Neena Gupta Says She Loved Vivian Richards; 'Why Should I Poison Masaba's Thoughts? I Have Respect For Him'

Neena Gupta is one of the few actresses in Bollywood who has never shied away from speaking about her personal life. She has always been vocal about her past relationship with West Indian cricketer Vivian Richards with whom she has a love child, Masaba Gupta.

Neena who raised Masaba as a single mother, recently talked about her relationship with Vivian and how there's mutual respect between them. The Badhaai Ho actress said that although their love failed to culminate into marriage, she will never poison Masaba's thoughts about her father.

Neena said that she had Masaba because she loved Vivian Richards and that love can't turn to hate overnight.

In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Neena said, "I had Masaba because I loved Vivian. And if you love somebody, you can't hate somebody like that. You may not live or do things together - woh dheere dheere pata chalta hai (you get to know that slowly). But you can't hate. Aisa toh nahi hota ki aaj love hai toh kal suddenly you hate (You can't love someone one and hate them the next). And how can you put this thing in your daughter's mind about her father. I don't want to and don't feel it. Why should I poison her thoughts? I have respect for him, he respects me and so, she has respect for both of us. It's a very simple thing."

Neena in her chat with the entertainment portal, said that with time, she has come to the conclusion that real love exists only between parents and children. All other love is just lust which eventually becomes a habit.

She told Bollywood Bubble, "As far as love is concerned, I have come to a conclusion. What I have understood is that real love exists only between parents and children. Baki koi love nahi hota (Otherwise there is no love). Woh pehle lust hota hai, phir habit hoti hai (it's lust at first, then habit) then, it's caring. This is what I think."

After her unsuccessful relationship with Vivian Richards, Neena Gupta tied the knot with Vivek Mehra, a Delhi-based charted accountant in 2008.

Workwise, Neena Gupta was recently seen in Arjun Kapoor-Rakul Preet Singh's Netflix family drama Sardar Ka Grandson. Her upcoming project is Amitabh Bachchan-Rashmika Mandanna starrer Goodbye.