Richa Chadha, who grabbed attention with films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Masaan, comes with a fresh and different perspective in Bollywood. In a scenario marked by insecurity and rivalry between co-stars, she believes that it is important for women to realise that they need to promote the category, not the brand.

As Richa tells it, it’s not enough to talk about oneself; commending others for their work is important too. If Sonam Kapoor or Kangana Ranaut are doing good work, she believes she needs to compliment them. It is by acknowledging individual contributions that actresses can promote their category and achieve longevity. If not, all the efforts are frittered away in in-fighting and, before you know it, they will be replaced by a fresh-faced younger lot! Her belief is that female actors must back each other up to avoid being made disposable.

While we really can’t see most B-town beauties being this generous and forward-thinking, kudos to Richa for being the bigger person!

Another important area she sticks out like a sore thumb is the so-called social scene. She has refused to create an image for trying to win favour with actors and cricketers. Apparently, back when she was a newbie, she was actually encouraged by a PR person to text actors and cricketers, and go on dates with them. That some of the men in question were married, was not supposed to matter! The message was that getting close to these men would be good for her career, her PR and her public image.

For ‘outsiders’ in Bollywood, this sort of advice is par for the course, says Richa. Not hailing from the industry also means blundering along and finding things out on your own. For instance, there is no one to guide an actress on which film to do or not do, which film would get her typecast, or which would help her career. Grooming too is something the newbie has to handle on her own, with more misses than hits. “You just make your own way here, so it takes time,” says Richa.