- Richa Chadha called Ali Fazal’s 2026 run a culmination of years of hard work.
- She recalled the actor’s early days when he lived in a shanty and owned a bicycle.
- Richa also remembered people who once doubted Ali Fazal’s caree
Richa Chadha has plenty on her plate in 2026, from returning to acting after motherhood to launching her travel series Musafiri. But when it comes to her husband Ali Fazal, the actor says she is simply enjoying seeing years of his hard work finally pay off.
Ali has had a busy 2026, with projects including Prime Video India's crime series Raakh, Shakun Batra's segment in Lust Stories 3 and Mirzapur: For Richa, watching this phase of his career has been especially special because she has seen the actor's journey from much earlier.
“What a year he's having! How can I not champion him?” Richa told SCREEN.
The actor said there is no complicated feeling attached to Ali's success, despite her own slower return to work after becoming a mother to their daughter Zuneyra Ida Fazal. Instead, she sees 2026 as a moment to celebrate everything her husband has worked towards over the years.
“Of course, it's more complex than just being supportive, but not this year. We've been together for a long time. We've been married for six years. When I see the culmination of all the hard work he's done over the years in 2026, there's no complexity. There's just pure happiness,” she said.
Richa also looked back at the phase when Ali was still trying to find his footing in the industry. She recalled seeing him when his circumstances were very different from what they are today.
“I've seen him at the time when he lived in a shanty and owned a bicycle. He's not only my partner, but also my friend. To see him overcome everything is just a very different feeling. I feel like maine iss din ke liye isko paal pos ke bada kiya hai,” she said.
According to Richa, their journey has also included dealing with people who doubted Ali's career. She recalled that when she first announced their relationship, two people from the film industry contacted her and questioned his prospects.
“When I announced my relationship, two members from the film industry called me and said, ‘Iss ladke ka kuchh nahi hoga‘,” Richa recalled.
She also pointed to the reactions around Ali's 2017 Hollywood film Victoria & Abdul, which starred Judi Dench. “I can tell you that two people had said about that film, ‘Isko kaise mil gaya?' To hold your own in front of Judi Dench is very hard,” she said.
For Richa, Ali's current run therefore represents more than a successful year of films. It is a reminder of how far he has come.