When Neetu Kapoor revealed she started drinking after husband Rishi Kapoor’s death, said, 'I didn't sleep for 2-3 months, I needed help'

As Neetu Kapoor celebrates her birthday today, it is also a moment to look back at the strength, honesty and grace with which she has spoken about some of the most difficult phases of her life. The veteran actor, who began working as a child artist at the age of eight, had already become one of Hindi cinema’s most loved faces by the time she was just 21. From Shashi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan to Jeetendra and Shatrughan Sinha, Neetu worked with several leading stars of her time and delivered many memorable performances.

She also shared a much-loved screen pairing with Rishi Kapoor. The two worked together in 11 films before tying the knot in January 1980 at RK Studios in Chembur, Mumbai. After marriage, Neetu Kapoor stepped away from films, choosing family over stardom.

In an old interview with the Times of India, she had said, “To give up my career was my decision. I wanted a family. I was really tired of working. I had done almost 70 films in seven years of my career, with three shifts every day. I wasn't nervous as I had already gotten familiar with Rishi's family and knew them well.”

Neetu and Rishi Kapoor were married for 40 years and had two children, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni and Ranbir Kapoor. On April 30, 2020, Rishi Kapoor died after battling leukaemia for two years. His death left the film industry and fans heartbroken, but for Neetu, the loss was deeply personal and painful.

In a candid conversation on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast, where she appeared with daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Neetu opened up about the emotional struggle she faced after Rishi Kapoor’s passing. She shared that people around her suggested therapy, but she personally found comfort in conversations with close friends.

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“You always need to talk. I don't believe in therapists, but I believe in friends. You should have 4-5 friends you can talk it out with,” she said.

Recalling a moment of self-realisation, Neetu added, “I was really down. I spoke to the therapist, and I said, ‘Kya kar rhi hoon mai?’” She explained that no one can truly help a person unless they are ready to help themselves. “It's nonsense. Unless you are not strong, you have to decide,” she said.

The actor also revealed that after Rishi Kapoor’s death, she went through sleepless nights and began drinking just to fall asleep. “When he passed away, for a month, I could not sleep. Or maybe 2-3 months, I could not sleep. And I got into drinking. I started drinking, and then, I could not sleep without drinking,” Neetu shared.

She further said, “Because I am so health-conscious, I did not like myself like that. I just needed to numb my head and go to sleep. I didn't like myself. So I called my doctor and said, ‘This is what is going on with me, I need help. I don't like it, and I am not made like that.’”

Neetu revealed that a doctor would come home every day, inject her, and wait until she fell asleep. “It went on for 10 days. On the 11th-12th day, I said, ‘Doc, I am good now. I don't think I need this. I can move on,’” she recalled.

Work, eventually, became a way for her to heal. She said Karan Johar encouraged her to return to films. “Neetu Ji, you have to do a film,” he told her.

Speaking about Jugjugg Jeeyo, she admitted, “I was a nervous wreck when I did Jugjugg Jeeyo. Before every shot, I would shiver. I have done 70-80 movies, but I did not have the strength. But I did that, and it helped me.”

Today, Neetu Kapoor continues to work not out of compulsion, but because acting brings her joy. On her birthday, her journey remains a reminder of resilience, reinvention and choosing life again after loss.