Richa Chadha explains her acting break after daughter Zuneyra's birth

Actor Richa Chadha has spoken openly about why she stepped away from acting after the birth of her daughter, Zuneyra Ida Fazal. In a recent interview, she described a hard delivery that left her weak for months. She said she chose to stay out of the spotlight while she healed.

Richa said she had a natural delivery and lost a lot of blood, and getting her health back took a long time. She also spoke about struggling with brain fog during that phase. "I wanted to be seen less. I wanted to have my nesting period," she said, adding that she wanted time at home rather than on a film set.

She could not fully rest, though. In the six to eight months after the birth, she was busy bringing out Girls Will Be Girls, her first film as a producer. She said she was handling platform deals, release plans and other preparations all at once. The load took a toll on her body, and she needed rest and vitamins. The film premiered in the competition section of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, won praise from critics, and was later released on Amazon Prime Video.

Even while recovering, she kept working away from the camera. She finished a show for an OTT platform and did the research for Musafiri, an upcoming eight-episode non-fiction docuseries that she has written, hosted and produced. She said her pace slowed while she juggled so much. But with a new film about to start, she said audiences should see much more of her soon.

Richa and actor Ali Fazal legally married in 2020 and held grand wedding celebrations in 2022. Their daughter Zuneyra was born on July 16, 2024.

Before she became a mother, Richa appeared in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's web series Heeramandi. Her next film is Anubhav Sinha's Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai, which also features Prateik Patil and Cyrus Broacha.