Richa Chadha
Richa Chadha insists Payal Ghosh’s unconditional apology in defamation case matters more than monetary compensation
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 15, 2020)

On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court took on record the consent terms as an undertaking with an unconditional apology extended by Payal Ghosh in the defamation suit filed against her by Richa Chadha. Payal agreed to withdraw all defamatory statements and posts from her social media handles. Speaking to Mirror, Richa, who is currently shooting in Lucknow, said she felt vindicated by the verdict. Excerpts:

On October 7, Payal Ghosh’s lawyer had told the Bombay High Court that she was ready to withdraw her statement and tender an unconditional apology which was recorded in the order that day, but soon after, she tweeted that she would not apologize. Now, that she has done so and signed a consent term as an understanding, is there any chance of her doing a volte-face?
The court has constantly recorded what is right and I’d not hold Twitter over the court. It is not just an apology; it is the consent terms as an undertaking, which is sacrosanct. My fans may want more, but this was not about money, only about my respect. The suit continues against the other defendants even though the news channel agreed to the injunction and deletion of all videos and posts with defamatory content against me, and Kamaal R Khan’s lawyer gave a statement as recorded in the order of the court that his client has no intention of repeating his tweets and that he’ll not make any similar remarks about me or the statement made by Payal in relation to me on Twitter or any other media. Out of respect for the court and the proceedings on October 7, I decided not to press for monetary compensation. It was not about money anyway. You can’t put a price on my reputation. I had sued for Rs 1.1 crore, which is very close to the bare minimum in a defamatory case in the Bombay High Court. I didn’t start it, but I have certainly finished it.

Has the #MeToo movement been derailed by a few?
I hope not. I know serial sexual predators are now scared, and those accused have installed CCTV cameras in their offices. We have created a safer work environment for women. But the #MeToo movement has only scraped the surface in India; it’s going to gather steam.

I’m not here to defend Anurag Kashyap nor claim that Payal’s allegations against him are baseless. The comments were misogynistic and personal; I had to set the record straight.

In other countries, women came together to call out perpetrators of sexual abuse. In India, women seem to be targeting other women...
Even in the West, when a few women came forward to complain against Harvey Weinstein, there were others who wondered why they hadn’t spoken up sooner. Actress Mayim Bialik wrote about how her mother had taught her to be appropriate, insinuating that women who giggle or dress in a certain way, are inviting advances. It took several Oscar winners to support the movement and share their stories, to bring about a difference.

Do you think the formal apology will set a precedent against defamatory statements?
A natural recourse while reporting abuse is going to the cops. Talking about it in the media first can be counterproductive. In a country like India, where rapes are still a regular occurrence, it is important to be responsible both while reporting abuse and making statements. That’s why I am interested in the outcome of the lawsuit filed by 34 producers and associations of the industry. The difference between slander and news is fact.

Over the past few months, the industry has faced a lot of mudslinging. Will fans go back to idolising film stars?
There are consequences to trolling; besides tangible ones like losing out on work, it also takes a toll on mental health. In fact, in the aftermath of Sushant Singh Rajput’s tragic death, we had an opportunity to talk about mental health. If you want change, you need to discuss it. Instead, everyone is trying to be holier-than-thou and calling for a ban on people who aren’t. We need to talk about nepotism; there is no running away from it. But by attacking people, nothing can be achieved.

But will social media verdicts lead to a financial setback for the industry that is still grappling with the Coronavirus-induced crisis?
That is yet to be seen. The most immediate effect will be noticed when struggling actors come to the city and try to find accommodation. People don’t realise how many industries rely on Bollywood for a living.

How much of a rock was your fiancé Ali Fazal during this harrowing time?
He was the first one to alert me, on September 19, adding that I shouldn’t concern myself with it. I wouldn’t have taken the legal recourse if I could have solved the matter over the phone. Over the last month, I have spoken to my lawyer far more than I spoke to Ali, but he has always been there for me.