Actor Richa Chadha has long been one of Bollywood's most outspoken voices on gender equality and women's rights.
During an appearance on Brut's podcast series The Other Side, the actor spoke about feminism, women's safety, parenthood and the everyday inequalities women continue to face.
At the heart of the conversation was one argument: a society cannot call itself equal if half its population continues to face barriers simply because of gender.
"Feminism Is Really Not About Female Superiority"
When asked whether she identifies as a feminist, Chadha's answer was immediate.
"Yeah."
She then explained what feminism means to her.
"Feminism is really not about female superiority. It's about giving equal opportunities to men and women."
To make her point, Chadha spoke about something as basic as safety.
"If you can't step out of this office at 11 at night and get into a public transport bus... the threat of theft or rape just makes society already unequal," she said.
Why Richa Chadha Believes India Is Not An Equal Society For Women
According to Chadha, gender inequality begins long before many women enter the workplace.
She pointed to female foeticide, violence against women, dowry deaths, acid attacks, workplace discrimination during pregnancy and the fear many women experience simply while moving through public spaces.
"If half of the people are constantly feeling threatened, insecure, afraid of being killed, afraid of being killed in the womb or for dowry or on their way to school with acid thrown on their faces if they reject a love proposal, with not getting jobs if they are pregnant or on fear of taking maternity leave, we are not an equal society. So we can't prosper."
Chadha's remarks come amid ongoing conversations around women's safety, workplace participation and gender equality in India. While legal protections and educational opportunities for women have expanded over the years, issues such as violence against women, workplace discrimination and unequal access to opportunities continue to feature prominently in public discourse.
The Question She Would Ask A 12-Year-Old
Instead of beginning with a definition, Chadha said she would first ask a young boy whether the women in his family enjoy the same opportunities as he does.
"If you feel like your sister and you and your mother and your father have the same opportunities, it's good. If not, you must strive for them to have the same opportunities."
For Chadha, feminism is ultimately about ensuring equal opportunities rather than creating advantages for one gender over another.
How Raising A Daughter Changed Ali Fazal's Perspective
The conversation also turned to parenthood and how raising their two-year-old daughter has changed both her and husband Ali Fazal.
Chadha said becoming parents has made Fazal notice subtle gender biases that often go unquestioned. She cited examples such as people assuming he is the decision-maker in professional meetings even when they are producing projects together, or automatically associating girls with certain colours, toys and activities.
She believes these seemingly ordinary moments reveal how deeply gender stereotypes are embedded in everyday life.
"A Partner Means A Partner"
Speaking about parenting, Chadha said she was clear from the very beginning that raising a child had to be a shared responsibility.
"I was very clear that if we will have a child then we have to be partners. A partner means a partner. You share the load."
While acknowledging that some responsibilities, such as breastfeeding, are biological, she said everything else can and should be shared. Chadha credited Fazal for taking on much of the childcare while she recovered after childbirth.
More Than A Debate About Feminism
Throughout the conversation, Chadha returned to one central argument: feminism is not about women being superior to men, but about creating equal opportunities.
For her, gender equality should be measured not by what a society claims to believe, but by the opportunities women actually have in their everyday lives. Until women can move through society without facing barriers because of their gender, she believes India cannot call itself an equal society.
