Happy birthday, Richa Chadha: 5 lesser-known facts about powerhouse performer
In addition to her multiple firebrand performances, Richa Chadha has carved a niche for herself in the industry for not mincing her words and calling a spade a spade. Since her debut with Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, she has delivered several memorable performances in the form of Fukrey and Inside Edge, among others. On her 36th birthday, let's explore some lesser-known facts about her.
Apart from acting, Chadha received training in Bharatanatyam
If you thought Chadha's biggest strength is her ability to emote and breathe life into difficult roles, think again! The Gangs of Wasseypur actor is also reportedly a trained Bharatanatyam dancer and has received training in this challenging craft for several years. We would love to see her in the lead role of a dance-oriented film soon. What do you think?
The actor earlier used to intern at a fashion magazine
Chadha's journey from an outsider to an unconventional actor in the industry has been far from easy. This can be further understood by the fact that before joining the industry, she interned with a men's fashion magazine. In addition to that, to hone her skills, she also invested her time in theater and modeling, which further reaped benefits when she entered Bollywood.
She once almost interviewed Abhay Deol
While interning at the aforementioned magazine, Chadha had approached Abhay Deol for an interview. Chadha, who wanted to do a "fashion feature" with him, was told by Deol, "I have several films as the lead next year, give me a cover then, not now." However, as luck would have it, the duo collaborated on Chadha's first film just six months later!
She was once asked to play Hrithik Roshan's mother!
Actors often speak about being typecast in their career-defining roles, and that seems to have happened with Chadha, too. Well, almost. Since she played a much older Nawazuddin Siddiqui's mother to perfection in Anurag Kashyap's crime drama franchise, Gangs of Wasseypur, she was reportedly later approached for a similar role as the mother of Hrithik Roshan, who's also older than her. Naturally, she refused.
She fought an eating disorder called bulimia
Chadha once revealed her dreadful battle with bulimia, an eating disorder. She had said, "I hated myself...I gained weight in a strange way and felt like a failure. In an industry where competition is brutal and unending, it gets difficult to find relevant work." She was also asked to "fix [her] nose," "wear Spanx," "pout while talking," "run in heels," and "inflate [her] lips."
