Actor Richa Chadha on why she believes Bollywood shouldn't be accused of favouring its own
Deebashree Mohanty (TIMES LIFE; July 30, 2017)

Is it tough to be yourself in Bollywood?
No, it isn't. I don't believe in dual personalities. I am what I am and I would have been the same if I were a pilot, engineer or doctor. I have played a lot of characters, ­ some are borderline maniacs while some like me as a person. But at the end of the day, they are fictional, and definitely not me.

So, who are you?
I am a woman who has the guts to call a spade a spade.

Do you think playing strong roles can lead you to be typecast?
I don't think it is a trap to be typecast. I played a liberated character in Masaan, and if it inspires other people to view a woman's sexuality without being judgmental, hell, yeah! If that is the image I have created on screen, I can live with that. But the problem is not many producers want to back such roles. I have learnt to be very specific in my interviews, because the moment I tag a movie as 'hatke', 'parallel' or my role as 'strong', producers start to cringe. They think such films don't rake in the moolah.

Since 2011, we have seen many movies take up issues that plague our society. Would you call it a fad or is it a serious shift?
It would be belittling if I called this a fad. It is a movement. The audience is accepting female protagonists at the helm of a storyline. Because films like Neerja and Queen have managed to send producers laughing all the way to the bank, there are others who are willing to cast women in lead roles. There is progress ­ slow but steady!

You said that there is no such role as 'power woman'. Elaborate...
I have an aversion towards these so called “smart“ coinages like ­ 'power women' roles etc. These words mean nothing. Being a woman is synonymous to being powerful. So, why give it another adjective?

Some say nepotism is a reality in every field. Your thoughts?
I would disagree. I don't think if my father was a banker, he would want me to be one, too. I can understand that in Bollywood the culture is such because children resemble their parents ­ it is safe to assume that they will grow up to act. Nepotism, for me, is media generated ­ by posting pictures of star kids while they are going to school, when they are with their nannies etc. We are making too big a deal about a star kid. Now, when that kid (who has already had a lot of camera time) joins the movies, we ask...why nepotism? If I had a son or daughter who wanted to join the industry, I would support them and go out of my way to ensure that he/she finds a fit. Isn't that what all parents would do? My problem is with all the brouhaha being created over nothing.

Do you think having a perfect body is an obsession with today's generation?
I don't think it is a problem of this generation alone. We have wasted a lot of our time and energy discussing body issues. I wish, as a society, we would spend more time deliberating about things that matter like wars, injustice, what's happening in Syria etc. Your weight is not a global problem. It is personal, so deal with it in that space.

Your tip to deal with everyday sexism?
Speak up. Support women who speak against sexism instead of trolling them on social media.

How do you deal with failures?
I face failure every week; there is no other choice but to move on. Good roles are few and far between, pay cheques aren't robust, some people have a different image of you than how you would want them to perceive. It's hard. But you gotta keep moving! If you are talented and ready to persevere, there is nothing that can stop you.

What gets to you?
Nomenclatures like 'outsiders'. What does that even mean? We are all living in India, we are all Indians. No one is an outsider in this country unless you are on a visitor's visa.