Veteran actress Neena Kulkarni—beloved for her roles in Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Badhaai Ho, and her iconic 1990s LIC advertisements—talked candidly on The Male Feminist podcast. She opened up about her personal and professional struggles, shedding light on pay parity, body-shaming, and her husband, Dilip Kulkarni’s demise.
Fighting For Fair Remuneration
Speaking on whether she had to fight for remuneration, the Yeh Hai Mohabbatein actress nodded yes. She shared that fighting for fair pay has been a constant battle throughout her career—and remains so even today. She also highlighted that even if a male artist is at the same level of experience and stature as her, he is still paid significantly more.
Body-Shaming Comments After Childbirth
Recalling the time when she gave birth to her daughter, Neena shared how she became a victim of insensitive comments about postpartum weight gain. Sharing about the incident, she revealed that when a friend visited her after the delivery, the visitor bluntly remarked on her weight, saying, “Kitni moti ho gayi” (How fat you have become).
Coping With Menopause, Grief, and Life After Dilip Kulkarni
Speaking about her experience with menopause, Neena shared that she lost her husband, actor-director Dilip Kulkarni, during that exact phase of her life. Reflecting on how overwhelming that loss was, she noted that the grief of his passing completely overshadowed her menopause, almost as if “he took it with himself.”
When asked whether she ever felt the need for a companion after Dilip’s passing, Neena said she never felt the urge to seek another partner, adding that her bond with Dilip was so effortless that even after marrying him, she never had to change anything about herself or her lifestyle.
The Insensitive Remarks Over Her Iconic LIC Ad
Neena also recalled taunts that were tied to her famous LIC commercial, in which she played a widow. To make the advertisement more authentic, she used a real photograph of her husband, Dilip. Tragically, Dilip passed away six years later—after which people insensitively told her that she should never have done the LIC ad, blaming the commercial for her husband’s death.
