Viv Richards' Role When Neena Gupta Was Pregnant With Masaba, 'Her Father Is Not A Family Man'

Veteran actress, Neena Gupta is currently the subject of intense social media speculation. Netizens pointed out her weight gain and spread rumours of her being pregnant at the age of 66. The controversy was sparked by her March 2026 appearance at the wedding reception of Tollywood stars, Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna in Hyderabad. As Neena refuted the rumours of a second-time conception, accounts of her struggles when she was pregnant with Vivian Richards' child, Masaba, surfaced.

Where was Neena Gupta's baby daddy, Viv Richards when she was pregnant?

Neena Gupta discovered she was pregnant with Vivian Richards' child in 1989, at around 30. At that time, he had reportedly already returned to his home country, the West Indies, after his cricketing tour in India. The Vadh actress reached out to Viv via a phone call to inform him about the same and also to ask for his consent to give birth to the baby. Despite being married to Miriam Richards at the time, the legendary cricketer expressed his support for her decision. In her autobiography Sach Kahun Toh, Neena shared feeling "giddy with joy" about her pregnancy. Even though people around her suggested getting an abortion, she chose motherhood. The actress wrote:

"Some people advised me to get an abortion. Others cautioned against the perils of being a single parent...I also understood that I wasn't the only person who had a say in the situation. The baby's father, Vivian, had an equal right. 'I'm pregnant', I told him. 'Would you have a problem if I were to have your baby?' Vivian sounded happy and said I should go ahead. This assured me that I was doing the right thing. As much as I wanted this child, I also did not want to go ahead if the father wasn't on board."

During her pregnancy, Viv Richards was active in international cricket, so he couldn't be by her side. Their daughter, Masaba, later shared that Neena dealt with most of the pregnancy ordeals alone. Although Viv was unavailable during the pregnancy, he didn't shy away from giving Masaba her father's name, despite being already married.

Neena Gupta faced financial struggles while being pregnant with daughter, Masaba Gupta

In her autobiography, Sach Kahun Toh, veteran actress Neena Gupta detailed the severe financial anxiety she experienced while pregnant with her daughter, Masaba Gupta, in 1989. As her due date approached, Neena had only Rs. 2,000 in her bank account. Even then, she did not ask for a penny from her baby daddy, Viv. This amount was only sufficient for a natural birth. The Metro In Dino actress was concerned because a C-section at that time cost approximately Rs. 10,000, an expense she could not afford. However, just days before her delivery, a tax reimbursement of Rs. 9,000 arrived, bringing her total balance to Rs. 12,000.

How was Viv Richards' relationship with Neena Gupta and their daughter after her birth?

Throughout Neena and Viv's daughter, Masaba's childhood and teenage years, he remained in a long-distance relationship with them, while living with his wife, Miriam, in the West Indies. Masaba noted during interviews that it was really tough for Neena to raise her as a single mother in Mumbai at the time. Although Viv remained away, Neena has stated that he was "as involved as possible" after their daughter was born. However, by involvement, she meant just a call on Masaba's birthday.

During an interview with ETimes, Neena recalled Masaba becoming upset about her father's lack of involvement in her life until she was in her 20s. At that time, Neena told her that her father "was not a family man" and that, as a result, a lot couldn't be expected of him. Besides being aloof, Viv also couldn't "express his emotions" and wasn't tech-savvy, which further widened the communication gap. Neena Gupta was quoted as saying:

"I told her how her father is not a family man and how he was like this and this. In the beginning, she would feel bad that Vivian was not in touch with her till the age of about 20, but then he got in touch. His problem is also that he is not net savvy, and so, it is very difficult to get in touch with him."

Neena revealed she and Viv Richards maintained an "on-and-off" relationship for several years. They had their fair share of good and bad moments; however, she didn't have any grievance against him. After several years of living her life as Masaba's mother, she is now finally living as the spouse, Neena Gupta, since her marriage at 49 to CA, Vivek Mehra. Regarding her equation with Viv, she stated:

"Our relationship continued on and off for a few years, and we had some beautiful moments and also some ugly ones. It was long-distance and a very different kind of relationship."

What are your thoughts on Viv Richards' relationship with Neena Gupta and their daughter, Masaba? Let us know.

Also Read: Neena Gupta Clears Air On Whether She Is Pregnant At The Age Of 66, 'Badhaai This Is All I Need..'

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