When Neena Gupta IMPRESSED us!

Neena Gupta has seen a new lease of life in her career since the release and success of Badhaai Ho.

Her latest release Sardar Ka Grandson sees her play a 97-year-old grandmother.

As a matriarch who knows what she wants, she shrugs away the 'dukhiyaari' old lady' act and instead puts on a brave show in the film.

Do you know that the actress has more than 100 films and TV serials to her credit in a career spanning four decades? Joginder Tuteja looks at some of her interesting work.

 

Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar

Unfortunately, hardly anyone watched this much-delayed film and it released without any fanfare last month.

But if you do watch Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, your heart will go out to Neena who plays a Good Samaritan taken for a ride by Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra.

 

Panchayat and Masaba Masaba

OTT has seen quite a bit of Neena recently.

Last year, she was seen in two interesting Web series: Panchayat and Masaba Masaba.

In the former, she played a woman rooted in the north Indian heartland while in the latter, she played herself: A chic woman and mother of designer Masaba Gupta.

 

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan

Neena was superb in the Ayushmann Khurrana-Jitendra Kumar-starrer, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan where she didn't have qualms about accepting that her son was in a gay relationship.

Her chemistry with Gajraj Rao, who also played her husband in Badhai Ho!, was good.

 

Panga

In Panga, Neena played Kangana Ranaut's mother.

She changed her hairdo and dialogue delivery in this Ashwini Iyer Tiwary film for the part of a supportive mother, mother-in-law and grandmother and played it with conviction.

Badhaai Ho

A career-defining movie. It brought Neena back into the scheme of bigger and better things.

She was the leading lady in Badhaai Ho where she played mother to two grown up kids, and goes on to become pregnant for the third time.

A delight to watch, she nailed it in every scene.

 

Mulk

Before Badhaai Ho, Neena was seen in Anubhav Sinha's Mulk, one of the best films to have come out in recent times.

As a Muslim woman fighting the communal tension around her, she had a brief but important part as Rishi Kapoor's wife.

Watch the film to watch her layered character.

 

Yatra

In the 1980s, Shyam Benegal's television series Yatra saw some brilliant actors coming together.

Besides Neena, there was Om Puri, Mohan Gokhale, Ila Arun and Raghubir Yadav.

The series was based on a train journey.

 

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro

As Pankaj Kapur's moll who was used to honey-trap senior government officials, Neena was too much fun in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro.

Neena seemed to enjoy herself as she played a secretary who indulged in 'thoda khao, thoda fenko'.