‘Nobody has loved me like that’: Neena Gupta on never experiencing storybook romance

Neena Gupta, the acclaimed Bollywood actress, has candidly discussed her past relationships and her perception of love in an interview. Her first marriage, to Amlan Kusum Ghose, lasted only a year. Neena recalled an incident during her college days when her college friends, envious of her modern lifestyle, sabotaged her date by revealing her plans to her mother.

This led to her parents forbidding her to go out with her then-boyfriend, leaving him waiting alone at the cinema. Reflecting on her experience, Neena candidly stated, "I've never been in love. The love that I see in movies and read in books, I've never experienced that in real life. Nobody has loved me like that. Toh main bhi kaise karlo?

Karna bhi toh padhega na kisi ko. Mere peeche koi paagal nahi hua." Psychologist Raashi Gurnani notes that individuals like Neena may have attachment styles, such as avoidant or dismissive-avoidant, which hinder their ability to fully experience romantic love. However, Gurnani emphasizes that the absence of a 'storybook romance' doesn't equate to emotional deficiency or failure, as life can still be rich and fulfilling through other meaningful connections like friendships and self-love.