Becoming an athlete is a process: Richa Chadha

Richa Chadha, who was off the radar for a while, has been busy shooting some interesting projects. Her next slate of films have an impressive variety of roles, be it a South Indian adult filmstar in a biopic, or a lawyer in Section 375.

Besides these two films, one of the most physically challenging films for Richa will be Ashwini Iyer Tiwari’s Panga. The film will have the actress essaying the role of a kabaddi player. During the prep of the film and while filming the movie, the first thing Richa was taught was to lose her vanity and be willing to get dirty without complaints.

Richa says, “I have never stepped away from immersing myself into the roles that I get. I wouldn’t think twice to go through any physical training or transformation, provided it elevates the character and the story. Panga is an interesting one, because becoming an athlete is a process and some of the things I learned during this process were very fruitful.”

“Our coaches taught us to not be afraid and to get ourselves dirty in the pit, which required very intricate altercations. For example, we had to cut our nails because in kabaddi, one can be fouled for long nails as it can hurt an opponent. So these things really taught me the discipline that’s required to be an athlete. I’m glad I got to train like them and learn the sport,” she adds.

Panga revolves around a family that laughs, cries and dreams together. The film features Richa Chadha, Pankaj Tripathi and Neena Gupta, among others.