Bachchan, SRK Have Been Kind To Me

Richa Chaddha talks about her party tonight, personal life and career


The actress is in the news for her party today. She has invited several biggies. Industry suspects 'self promotion' tactics. The time is right to grill her. Excerpts from the interview:
 

What is this party which you're hosting tonight?
It’s just a fun thing, which I have every year in my house. I call everyone who I am working with. This time the list became long. It would have been difficult to accommodate so many people at my house. 

Buzz is, it's a self-promotion exercise...
No. A self- promotion would help a corporate, not an individual, at least not in India.

But you've also invited Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan...
I have invited everyone who I have a bond with. Bachchan and Shah Rukh have been very kind to me. But I wouldn't like to elaborate on that as it would tantamount to dropping names. And that is something I hate.

Have you invited Aamir Khan and Salman Khan?
No, because I havent interacted with them yet.

But you want to work with them...
Surely. They are such good actors.

You have worked with Anurag Kashyap, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Dibakar Banerjee. Have you invited them?
Of course. I owe my career to Kashyap (Gangs of Wasseypur 1 and 2). Bhansali (Ram Leela) knows about just everything- music, dance music, screenplay, photography, costume. I have never met someone so knowledgeable as Bhansali. As for Dibakar (Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!), he is so smart that he is making a fool of the word; he is so sharp. Working with Mira Nair (Words with God) changed my personality; I learnt to be assertive without being aggressive.



You are known as a shy girl in the industry...
People think I am shy, but I am not.  I am quite out there. You want to know how come I have no qualms in playing bold. I gauge the filmmakers intention. If he simply wants to focus on the female figure for just the heck of it, I put my foot down.  Also, its time we learn to treat cinema with dignity. I still cant forget the manner in which Seemna Biswas was castigated for doing a nudes scene in Bandit Queen.

Can u always gauge a filmmakers intention?
I am not stupid (laughs).

Would you do a Seema Biswas?
It would depend on who's the filmmaker.

If  it is Shekhar Kapur...
Why not? (pauses) Hmmm... no.  I am not comfortable with nudity yet. I have been conditioned as an Indian girl. And it is difficult to get rid of that.

Are you dating someone?
Which actor will answer this question honestly (laughs)? Okay, on a serious note, let me tell you that our work gives us very little time to mingle. We move from one film to another, hence we are always in flux. In such a scenario, it is difficult to find an anchor. But I am amazed that recently, there have been too many rumours about me.

Namit Khanna?
I am not dating him.

Ali Fazal?
He is just a friend.

Do you have to explain your link-ups at home?
Not really, but I do get disturbed. A few days ago, my dad sat me down and said that I should learn to deal with it. He said that it was only because I am becoming more popular. If I get into a committed relationship, I would definitely make no bones about it.

Have you been in a relationship?
I was in a relationship with someone outside Mumbai, but it fizzled out. Blame it on the distance. Also, many men are insecure about dating an actress. They assume we live ridiculously debauched lives. Forget dating,  I remember seeing a flat in Juhu-Versova Link Road. The building's owner got pictures clicked with me when I went to see the flat but later called up to say that he was averse to having an actress in his building. My friend Kalki (Koelchin) too faced a similar predicament.

Are you learning cabaret for Pooja Bhatts film by the same name, which is your next assignment?
Obviously,  cabaret is not a conceptualised form of dancing.

Do you repent doing Tamanchey, which sank without a trace?
No, I had signed that film three years ago. I take every film as a learning experience. I constantly strive to improve. I approach my work differently. I even did a play early this year.

Are you saying that you're not competing with the current lot- Alia, Shraddha, Parineeti...?
My work is different from theirs. We all have our own identity. And please, I dont want to be a ‘me too.