Richa Chadha is busy receiving congratulatory messages this month. The third part of her slacker-comedy franchise Fukrey is inching towards the Rs 100 crore-mark. It’s an exceptional feat, given Shah Rukh Khan’s monster-hit Jawan is still dominating the big screens. “I myself went for Jawan,” Richa confesses. She then adds, smiling, “I love Shah Rukh Khan.”
The coming year is packed with a lot for the Gangs of Wasseypur actor. She is donning the role of a courtesan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s OTT debut Heeramandi. Then there is Girls Will Be Girls, the maiden production of Richa and Ali Fazal’s Pushing Buttons Studios. The celebrity couple also recently announced their wedding documentary, RiAlity.
“It started off as a behind-the-scenes family video but eventually evolved into something more interesting,” says Richa.
We speak to the actor about Fukrey 3, the challenges of being a first-time producer, and if Sanjay Leela Bhansali is as intimidating as he is perceived to be.
Excerpts:
You were a pleasant surprise in Charlie Chopra and The Mystery of the Solang Valley. How did Charlie… happen?
Vishal ji (director Vishal Bhardwaj) just called me one day and said that there’s this small role he has for me and asked if I would consider doing it. He wanted an actor who could speak Punjabi and seem like a believable Punjabi woman. I just wanted to work with him and get the experience. I don’t see any future for me in Charlie… But who knows? Maybe me and Vishal ji will do something more expansive later.
When it comes to the Fukrey franchise, audiences seem to adore the characters more than the films themselves. You have played the role of Bholi Punjaban in the first two installments. When you are approaching a character for the third time, do you think about putting something different on the table?
I think the character’s evolution and putting things differently comes from the script. If the script evolves into being maybe a tad bit more serious than the previous installment or if the other characters have also evolved, their aspirations have changed, it is natural to assume that someone like Bholi will also change. Maybe she will expose different sides of her personality. We don’t know if she sees long term, but she seems to change in the short term and has some realisations. But we don’t know if the change will continue for the fourth part.
So, there is going to be a fourth part?
(Laughs) No, that I can’t confirm. It is the makers’ choice. I also think that will depend on where we end up at the box office.
You are reuniting with Sanjay Leela Bhansali after Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013). How was your experience working with him on Heeramandi?
It was different from Ram-Leela for sure. In that film, my character was feisty and intense. My role in Heeramandi is quite different but still interesting. What is great about Bhansali sir is that he intricately understands the craft. He really knows what he wants and what he doesn’t. You can’t fool him by doing anything half-heartedly.
A lot of actors claim he is intimidating and rather difficult on set…
When others say he is ruthless or a taskmaster or whatever, those are the same qualities that make me want to work with him again and again. Whenever I collaborate with him, since he has such high standards, he pushes me to do my best. I love a director who breaks your ego and helps you create from the ground up.
You are also coming up with a film called Nurse Manjot, based on the oxygen crisis during COVID-19’s second wave in Delhi. What can you tell us about it?
It’s a story that unfolds over two nights and is about the trials and tribulations of frontline workers. It is being produced by Zee and directed by Abhishek Acharya. The second wave was one of the most difficult times for all of us. Just that sheer number of deaths. We all knew someone who had passed away. As a generation, I think COVID-19, especially the second wave, left a deep impact on our psyche.
You have recently ventured into production with Girls Will Be Girls. What lured you to back the project?
I admired the director’s (debutant Shuchi Talati) understanding of human emotions and her ability to depict the drama of interpersonal relationships. We have had so many films about the relationship between a ‘maa da laadla’ (apple of the mom’s eye) and his mother. There also have been portrayals of tumultuous relationships between a father and son. I think a mother-daughter relationship is one of the most difficult and complicated. It was a great space to explore.
How is the shift from being an actor to being a producer?
One thing you learn is what not to do. Because as an actor you have been on sets where the producers weren’t good, so you try not to repeat the mistakes, the outcomes of which you suffered as an actor.
When you say ‘what not to do’, what does that consist of?
Not listening to your crew. I think what is really important as a producer is to always listen to your team. If there is an outdoor shoot and they are complaining about the food, sooner or later you’ll have to change the caterer. It’s all about providing for their needs and making the set comfortable for them to operate. You have to preempt things. If you are shooting a rainfall sequence, there have to be towels and bathrobes for actors, maybe a bathroom close by to change. As an actor, it has been quite a gear shift, but I am not complaining.