Even when I was fat, I had work: Richa Chadha

In an exclusive interview with IndiaToday.in, Richa Chadha opened up about her weight loss journey, how both men and women feel the pressure to look good in front of the camera, and how she got work in the industry regardless of her body weight.

Bollywood actress Richa Chadha recently left everyone surprised with her physical transformation. For those who do not know, the actress lost 15 kg in a matter of just three months and inspired everyone to stay fit and fab. She even shared a video on social media where she spoke about her body weight at length.

Now, in an exclusive interview with IndiaToday.in, Richa revealed why she decided to create the video, her take on body positivity, how showbiz adds extra pressure to look a certain way, and how, despite not conforming to physical stereotypes, she never found it difficult to find work in cinema.

Showbiz certainly adds extra pressure to look good, after all, it is a visual medium. But Richa Chadha reveals that even before her physical transformation, she didn't find it difficult to find work. "Even when I was fat, it is not like I did not have work. And now that I am thin, I want to tell actors, aspiring actors, artists that you don't have to be a certain shape to continue to get work in the film industry. Yes, it is possible that aapko bohot zyada diverse characters na mile, because it is a visual medium. But it will never be like you won't find work. So, do not stress about it," Richa started off.

So, why did she feel the need to share her body transformation journey with her fans and other aspiring actors? Richa says that she did not make a video on her transformation to tell people whether they should be thin or not. Instead, her intent was to take the pressure off. "I just made it because I felt, whoever is in front of the camera, men or women, feel that pressure. Men have the pressure to have six-pack abs, they have to look good all the time, they also have to take care of their hair and muscles. For women, the pressure takes a different form. This pressure is uniform. Everyone is constantly monitoring, measuring. So I wanted to talk about that," said Richa.

Richa went on to add, "Just observe your body and treat it with respect, like a process rather than a destination. That's all I want to say because there's no point in giving weight-loss tips as every second person has a fitness ideology and attitude. I am not qualified."