Bollywood is filled with several stories of success and failure. One of them is actress Neesha Singh, who was once one of the most sought-after faces in the industry. However, she packed her bags and left films at the peak of her career to focus on her child.
Meet Neesha Singh
Neesha Singh made her debut in films at the age of 18-19. She is regarded as the accidental, South Bombay star who is best known for films like Bazaar and Ankush, TV shows like Buniyaad, and A Mouthful of Sky.
Hailing from a Sikh family in Mumbai’s elite Malabar Hill, Neesha Singh’s first breakthrough came when someone reportedly approached her in the college canteen for a video test of an advertisement campaign. Directed by the legendary Alyque Padamsee, it was the first commercial marking the launch of Fair & Lovely.
Neesha Singh’s debut with Fair & Lovely ad
“I said my family will not allow me to model, but I will come with my friends to watch,” Neesha Singh told Jyotsna Mohan in an interview.
Recalling Padamsee, who noticed her, she added, “He asked me why I didn’t do the test and I said I will not be allowed to model. So he said… I want something for the camera, who has no makeup, would you mind standing for the camera.”
Later, Singh was notified about her selection for the ad. However, her father wasn’t convinced until Padamsee personally paid him a visit.
As the advertisement became a nationwide hit, Neesha became the most popular face. But Neesha Singh wasn’t allowed to take on projects before completing her studies. As she took time to wrap up her studies, her lack of presence helped Singh to grow her value.
“I was not overexposed. I could choose, ask for good money, and the best brands came to me—Bombay Dyeing, Lakmé, Nescafé. You name the brand, and I did it,” she said.
Neesha Singh’s film debut
She landed her first film. She accidentally met filmmaker M.S. Sathyu at Prithvi Theatre. Impressed by Sathyu’s Garam Hawa, Singh requested her father’s permission.
After much request, she could star in Kahan Kahan Se Guzar Gaya opposite Anil Kapoor.
After this, she starred in Sagar Sarhadi’s Bazaar (1982).
“I was just narrated about the characters Supriya Pathak, Faroque Sheikh, and I played. I thought that Bazaar was a love triangle featuring three characters. In the film industry people tend to stereotype you and give you the kind of roles they have seen you play. So until I got ‘Ankush’, I did not do any other picture. I wanted a major role.”
What did Smita Patil tell her
During Bazaar, Singh recalled how Smita Patil gave her a reality check. “I told Smita I want to do this art film, and she said, ‘Why do you think anybody will use you? You have the wrong body language. Everything about you is wrong.’”
Shyam Benegal hesitated to cast Neesha Singh due to her “princess” look, which didn’t suit his rural narratives. Years later, he roped her as Princess Sanjukta in Bharat Ek Khoj.
“Nana Patekar hated her”
Even Singh’s Ankush co-star, Nana Patekar, reportedly hated her. “Nana hated me on sight,” she laughed. “He looked at Chandra and said in Marathi, ‘Are you mad? How the hell do you think you can use this girl?’” However, things changed with time as Nana Patekar became her cheerleader.
It is believed that Neesha Singh shifted to television later in the 90s after not fitting into mainstream Hindi films.
By the mid-90s, Neesha Singh became a household name with Buniyaad. She also starred in A Mouthful of Sky alongside Milind Soman and Rahul Bose.
Why did Neesha Singh quit Bollywood
In 1997, Neesha Singh disappeared. But why?
“I got married, moved to Singapore overnight. I had one or two running serials where they had to bump me off or make me disappear,” Singh revealed in the interview.
Neesha Singh moved to Singapore after marriage and became a mother later. Although makers were ready to shoot her portions in Singapore, Singh explained, “For me, acting was not a junoon, it was a shauk.”
Neesha Singh was last seen onscreen in 1998. In the same year, she welcomed her daughter.
Reportedly, she is now a yoga instructor and author, practising holistic wellness.
Recently, she returned to the arts with a stage narration for The Courtesan – An Enigma, presented by Manjari Chaturvedi.
