Given that Richa Chadha is an outspoken liberal and Kangana Ranaut is a current BJP contender for Lok Sabha in the ongoing 2024 General Elections, the two may seem like rivals. The actors, who are diametrically opposed to one another on the political front, costarred in the film Panga back in 2020. Kangana portrayed the lead role in the movie, while Richa played the role of her closest friend. In a recent interview, the Heeramandi star revealed she wasn’t happy with her character in Panga. 

Richa Chadha talks about working in Panga alongside Kangana Ranaut

In a conversation with Galatta Plus, Richa discussed her role in Panga and expressed dissatisfaction with the way her character was toned down during filming. The actress was also questioned on a prior remarks she made, in which she claimed that in Bollywood, moving from a lead role to a supporting one is a "demotion."

She said, “I kind of opted out of a lot of scenes in that one, I’ll tell you… Especially towards the end. I was excited about it because I thought the film would be about female athletes and how choices are tougher for them, in between having a child and… but somewhere along the line, it went south for me. So I was like, ‘Give me a guest appearance.’” When asked if her character was more of a parallel protagonist when she joined onboard, Richa responded, "I would say it had more meat, definitely." 

Richa Chadha opens up about her pregnancy

Chadha is expecting her first child with her husband Ali Fazal and is planning to take "a well-deserved break" after promoting "Heeramandi" to prepare for the next phase in her life. "When I first heard of the release date, I was a little concerned about just sitting for interviews or travelling for promotions but I guess life has its own plans. So this is what it is. I just go with the flow. And, of course, I'm about to enter a very exciting phase. I think I deserve a well-earned rest and focus on my health," said the actress.