupta promptly said that she would like to dedicate it to herself. "It reflects my journey and how far I have come."
'Uunchai' win marks a full-circle moment in Gupta's career
Gupta's career began with her first National Award for Bazar Sitaram in 1993, followed by another for Woh Chokri in 1994. Now, after three decades, she has once again been recognized for Uunchai. Other winners include Barjatya (Best Director) for Uunchai, Arijit Singh (Best Playback Singer Male for Brahmastra), Rishab Shetty (Best Actor Male for Kantara), and Gulmohar (Best Hindi film).
