Richa Chadda (born 18 December 1986) is an Indian actress who works in
Hindi films
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
. After debuting in a small role in the comedy film ''
Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!
''Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! '' is a 2008 Indian comedy film starring Abhay Deol, Paresh Rawal, Neetu Chandra, Manu Rishi, Manjot Singh and Archana Puran Singh. It was directed by Dibakar Banerjee. The film won the National Film Award for Best Pop ...
'' (2008), Chadda's breakthrough came in 2012 with a supporting role in the noir gangster saga ''
Gangs of Wasseypur
''Gangs of Wasseypur'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language two-part crime film produced and directed by Anurag Kashyap, and written by Kashyap and Zeishan Quadri. Centered on the coal mafia (Mafia Raj) of Dhanbad, and the underlying power struggle ...
'', where her role as the bellicose and foul-tongued wife of a gangster earned her a
Filmfare award
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...
.
In 2015, Chadda made her debut in a leading role with the
drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
''
Masaan
''Masaan'' (; also known as ''Fly Away Solo'' in English) is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language independent drama film and starring Richa Chadda and Vicky Kaushal in lead roles. It is Kaushal's debut Hindi film, and is also the directorial debut of ...
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...
, India into a
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
family to a Punjabi father and a Bihari mother. She was educated at
Sardar Patel Vidyalaya
Sardar Patel Vidyalaya (SPV) is an education school located in Lodhi Estate, New Delhi, India. The school is named after a leader of the Indian independence movement, and independent India's first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Sardar ...
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Ho ...
. Her father owns a management firm and her mother, Kusum Lata Chadda, is a professor of political science at
PGDAV College
Pannalal Girdharlal Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (P.G.D.A.V) College is a constituent college of University of Delhi. Established in 1957, it offers various courses at the undergraduate, postgraduate level and open schooling.
The College is situated i ...
of
Delhi University
Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is recognized as an Institute of Eminence (IoE) ...
, who has authored two books and also works with
Gandhi Smriti
Gandhi Smriti, formerly known as Birla House or Birla Bhavan, is a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, situated on Tees January Road, formerly Albuquerque Road, in New Delhi, India. It is the location where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last ...
.
Career
Chadda began her career as a model and then she moved to
theater
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...
. She has performed plays touring in India
Initial struggles (2008–2011)
Chadda made her acting debut in a supporting role as Dolly in
Dibakar Banerjee
Dibakar Banerjee (born 21 June 1969) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer and advertisement-filmmaker known for his work in Hindi films. Banerjee started his career in advertising, being a feature filmmaker, he still continues t ...
-directed 2008 film ''
Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!
''Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! '' is a 2008 Indian comedy film starring Abhay Deol, Paresh Rawal, Neetu Chandra, Manu Rishi, Manjot Singh and Archana Puran Singh. It was directed by Dibakar Banerjee. The film won the National Film Award for Best Pop ...
''. She appeared in the 2010
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
'' Benny and Babloo'' as Fedora. In the meanwhile, a Kannada movie in which she had acted, titled ''Nirdoshi'' was released in 2010 after a delay of almost three years.
Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1
''Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language crime action film directed by Anurag Kashyap, and written by Kashyap and Zeishan Quadri. It is the first installment of the '' Gangs of Wasseypur'' series, centered on the coal ...
''. She stated in an interview that this role as 'Nagma Khatoon' helped her get 11 film roles. The film premiered at the
65th Cannes Film Festival
The 65th Cannes Film Festival was held from 16 to 27 May 2012. Italian film director Nanni Moretti was the President of the Jury for the main competition and British actor Tim Roth was the President of the Jury for the Un Certain Regard section. ...
. She reprised her role as Nagma Khatoon in the sequel ''
Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2
''Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language crime film co-written, produced and directed by Anurag Kashyap. It is the second installment of the ''Gangs of Wasseypur'' series centered on the coal mafia of Dhanbad, Jharkhan ...
''. The film premiered in the
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. T ...
Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) is an independent selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festiv ...
at the Cannes Film Festival with its prequel. Chadda received a
Filmfare Award
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...
Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress
The Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi–language films.
Superlatives
* 2 actresses have won the award in consecutive years; in chronological order, they are Manish ...
.
Chadda's first release of 2013 came in the Mrighdeep Singh Lamba-directed coming of age
comedy
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
film ''
Fukrey
''Fukrey'' () is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language comedy film, directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba, produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, and starring Pulkit Samrat, Manjot Singh, Varun Sharma, Ali Fazal, Priya Anand, Vishakha Singh, Pankaj ...
'', in which she portrayed a tough-talking female don Bholi Punjaban. She then appeared in one of the segments in the Anurag Kashyap-produced anthology film ''
Shorts
Shorts are a garment worn over the pelvic area, circling the waist and splitting to cover the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to the knees but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they ...
'' titled "Epilogue". Chadha and Shirvastav play a dysfunctional couple who seem extremely unhappy with each other.
Chadda next appeared in a supporting role as Rasila in
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Sanjay Leela Bhansali (; born 24 February 1963) is an Indian filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and music composer who is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including four National Film Awards, ten Filmfar ...
-directed
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...
''
Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela
''Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela'' () or simply known as ''Ram-Leela'', is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language tragic romantic action film written and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who also composed its original soundtrack. The film was jointl ...
'', an adaptation of the
Shakespearean tragedy
Shakespearean tragedy is the designation given to most tragedies written by playwright William Shakespeare. Many of his history plays share the qualifiers of a Shakespearean tragedy, but because they are based on real figures throughout the his ...
Tamanchey
Tamanchey () is an Indian Hindi-language romantic crime comedy film released on 10 October 2014. The film is directed by Navneet Behal and stars Nikhil Dwivedi and Richa Chadda in leads.
Plot
An escaped criminal (Nikhil Dwivedi) becomes smitt ...
Charles Sobhraj
Charles Sobhraj (born Hotchand Bhawnani Gurmukh Sobhraj, 6 April 1944) is a French serial killer, fraudster, and thief of Indian-Vietnamese descent, who preyed on Western tourists travelling on the hippie trail of South Asia during the 1970s. ...
In January 2016, Chadda appeared as a journalist in the social-drama ''
Chalk n Duster
''Chalk n Duster'' is a 2016 Indian drama film about commercialization of the Indian private education system, starring Shabana Azmi, Juhi Chawla, Zarina Wahab, Girish Karnad and Divya Dutta. The film talks about teachers' and students' communic ...
''. She later appeared in ''Sarbjit'', a biographical-drama film based upon the life of
Sarabjit Singh
Sarabjit Singh Attwal (also spelled Sarabjeet Singh; 1963 or 1964 – 2 May 2013) (alleged to be Manjit Singh Rattu by Pakistan) was an Indian national convicted of terrorism and spying by a Pakistani court. He was tried and convicted by ...
. She portrayed the role of Sukhpreet, and share screen alongside
Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan ( Rai; born 1 November 1973) is an Indian actress who is primarily known for her work in Hindi and Tamil films. The winner of the Miss World 1994 pageant, she has established herself as one of the most popular celebriti ...
and
Randeep Hooda
Randeep Hooda (; born 20 August 1976) is an Indian actor and equestrian known for his work predominantly in Hindi cinema. Hooda made his Hindi film debut with '' Monsoon Wedding''. He had a turning point in his career with the gangster film '' ...
.
In 2017, Richa acted in an Indian web-series ''Inside Edge'', playing the lead character of a struggling actress. The series was positively received by both critics and audience. In the same year, '' Jia Aur Jia'' was released. The film received unfavorable reviews from critics and did not perform well at box office too. After that, she reprised her role as ''Bholi Punjaban'' in ''
Fukrey Returns
''Fukrey Returns'' () is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani. The film stars Pulkit Samrat, Manjot Singh, Ali Fazal, Varun Sharma, Priya Anand, Vishakh ...
'', a sequel to 2013 film ''
Fukrey
''Fukrey'' () is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language comedy film, directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba, produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, and starring Pulkit Samrat, Manjot Singh, Varun Sharma, Ali Fazal, Priya Anand, Vishakha Singh, Pankaj ...
''.
Richa Chadda worked in
Sudhir Mishra
Sudhir Mishra (born 22 January 1959) is an Indian film director and screenwriter known for directing the films '' Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi'', '' Dharavi'' and '' Chameli''.
Mishra has had a 30-year career, with his work recognised by the Gover ...
's version of the ''
Devdas
''Devdas'' ( bn, দেবদাস, transliterated as ''Debdās'') is a Bengali romance novel written by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee. The story pivots a tragic triangle linking Devdas, an archetypal lover in viraha (separation); Paro, his forbidd ...
'' saga, entitled '' Aur Devdas'' as Paro. Her much delayed film with
Pooja Bhatt
Pooja Bhatt (born 24 February 1972) is an Indian film director, actress, voice over artist and film maker. Born into the Bhatt family, she is the daughter of Indian filmmaker, Mahesh Bhatt. Bhatt played her first leading role in Mahesh Bhatt's ...
, ''
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining o ...
'', released on 9 January 2019. Chadda also worked for David Womark's Indo-American production '' Love Sonia''. The film had its world premiere at the
London Indian Film Festival
London Indian Film Festival is a film festival established in 2010 to showcase Indian independent film.Her two films, '' Section 375'' a
courtroom drama
A legal drama is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in which a system of justice pl ...
produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak and directed by Ajay Bahl, co-starring
Akshaye Khanna
Akshaye Khanna (born 28 March 1975) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films. He is the son of actor Vinod Khanna. He has won numerous awards in his career including two Filmfare Awards, three Screen Awards and two IIFA Awards in varied ac ...
was released on 13 September 2019. And her second film '' Panga'' directed by
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari (born 15 October 1979) is an Indian filmmaker and writer. After working in advertising for several years, she made her debut by directing the 2016 comedy drama ''Nil Battey Sannata''. The film garnered critical acclaim and ...
with
Kangana Ranaut
Kangna Amardeep Ranaut (; born 23 March 1987) is an Indian actress and filmmaker who works in Hindi films. Known for her work in female-led films, she is the recipient of several awards, including four National Film Awards and five Filmfar ...
as main lead, was released on 24 January 2020. And her Upcoming web-film Lahore Confidential
ZEE5
ZEE5 is an Indian subscription video on-demand and over-the-top streaming service, run by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It was launched in India on 14 February 2018 with content in 12 languages. The ZEE5 mobile app is available on Web, Andro ...
Spying thriller film includes a cross-border love story for RAW Agent Ananya, played by Richa,Chadda released on 11 December 2020. Her latest film ''
Shakeela
C. Shakeela, known mononymously as Shakeela, is an Indian actress and politician who has predominantly acted in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu language films. She is a member of Indian National Congress. Shakeela debuted in the film ''Playgirls ...
'' released in theatres on 25 December 2020.
Her upcoming film includes
Anubhav Sinha
Anubhav Sinha (born 22 June 1965) is an Indian film director, producer and writer who works in Hindi films. He is notable for movies like '' Ra.One'', '' Tum Bin'', '' Dus'', '' Mulk'', '' Article 15'' and ''Thappad''.
Early and personal life
...
’s ''Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai''.
Venture into production (2021–present)
In 2021, she started her own film production company named Pushing Buttons Studios with
Ali Fazal
Ali Fazal (born 15 October 1986) is an Indian actor and model who primarily appears in Hindi films. He made his screen debut with a small role in the English language film '' The Other End of the Line'' before appearing in the American televisio ...
.
Personal life
In 2006, Chadha directed and wrote 20-minute documentary film called "Rooted in Hope." In 2008, she participated in the "Gladrags Megamodel Contest."
In May 2016, Chadda revealed in an interview to
NDTV
New Delhi Television Ltd is an Indian news media company focusing on broadcast and digital news publication. The company is considered to be a legacy brand that pioneered independent news broadcasting in India, and is credited for launching t ...
that she had suffered from
bulimia
Bulimia nervosa, also known as simply bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging or fasting, and excessive concern with body shape and weight. The aim of this activity is to expel the body of calories eaten ...
(an eating disorder) for several years, and that she had recovered after seeking professional help from a clinical psychiatrist. Attributing her eating disorder to patriarchy,
misogyny
Misogyny () is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women. It is a form of sexism that is used to keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the societal roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practice ...
and the prevalence of the '
male gaze
In feminist theory, the male gaze is the act of depicting women and the world in the visual arts and in literature from a masculine, heterosexual perspective that presents and represents women as sexual objects for the pleasure of the heteros ...
' in the field of entertainment, she exhorted other women to go public with their own (patriarchy-induced) eating and mental disorders and called for the destruction of 'ways of thinking' which oppressed women.
She has been in a relationship with
Ali Fazal
Ali Fazal (born 15 October 1986) is an Indian actor and model who primarily appears in Hindi films. He made his screen debut with a small role in the English language film '' The Other End of the Line'' before appearing in the American televisio ...
. She currently resides in
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
.
Richa Chadda considers
B. R. Ambedkar
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the Constituent Assembly debates, served ...
as her icon.
On 23 September 2022, she and her co-partner actor
Ali Fazal
Ali Fazal (born 15 October 1986) is an Indian actor and model who primarily appears in Hindi films. He made his screen debut with a small role in the English language film '' The Other End of the Line'' before appearing in the American televisio ...
announced their marriage and said that the ceremonies would be eco-friendly. On 4 October 2022, she married her co-partner actor
Ali Fazal
Ali Fazal (born 15 October 1986) is an Indian actor and model who primarily appears in Hindi films. He made his screen debut with a small role in the English language film '' The Other End of the Line'' before appearing in the American televisio ...
, at a ceremony in
Lucknow
Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and division ...
.
Off-screen work
Modeling and endorsements
In 2014, she posed as a mermaid for a
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA; , stylized as PeTA) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. PETA reports that PETA entities hav ...
ad campaign, encouraging people to avoid eating fish and to go
vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter.
Vegetariani ...
. The same year, she walked the ramps of
Lakme Fashion Week
Lakmé Fashion Week is a bi-annual fashion week which takes place in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Its ''Summer-Resort'' show takes place in April while the ''Winter-Festive'' show takes place in August.
History
The event first took place in 1 ...
and performed in a play called ''Trivial Disasters''.
Activism
In January 2020, the actress had expressed solidarity with the students victimized in the JNU attack joining other actors from the film fraternity like
Taapsee Pannu
Taapsee Pannu (born 1 August 1987) is an Indian actress who works primarily in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil films. She is the recipient of three Filmfare Awards.
After a brief modelling career, Pannu ventured into acting with the Telugu film ' ...
participating in a protest in Mumbai. Earlier, she opposed a police crackdown on Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University students that took place on 15 December 2019 when students in these two campuses were protesting the India's Citizenship Amendment Act. Chadda created The Kindry, a social media effort, in June 2021, with the goal of amplifying ordinary good tales from society in the midst of the epidemic. The actor and her friend and entrepreneur Krishan Jagota have launched a dedicated Instagram page where they will spotlight people and their acts of goodwill.
Views
Chadda argues that religion in India has deteriorated into hypocrisy, whether in the treatment of women or in the celebration of festivals. Chadda insists she is not "religious," but she has a deep connection with spirituality, and the more she studies it, the more baffled she is by society's treatment of women. Chadda filed a 'public interest' notice in May 2018 with an appeal to defend Hinduism from Hindutva sympathisers. She stated that Hinduism was under attack from
Hindutva
Hindutva () is the predominant form of Hindu nationalism in India. The term was formulated as a political ideology by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in 1923. It is used by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), the ...
leaders. Chadda stated on Twitter, "Yes,
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
is in peril in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
." However, Hindutva proponents pose a threat to Hinduism. Get rid of Hindutva sympathisers and the religion will be saved. In the public interest." After this, Chadda received rape & murder threats from
rightwing
Right-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, authori ...
Hindu trolls. Regarding her interreligious relationship with Ali fazal, Chadda says that there are no objections from either side because his parents understand love. She believes that once you discover love, you should retain it without worrying about anything else, and she found her love in Ali. Chadda stated that her father is a Punjabi and her mother is a Bihari, and they share a great relationship that is unaffected by any form of bigotry. She was quoted saying, “Look, this is India. We are all very mixed. My mother is Bihari whereas my dad is Punjabi and here I am sitting in front of you.
In November 2022, Chadda apologised and deleted a controversial tweet made in response to Lieutenant General
Upendra Dwivedi
Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi AVSM is the present General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Northern Command of the Indian Army. He assumed the post upon the superannuation of Lieutenant General Yogesh Kumar Joshi. Previously he served ...
's statement that the Indian Army is ready to take back Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir if the Indian government issues the order.
Filmography
Films
Podcast
Series
Accolades
* Richa Chadha was honoured with "Bharat Ratna Dr. Ambedkar Award 2020" for her significant contribution to Indian cinema. She received the honour at
Raj Bhavan
Raj Bhavan () is the common name of the official residences of the governors of the states of India and may refer to:
List of Raj Bhavan
See also
* Raj Niwas
*Rashtrapati Bhavan
The Rashtrapati Bhavan (, rāsh-truh-puh-ti bha-vun; ; o ...
from the
Governor of Maharashtra
The governor of Maharashtra is the ceremonial head of the state of Maharashtra. The Constitution of India confers the executive powers of the state to the governor, however the de facto executive powers lie with the Council of Ministers.
Bhagat ...
,
Bhagat Singh Koshyari
Bhagat Singh Koshyari (born 17 June 1942) is an Indian politician serving as the 22nd and current Governor of Maharashtra from 5 September 2019.
An RSS veteran, Koshyari served as National Vice-President of BJP and party's 1st State president ...