Why Richa Chadha stepped away for nearly two years after childbirth (Source: Express Archive Photo)
Actor Richa Chadha recently spoke about returning to work after nearly two years, revealing that her absence was shaped not only by pregnancy and postpartum recovery, but also by emotional and professional wounds that took time to heal.
After welcoming her daughter Zuni with her husband, actor Ali Fazal, Richa stepped back from the public eye. As she resumed work, she shared a personal note on Instagram, offering insight into why that pause was necessary. “On Sunday, I went back to work after nearly 2 years. As much as I would have liked to get back sooner, my body, my mind wasn’t ready at all. But other than these tangible issues, I have had to deal with deep professional betrayals from close quarters.”
Reflecting on her experiences within the industry, she wrote, “I have learnt that in the industry, a rare few have ethics and courage. Most people operate from such deep-seated inferiority complexes and scarcity mentality that they never mean what they say. They’re never happy — like dementors, they suck all joy out of life.”
In another note, she addressed the emotional toll of how she was treated during a vulnerable phase: “Those that have displayed cruelty towards me during my most vulnerable phase perhaps never received adequate love in their own lives. I forgive, but I NEVER forget. Please bear this in mind should you cross my path. You know who you are.”
Richa also spoke about the lesser-discussed aftermath of motherhood. “If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes amazing support to help the mom — because Mommy doesn’t remember who she was before the baby was born. The mental recovery took longer than I hoped.” Her words reflect a reality many new mothers experience — a slow and often invisible emotional recovery.
She ended on a lighter note — “I am already RICHa. Hehe.” — followed by a firm closing line that captured her stance: “Jo dikhta hai woh bikta hai, par main bikau nahi hoon (What sells is what’s seen, but I am not for sale).”
Dr Sakshi Mandhyan, psychologist and founder at Mandhyan Care, tells indianexpress.com., “From a psychological perspective, motherhood involves what we call identity reorganisation. A woman is not returning to who she was before. Richa is integrating a new version of herself, which takes time. Hormonal shifts, sleep disruption, and heightened responsibility all affect emotional regulation and mood. This process is called matrescence.”
She continues, “In my clinical work, I see many women surprised by the gap between physical healing and mental readiness. The body may recover on a visible timeline, but the mind needs space to rebuild confidence, safety, and a sense of self. This timeline is rarely acknowledged because society measures recovery through productivity and appearance.”
This kind of experience can activate relational trauma, Dr Mandhyan notes, especially when it occurs during an emotionally sensitive period like postpartum recovery. “I have seen how betrayal during vulnerability creates self-doubt that lingers far beyond the event itself.”
When emotional reserves are low, the nervous system shifts into protection. This can lead to hypervigilance, withdrawal, or emotional shutdown. Over time person might experience performance and burnout issues. “The broken internal sense of safety erodes confidence and disrupts the basic sense of operational trust between the self and external environment. Healing through such phases requires restoring faith in one’s own judgment and boundaries, which is a gradual psychological process,” states Dr Mandhyan.
