Neha Dhupia makes sure her guest on her podcast show #NoFilterNeha bares it all. So when we caught up with her we had to get the inside scoops from her life and Bollywood.
How do you and your research team get these scoops? You are bang on.
That’s what we do. We have a set formula. We have a research team that actually looks into everything. I’m just saying whatever you find on the internet are things that we’re not going to ask our guests. For Rajkummar, we called Patralekha and a couple of other people; for Shahid we called...
Do you call or do you make other people call?
I call personally. So what we do is we actually reach out to friends and people on the team because those are the ones you know the best. Like I still remember when Katrina came in, I called up Ali Abbas (Zafar), and when Sonakshi came in, I woke up one of her friends in Australia at like four in the morning – this girl called Sakshi. Sonakshi was in front of me and she was just like, “How did you manage to get this information?” And I’m just like, yeah, we have our spies.
You were there at the Bachchan Diwali party. What happened, Neha? Who got burnt? Who saved whom from getting burnt? It’s making headlines. What really happened?
I wasn’t there. You know, I was inside because there were lots of people, and I really don’t know what happened. But I just know that there was a point where Shah Rukh was getting a lot of ointment put on his hands. That’s all I saw.
Everybody wants to know what happens at a Bachchan party, where like the whole of Bollywood is under one roof. It’s like a Filmfare.
It’s a great setting. Like this time, of course, they had outdone themselves as far as the decor was concerned. It’s basically the most festive place you’d be in, like women look amazing. They are dressed in the best clothes. Really, I have no idea how Bachchan sahib is such a great host. He individually meets and greets everybody and there is Aishwarya and Abhishek and Jaya ji and Shweta. All personally there to like look into every little detail. They are like the best hosts ever. At five in the morning they’ll be like, “Have you eaten something? Have you drank something?” Which is amazing.
You had gone to Austria for a retreat. Tell me all about it. And is this the same retreat where people from Bollywood go to get fit and all?
Yeah, so it’s basically a detox. I went to Viva Mayr and it was amazing. My husband gifted this trip to me. And so it was very nice. What ends up happening is it’s very strict. It’s a lot about how you need to go through a cleanse and you have absolutely no dinner. So you’re just having like broth for dinner, plus you’re also testing what allergies you have and this exercise. So they just do a cleanse and then the action your body and then they send you away. And they take lots of money for it.
How did Karan Johar and you become friends?
I don’t even know like he and I talk. When we would meet socially, we really enjoyed hanging out with each other. He is just the reason for all the best things in my life, like, the reason why I’m married today, why we have Mehr, the reason why I went to Viva, the reason why I could like, get back on my feet so fast after giving birth. All the credit goes to him.
What about this marriage thing? How did he play a role in this?
Because he saw us at a party and I was just like, “Have you met one of my closest friends?” And then he was just like, “No, this is way too much chemistry.” He kind of played Cupid.
Mehr is turning a year old. And when are you planning to show the world that this is my baby.
You know, I don’t really want to make a big deal of it. I can just put up a picture any time. It’s just an account that’s been followed a lot. So I feel that instead of people having opinions or trying to get a child’s picture and stuff like that, although I do have an account for her. I don’t do anything from there, but I feel like it should be her right but if a picture comes out then it would be a bit disappointing for me. For as long as we can conceal it, I’d love to, but if it comes out then I’d be heartbroken but at the same time, there’s nothing I can do about it.
Favourite guest on #NoFilterNeha?
Has to be Karan Johar because he was my first guest. And it really did well for us and he’s the only guy who’s come back three times.
The worst moment on #NoFilterNeha?
Having Angad on the show, because halfway through the recording we started arguing. Actually not I’m going to take that again. The worst moment of doing #NoFilterNeha was the research on Angad because there was so much research and there was so dirt that came on my face that I was like I can’t believe that this has happened and I can’t believe I have thrown myself into the deep end. Because it was his friends I was like, “Hey, don’t worry. I am just doing research. You can totally be cool about it and tell me everything.” And then they told me and I was just like huh!
One guest who had all the filters on?
I think this season Rajkummar Rao did some really good mimicry for us, but I feel like he was very safe.
Are you on a WhatsApp group with Karan Johar?
Yeah.
And what is it called?
Oh, no, I can’t tell you. I’ll give you a hint. It’s got a hashtag. The group is a hashtag group.
How many people are there in that group?
Four of us.
Who are these for four?
I can’t tell you. There’s Karan, me and two other women.
Advice that Karan Johar gave you on fashion?
Stop wearing bedsheets.
But what is this Farfetched site?
Yes, I’m not obsessed with it. It’s Karan and everybody in Karan’s life. I can’t afford Farfetched. You pay like thousands and thousands of pounds for one sweatshirt. So what I do is when he’s bored of wearing those sweatshirts, I just take them. I go to his cupboard and I’m like, “Karan are you done,” and then I get them back.
Worst rumour you have heard about yourself.
Many, many years ago, there was an article in the newspaper that I was caught making out with the guy in the elevator.
Worst rumour you have heard about your husband.
There was a blind item a couple of months ago and it’s really funny. I’m like, you know, Angad, if you try and join the dots, it looks like you know, newly married and had a kid, it sounds like you. And we were packing to leave for Maldives and he’s like, no baby with a girl sounds like she’s your friend. Don’t worry I won’t cheat on you with your friend. I was just like okay, fine. It was a joke. It was a joke, joke, joke.
Whom do you stalk the most on Instagram?
I mean I stalk my husband because I find it like Punjabi sayings. If there was an award that was to be given to most bizarre caption that didn’t go to him because he’ll say anything. (Punjabi) and I just think it’s like OOTD like you don’t have to say it. Sometimes it needs edit and I’m like, “Angad, this caption needs an edit.” And he is like (Punjabi) I am like okay, whatever man.
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