Richa Chadha: Dual pressures of managing family, working as cop

Richa Chadha, who plays a cop in Candy, on meeting women law enforcers to understand their work-life balance

Richa Chadha was drawn to Candy as it gave her the opportunity to play a cop for the first time. Though the Ashish R Shukla-directed web series — revolving around sinister murders in a hill station — is a murder mystery at heart, Chadha says it also examines gender dynamics and the pressures that women police officers face. To do justice to her role, she met Nainital’s women cops in December 2020 before the project went on floors. “Portraying the role of a cop demanded a different mental make-up. I was lucky to be able to meet some women cops, and understand their dual pressures of managing the family’s needs and working as a law enforcer,” states the actor.

Learning of their first-hand experiences helped Chadha approach the character with a fresh gaze. “Unlike male cops, they are burdened with the responsibility of a homemaker. They still have to take care of the in-laws, the kids, their education, and ensure that food is cooked at home. Many of them said that their relatives [taunt them] about not being hands-on with their children due to the tough duty hours. Hearing these experiences can be eye-opening.” The Voot Select series also features Ronit Roy.

Also read: 'Candy' trailer: Ronit Roy, Richa Chadha will leave you impressed

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