In a recent conversation with Curly Tales, Neetu recalled how she had appeared in around 100 films by the age of 21. She also revealed that she bought her first Mercedes when she was just 15. Veteran Bollywood actor Neetu Kapoor began her acting journey as a child artist and later stepped away from the film industry after getting married and having children, Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni .
She followed it with films such as Do Dooni Chaar, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Besharam and Jugjugg Jeeyo. Her most recent film is Dadi Ki Shaadi. After her marriage in 1980, Neetu retired from acting. Her last film to be released was Ganga Meri Maa in 1983. After a 25-year hiatus, she made her comeback with a cameo appearance in Imtiaz Ali’s romantic comedy-drama Love Aaj Kal in 2009, playing the older version of her husband’s love interest in the film.
Neetu revealed that she had her first child, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, at the age of 21 and had already featured in around 100 films by then. She added, “10-12 films I had done when I was a kid. I started when I was 5 in Suraj, a film with Vijayanthimala. So then there was a gap from 11 to 13, and at 14 I started again. Then, from 14 to 21, I did around 70 movies. When asked if she had become a superstar by the age of 15, Neetu said, “I had bought 4-5 properties by the age of 15, and I had my own Mercedes. Recalling her hectic schedule, she said she would wake up at 7 am and then head to her second and third shoots. Neetu made her acting debut as a child artist in the 1966 film Suraj. She played her first lead role opposite Randhir Kapoor in Rickshawala, a remake of the Tamil film Rickshawkaran (1971).
I never went to acting school, but after doing films as a kid, there was no camera shyness, so that helped. Because she had already worked a lot, neetu further revealed that leaving the film industry at the age of 21, after her marriage, was an easy decision. Then Do Kaaliyan was a very famous film of mine where I essayed a double role. Can you believe that? I was in 8th standard, and after that, offers started coming, and I never went back to school. I had learnt dancing from Vyjayanthimala, so I knew how to dance. The demanding routine left her exhausted, and she had little time to make friends. Soon after getting married, she welcomed Riddhima, followed by Ranbir two years later. She went on to establish herself as one of the leading female actors in Hindi cinema in the 1970s. The same year, Neetu garnered attention for her appearance in the popular song Lekar Hum Deewana Dil from Nasir Hussain’s blockbuster Yaadon Ki Baaraat. She also featured in films such as Deewaar, Khel Khel Mein, Kabhi Kabhie and Amar Akbar Anthony. She frequently shared screen space with her husband, Rishi Kapoor.
She said that, in those days, she would often work three shifts in a single day. She said she was content with staying at home and raising her children.
