Richa Chadha on postpartum pain, betrayal in the industry and returning to work
Richa Chadha shares her experience of returning to work after motherhood, navigates professional challenges and questions the demands of social media on public figures. They welcomed their daughter Junera in 2024.
Richa Chadha has shared some glimpses with her newborn daughter Zunera aka Zuni, and along with it, an unfiltered, deeply honest account of what returning to work after motherhood actually looks like. In a heartfelt note, the actor revealed that it is not very easy to step back into professional life after being away for almost two years, not only because of the physical and emotional demands of childbirth, but also due to troubling professional betrayals.
Chadha wrote that returning to work took longer than he expected. She said, “On Sunday, I went back to work after almost two years. Although I wanted to come back soon, my body, my mind were not ready at all.”
She described the long, slow journey of mental recovery and the confusing loss of identity that often plagues new mothers. “Mom doesn’t remember who she was before the baby was born,” she admitted, emphasizing how essential a supportive environment becomes during this transition.
The actress also opened up about the professional failures she faced during her lowest point. Citing the lack of ethics he faced, he wrote, “I have faced deep professional betrayals from people close to me. In this industry, only a few have the courage. Most people operate with a deep-seated inferiority complex like a dementor – they take away all the happiness from life.” She said that although she forgives, she “never forget”, leaving a clear message to those who wronged her.
Chadha’s note also points to the constant pressure on public figures to perform consistently on social media, especially after entering motherhood. She revealed that she is hesitant to share private moments online out of fear that it will be turned into content material. “Everyone tells you to post more, create more ‘content,’ but I’m not employed by social media. I have a life,” she wrote.
He reflected on the era when the Internet felt more real, admitting that now he worries that any heartfelt moment that might lead to a podcast invitation “will have cameras zooming in on each tear.”
Chadha and her husband, actor Ali Fazal, welcomed their daughter, Zunera Ida Fazal on July 16, 2024. Sharing the news in a joint statement at the time, they wrote, “We are delighted to announce the arrival of a healthy baby girl on 16.07.24! Our family is overjoyed, and we thank our well-wishers for their love and blessings.”
Chaddha was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Heeramandi: Diamond Market on Netflix and is now preparing to return to comedy with a fourth installment Fukre Franchise.
