Neha Dhupia says, ‘Post-pregnancy, I’ve always given myself self-love and self-care‘

From being crowned Miss India in 2002 to her interesting career choices, Neha Dhupia has proved she’s more than just a pageant queen by being unflinchingly vocal about her opinions. She’s given us memorable reel moments through her films Ek Chalis ki Last Local, Mithiya, Netflix’s Lust Stories, Tumhari Sulu, and Hindi Medium, among others. She’s also switched mediums beyond cinema and has been successful with her podcast series, #NoFilterNeha, which is backed by her production house, Big Girl Productions.

She has also been vocal about various social issues, including a mother’s right to breastfeed, through her initiative – #FreedomToFeed. Talking about this in the interview, she says, “I’ve been lucky enough to find safe spaces in hotel bathrooms or someone’s house or a trailer to breastfeed Mehr. But there are women, especially in rural areas, that are still grappling with the nuances of it, while struggling to talk about it. I’m not the first person to speak openly about breastfeeding, they’ve been others who have blazed a trail before me. But what I’ve tried to ensure is that the conversation doesn’t die down – that it’s okay to talk about it, or be nervous, or even confused, but it is not okay to be apologetic about it.”

Speaking about motherhood, the actress talks about accepting her body after pregnancy by saying, “Women, not men or the media, control the narrative around their bodies during and after pregnancy. I put on 23 kilos after I gave birth to Mehr, but I refused to let society’s ideals dictate my recovery. My husband (Angad Bedi) applied zero pressure on me to lose the baby weight. During my recovery, and up until now, I’ve always given myself self-love and self-care. I’ve only just started dropping the pounds, but I’m okay being curvier too. I accept what my body wants to be.”