Neetu Kapoor’s emotional tell-all on comeback, feeling crushed post Rishi Kapoor’s death | Exclusive

Neetu Kapoor speaks to IndiaToday.in about her upcoming film, Jugjugg Jeeyo, feeling ‘broken’ after Rishi Kapoor’s demise, and more.

Neetu Kapoor rose to stardom as the quintessential Bollywood heroine. Be it Kabhie Kabhie, Deewaar or Amar Akbar Anthony, the actress was unstoppable in the 70s and early 80s, before she let her glorious career take a back seat to nurture her family dreams. After staying away from the limelight for years together, we saw Neetu in smaller roles in films like Love Aaj Kal, Besharam and Do Dooni Chaar. But all of them have been with her husband, the late Rishi Kapoor. Now, two years after his demise, Neetu returns to the big screen with Jugjugg Jeeyo, while nursing a painful memory with such grace that it will make you tear up.

Jugjugg Jeeyo, starring Anil Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani, apart from Neetu, is slated for release next month. In an exclusive conversation with IndiaToday.in, the veteran star opens up about feeling both anxious and excited about her comeback, what's changed since she started off in the industry, picking up the broken pieces of her heart after Rishi Kapoor’s demise, and more.

Jugjugg Jeeyo has been amazing for Neetu, and the veteran actor happily admits the same. “It’s been amazing. I am having fun and enjoying myself. I have not done something like this before, so for me, everything is new. It is like starting again, a new beginning. I have not done this in such a long time, so I am enjoying myself. My movie is releasing next month, which I am very excited about. I hope people like me and I am good enough. I am feeling the jitters,” says Neetu.

Neetu adds how she feels like a newcomer all over again, and while that's a heady feeling, she is also worried if people will accept her. “I feel like a newcomer. I don’t want people to say that ‘itne saalon baad aayi hai, she should just sit at home’. I hope my performance impacts people, even if it is a mild effect,” she adds.

Neetu also reveals that the industry has changed vastly since the time she started off. “It is much more professional now. Earlier, I was younger, so I could manage so many things, the timings and working round the clock. It didn’t bother me. Now, what they do on sets is for the better, everything is organised, and I have a team who takes care of everything,” says Neetu.

However, she admits that the most difficult thing for her is getting her time schedule right. Neetu says, “The most challenging thing for me is the timing, because I am a lady of leisure. For 40 years, I have done everything at my own pace and on my time, so for me, this rush is a challenge, but I am getting used to it. I start my day early now and am working on that.”

The one thing everyone has been gushing about is Neetu Kapoor’s Instagram posts, which are full of positive words and thoughts. Where is she deriving this positivity from? Neetu Kapoor explains, “I like being positive. I don’t like to crib and to be sad. I love people. I am a friendly person basically. I can make friends and start chatting with a stranger. People who know me know how I can be very friendly and jovial with everyone. It is just that I like to live in the moment.”