Was Neena Gupta jealous of her Shiv Shastri Balboa co-stars?

National Award-winning actress Neena Gupta, who's latest release is Shiv Shastri Balboa alongside Anupam Kher, admits that she is jealous of her co-stars, but added that the jealousy is healthy as it helps her excel in her performance.

Neena told OTTplay, "I think I have quite a bit of healthy jalan with my co-stars, and I must say that it is a good thing. I am someone who constantly works towards excelling in my performance. And whenever I see that someone has done a fantastic job with the role, I tell myself that I will also push myself, saying, 'Ab dekho, mein bhi kamal karungi'" (laughs).

Sharing a recent incident of how she keeps her jealousy in check, Neena said, "Recently, I was offered a role in a web series. I always wanted to work with this particular director, so when I heard the script and liked it, I started chatting about who else is there in the show. When I heard the name of one of the actresses, I asked the director about her role and how long her schedule is. The director started laughing and told me, 'Neena ji, you have 20 days and she had five days of work. Your role is bigger than hers'. I laughed and told the director, 'Phir theek hai, mein yeh show karti hoon (Then it is okay, I will do the show)'." 

Neena added that when she meets the actress in question, she will tell her this story. "It means that I like and admire her -- I have a healthy jalan (jealousy). I am honest, and all things healthy is good... even jealousy."

Neena plays a house help named Elsa in Shiv Shastri Balboa, who is from Hyderabad but works in the USA. She tries to run back to India, but without a passport and visa, she faces several setbacks. The film also stars Anupam Kher, Sharib Hashmi and Nargis, and is currently running in theatres.