Actor Richa Chadha, who recently welcomed her first child with husband Ali Fazal, has opened up about the deeply emotional, physical, and professional challenges she has faced since stepping into motherhood. After nearly two years away, Richa finally returned to work this Sunday, and her powerful, heartfelt note on Instagram has struck a chord across the internet.
Sharing a series of photos, including a glimpse of her daughter, Richa reflected on why her comeback took longer than expected. “My body and my mind weren’t ready at all,” she wrote, revealing that postpartum recovery was far more intense and prolonged than she had anticipated. But beyond the physical and mental hurdles, Richa also spoke about an unexpected source of pain—professional betrayal.
Without naming names, the actress called out people within the industry who, according to her, acted with “cruelty” during her most vulnerable phase. She wrote about encountering individuals driven by “deep-seated inferiority complexes” and a scarcity mindset, describing them as emotional “dementors” who drain joy from the lives of others. “I forgive, but I NEVER forget,” she warned, adding that those responsible would know exactly who she was referring to.
Richa further emphasised how motherhood can blur one’s sense of identity. “Mommy doesn’t remember who she was before the baby was born,” she wrote, explaining that her mental recovery took much longer than the physical. She credited her support system for helping her slowly rediscover herself, acknowledging that it truly “takes amazing support to help the mom.”
The actress also offered a sharp critique of social media culture and the pressure on public figures—especially new mothers—to constantly churn out content. She shared her discomfort with turning personal struggles into “marketable” stories or being invited on podcasts just to cry on camera. “I am not employed by social media. I have a life,” she wrote, expressing her fear of sharing even small snippets of her personal world.
Richa ended her note with a nostalgic yearning for a simpler digital era—one that didn’t demand branding, performance, or endless online presence. As she stands at the threshold of her professional return, her candid confession sheds light on the often-unspoken realities of postpartum life and the emotional resilience required to step back into the spotlight.
