Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal welcomed a baby girl, Zuneyra Ida Fazal, on July 16, 2024, and the couple was over the moon. But much like any other parent, especially a mother, embracing parenthood is not just about one dopamine dose after another. It comes with a bag of mixed emotions - joy, anxiety, sleep deprivation, happiness, sadness, and fatigue among others.
As Richa Chadha started working again, nearly two years after giving birth to her daughter, she took to Instagram to share her journey. "As much as I would have liked to get back sooner, my body, my mind wasn't ready at all," she wrote.
Richa Chadha Witnessed Professional Betrayals After Embracing Motherhood
The Heeramandi actor wrote, "Other than these practical, tangible issues, I have had to deal with deep professional betrayals from close quarters."
Remember the 1990s or the time before that when many actors used to leave work after embracing parenthood (or at least take a sabbatical before gracing the silver screen again). Then we saw Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Yami Gautam, Deepika Padukone, and Neha Dhupia returning to work after becoming mothers.
And many of them also opened up about how the Indian film industry is not welcoming towards new mothers. Richa Chadha's recent revelation confirms how people in the cinema sideline new moms or do not offer a supportive environment so that they can get back to work. How can we forget Deepika Padukone's 8-hour shift controversy that reportedly led her to exit Spirit and Kalki sequel?
"A Rare Few Have Ethics And Courage," Wrote Richa Chadha
As Richa continued, she shared, "I have learnt that in the industry, a rare few have ethics and courage. Most people operate from such deep-seated inferiority complexes and scarcity mentality, that they have never meant what they say."
"They're never happy, so they spread unhappiness. Like dementors - they suck all joy out of life. But this is not me, I mean Guru Dutt said this 70 years ago!," she added.
She further wrote that people who have displayed "unwarranted, one-sided cruelty" towards her during her most vulnerable phase perhaps never received adequate love in their own lives. "You know who you are. I forgive, but I NEVER forget. Please bear this in mind should you cross my path," Richa wrote, warning people who have done wrong to her.
Richa Chadha Wrote About Postpartum Struggles
Much like many mothers, Richa Chadha also battled postpartum issues. "If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes amazing support to help the mom because Mommy doesn't remember who she was before the baby was born," the actor said.
"The mental recovery from it took longer than I hoped," Richa added further.
She also added that many people suggested she make more content for social media, but she was having a tough time and was afraid to share what she was going through. She added that she was not happy about receiving podcast invites to "talk about it, with cameras rolling, zooming in to every tear".
She also slammed the algorithm of social media and remembered days when people could just post about everyday mundane things like food. However, now it's a "necro-capitalism" web which traps creators into a niche. "Why must I try to sell something to you?" she asked.
She ended the note with a message (and wit), "We must pause to ask ourselves what the point of sharing things is... Is sharing important so that others don't feel alone? Or is it important so you can get rich? I am already RICHa."
"Jo dikhta hai wohi bikta hai, par har insaan bikau nahin hota na [What is seen is sold but not every human has a price tag]," Richa concluded the note.
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