Neetu Kapoor on therapy after Rishi Kapoor's death: 'It felt like nonsense'

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Neetu Kapoor on therapy after Rishi Kapoor's death: 'It felt like nonsense'

Synopsis

Neetu Kapoor's blunt dismissal of therapy as 'nonsense' on Soha Ali Khan's podcast cuts against India's growing mental health movement. Her candid account of finding solace in friends and work after Rishi Kapoor's 2020 death is both deeply personal and culturally pointed.

Key Takeaways

Neetu Kapoor called therapy 'nonsense' based on her personal experience after Rishi Kapoor's death.
She made the remarks on Soha Ali Khan's podcast All About Her .
Rishi Kapoor passed away in April 2020 after a battle with cancer.
Neetu credits close friends, family, and work as her real support system during grief.
Her latest film Daadi Ki Shaadi co-stars Kapil Sharma and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni .

Veteran actress Neetu Kapoor has spoken candidly about her views on therapy, saying she personally does not believe in it and found far greater comfort in close friendships and work while grieving the loss of her husband, Rishi Kapoor. Her remarks, made on Soha Ali Khan's podcast All About Her, have drawn attention given India's evolving mental health conversation.

What Neetu Kapoor Said

Neetu stated that she places far more value in trusted friendships than in professional therapy. "I don't believe in therapists, honestly. I believe in friends. You should have four or five close friends with whom you can really talk things out," she said.

Recalling the deeply difficult period following Rishi Kapoor's passing in April 2020, she added, "When Rishi passed away, people told me to go to a therapist. I was very low and I did speak to one, but I kept asking myself, 'What am I doing here?' Till I am not mentally strong myself, what can therapy do? They tell you to meditate, count numbers, do this and that... for me, it felt like nonsense. You have to give yourself time. You have to decide when you want to become strong and move on."

Friendship, Family, and Work as Pillars

Neetu emphasised that while everyone's path to healing is different, for her, friendship, family, and work served as the strongest pillars of support during one of the most challenging phases of her life. She noted that having people one can genuinely confide in is, in her view, more restorative than structured therapy sessions.

This comes amid a broader national conversation in India around mental health awareness, where therapy and professional counselling have gained increasing mainstream acceptance — making Neetu's candid counter-perspective particularly notable.

Rishi Kapoor's Passing

Rishi Kapoor, one of Bollywood's most celebrated actors, passed away in April 2020 after a prolonged battle with cancer. His death was a profound loss for the Kapoor family and the Hindi film industry at large. Neetu and Rishi had been married for over four decades.

On the Professional Front

Neetu has been receiving positive reviews for her performance in her latest release Daadi Ki Shaadi, which also stars Kapil Sharma and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni. The film marks a significant return to the screen for the actress, who has spoken about how professional engagement helped her cope with personal grief. Her remarks are likely to spark wider debate as mental health professionals continue to encourage open conversations around seeking help.

Point of View

But conflating one unsatisfying session with the entire discipline risks sending a counterproductive message to fans on the fence about seeking help. The more important thread is what she got right: grief timelines are personal, and no intervention works without the individual's own readiness. That nuance deserves more airtime than the headline-ready 'therapy is nonsense' framing.
NationPress
10 May 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Neetu Kapoor say about therapy?
Neetu Kapoor said she personally does not believe in therapy, describing her experience with it as 'nonsense.' She found close friends and returning to work far more helpful while coping with Rishi Kapoor's death in 2020.
When did Rishi Kapoor pass away?
Rishi Kapoor passed away in April 2020 after a battle with cancer. He and Neetu Kapoor had been married for over four decades.
Where did Neetu Kapoor share these views on therapy?
She shared them on Soha Ali Khan's podcast All About Her, speaking openly about grief, healing, and her personal support systems.
What is Neetu Kapoor's latest film?
Her latest release is Daadi Ki Shaadi, co-starring Kapil Sharma and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, which has been receiving positive reviews.
What does Neetu Kapoor believe helps more than therapy?
She believes having four or five close, trusted friends to confide in is more effective than therapy. Family support and returning to work were also central to her healing after Rishi Kapoor's death.
Nation Press
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