Richa Chadha shares hard-hitting blog post on Sushant's death, slams trolls & media

Richa Chadha summed up the numerous debates and problematic practices in the film industry currently in a strongly-worded blog. The actor expressed her displeasure at trolls targeting actors in the wake of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, the ‘insider vs outsider’ debate and the unfavourable working style of producers, journalists, paparazzi. From calling herself a ‘star kid’ to claiming those slamming nepotism had got their break in the industry due to ‘nepotism’, the Fukrey star had a unique take on the frequently used terms.

Introducing her write-up as her reaction to ‘much chatter about nepotism’ and 'too little' talk on how the environment could affect one’s mental health, Richa wrote that it was all in the wake of a ‘suicide by a beautiful actor who happened to be an old friend.’

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Richa wrote that the ‘insider vs outsider’ debate was currently doing the rounds, but the industry, according to her, was about ‘kind and unkind people’. She compared the industry to a 'food chain', with those who get bullied carrying it forward to their subordinates. "It is a deeply isolating profession, wherein success and failure are both public and bring their share of dilemmas," she wrote. The actor was not too pleased about actors dominating national headlines for a 'disproportionate amount of time.'

Amid the insider vs outsider, she claimed there were insiders who were kind and generous, but outsiders who were 'punitive egomaniacs', who 'cut' her to size during the initial phase of her career. She recalled using all her strength to battle the 'subtle sabotage.' 

Richa 'laughed' at the nepotism debate and termed it as 'hateful and nonsense argument. ' Asserting that she did not hate 'star kids', she stated that there was no reason to be 'ashamed' of one's parents, legacy, in the same way she couldn't want her children to be ashamed of her achievements. She stated that even the star families had their competition, and there were hierarchies there too, with 'grandson of a legendary singer or the son of an ace stuntman maybe thought of as lesser than that of a director or actor.'  

Comparing the difference in the lifestyle of those from film families and those not, she recalled how she and Sushant used to workshop together in a theatre group and he'd pick her on a bike on the way to the rehearsal. Richa stated that she was grateful for it, but it was not because she was 'poor' or 'broke.' She stated that it was not that ‘money was not a consideration’, but her make-up melting in an auto-rickshaw before reaching the shoot of a skin brand bothered her, while a star kid won't go through such a situation, and even if they take the auto-rickshaw will be called 'humble.'  

Richa highlighted that she had to choose between the classes she had to pick, but was still 'privileged' to ask her parents for money, but she was keen to get those luxuries herself. However, she saw many promising talents fade away only because they did not know English or the importance of grooming.  She claimed many actresses before her didn’t get second chances for not knowing English, and one would find in a 'non-descript web show' now. 

The actor pointed the need to shed the 'classism' in the industry as those who couldn't read Hindi or talk properly, were 'applauded for merely existing', while it was 'disarming' for a 'realistic' actor, who becomes a star, to claim that he didn't know English. She stated that the finesse of stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan and Zeenat Aman was 'evaporating', as she highlighted the importance of education, reading up on Harishankar Parsai and Shakespeare.   

Richa shared that even something on the lines of 'reverse nepotism' existed, as those who are from film families, but earn a bad reputation and then find it hard to get cast in a project. 

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Defining nepotism as to 'benefit from one's relationships', she stated that many, who are blaming nepotism for not getting accepted, had got their initial break due to physical relations with an influential person, who recommended their name to a producer or noticed when a family friend wanted to cast a ‘fresh face’. She stated that the difference between nepotism and legacy was how the latter was created by the likes of Zakir Hussain, and how the former did not leave such an impact. She also disagreed with the argument on one's acceptance being dependant on the audience's love, stating that one needs to be cast to be accepted or rejected.   

She also stated that having a discussion about equality before questioning entitlement and privilege was not possible in the manner in which trolls were blaming the 'privileged' for someone's death and issuing rape threats to a woman. She asked if they wished to push another person to suicide and be booked for it. 

Richa wrote that star kids do not have it easy, but they have it easier than an 'outsider'. She also quipped that she faced difficulties for not being a 'star kid', but quickly followed that by asserting that she indeed was a 'star kid', crediting her parents for raising her 'right.'     

The Masaan star wrote how the same netizens who had trolled Sushant when he took a stand on the Padmaavat controversy, were now spreading ‘filth’ on his comments section of and that of his girlfriend. She termed them as 'fake fans' and 'bots', and called the 'hypocrisy' as 'strategic and pathetic.'  The actor called the 'moral degradation' surrounding the death as 'chita pe roti sekna'.

She shared how producers were 'shedding crocodile tears' on Sushant's death, but were the same ones whose cheque had bounced, and who didn't clear their dues, forcing some of them, whose dues amounted a 1 BHK flat cost in Andheri, to shift to the outskirts. Richa hailed Salman Khan and the unions for their 'largesse' during this time.   

Richa shared that she was paid Rs 2.50 lakh for Gangs of Wasseypur and she is grateful for the opportunity that Anurag Kashyap gave with for the movie. However, she stated that someone was still earning money on the movie, to highlight the point of royalty.  She pointed out Parveen Babi did not have money to treat themselves in their last days.

She wrote about directors who ran their colleagues' film even before release, replaced actresses who refused to get physical, or asserted repeatedly that they couldn’t do anything. Richa shared that even one's managers could not be trusted as they'd 'steal' from their clients and then say that everyone did so. 

Richa fumed at the journalists, publicists and promotion persons, calling them 'venomous' and that they'd 'sacrifice anyone’s life and sanity' for TRPs and headlines. She recalled how Akshaye Khanna was pained after he was prodded to answer questions on his father's death and not signing any film for four years. The actor called them 'woke Twitteratti' or those who 'lie shamelessly.' 

Richa recalled a journalist angrily calling Irrfan's staff, before he had passed away, and then complaining about not being informed when the person could not break the news. She also vented at the stars who sent their statements on a celebrities demise even before the person passes away.

She recalled how journalists had arrived at her boyfriend Ali Fazal’s home in Lucknow when his mother passed away. "Show me where it says that we are mere products who must not have dignity even in death, or that our loved ones deserve these transgressions," the actor fumed. 

Richa termed the reporting on Sushant's death as 'disastrous', right from sharing pictures of his mortal remains, statements of his psychiatrist, even blaming for the numerous suicides that followed. 

The actor highlighted instances when paparazzi hounded Kajol’s daughter and were bothered about the littlest details of Taimur. She hit out at the paparazzi who try to click actresses inappropriately and then upload the video online under the hashtag 'wardrobe mishap’, and chase the stars down the streets and then body-shame the star by calling the person 'fashion culprit.'

She asked who had invented the term 'outsider', and why Indians should be called so at a time when foreign nationals without knowing the language were accepted. She highlighted late Tom Alter's grasp of Hindi and Urdu, and how it could put the 'actors' if they at least knew him. 

Richa also pointed out how print and advertising costs made it tough for a level playing field, where 'competing advertorials' dominated. She claimed the cost of publicising a small film was even more than the cost of production, and that we should learn from the film industry in Chennai. She also called for a cap on ticket prices, acknowledgement of the writers and directors, gender parity and the implementation of the 'content is king' term, and insurance for stunt artists and light men. 

She also asked why there was silence on a 'deliberate attempt' to 'vilify the industry' and present all in a bad light. Terming her views as ' amateur perspective', she hoped it will 'stimulate a long overdue and necessary discussion.' She hoped one celebrates each other's successes and not failures, and it was important to find out the toxins, making the industry 'toxic'.       

Read the full blog 

   Image credit: Richa Chadha Blog

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