Richa Chadha on playing a sex worker, the world of audio shows, and more

Actor Richa Chadha, after delivering several stellar performances on-screen, is now busy exploring the world of audio. Chaddha, along with Jaideep Ahlawat, plays a sex worker in Audible’s latest show, baby doll, A revenge drama set in the hinterland.

Baby (Chadha), a hurt and humiliated sex worker, clashes with a dreaded underworld don played by Jaideep Ahlawat to avenge the violent death of his friend.

Richa talks to us about the show, the politics of prostitution in the country and her upcoming projects.

Interview excerpts:

What’s Involved in Your Preparation for a Show in Audio Format?

I have done audio shows in the past too, but this is the first time I am doing a Shuddh Hindi hinterland (audio) show and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. You captivate the audience purely with your voice; You have nothing more to offer. It’s just a whole world created by sound programmers and foley artists.

In terms of preparation, we did readings several times. My accent had to be diluted to reflect the background of my character; The readings helped me find the right voice.

[A foley artist creates sound effects in a studio during post-production. These sounds include anything from the sound of a glass breaking to the sound of footsteps and a punch landing on a person’s face]

Have you worked with any dialect coach for the show?

No (laughs) I know which belt the story is set very well, and I’m quite good at picking out different Indian accents, so I didn’t work with any dialect coach.

How does a character’s visual aesthetic translate into an audio show? Is it purely based on voice modulation and dialect?

For us, it’s just the voice acting and then the production work begins, where you add sound effects of what’s happening in the world that the character belongs to. So it’s just a good high-end foley with a good sound designer. That is pretty much it.

Do you see audio shows becoming a part of the mainstream? Will we have a new crop of voice actors?

There are already people who are making a career out of voice acting. There are incredibly talented voice-over artists and theater actors who have a trained and rehearsed voice with grain and texture. So I guess the time is already here. And despite the pandemic, the audio world has exploded.

Is the format a bit limited in terms of style? For example, do you see an audio film of a superhero reaching an audience?

Sure, I watch superhero movies being adapted to the audio format. There are already detective shows and thrillers out there, and there is only room to grow, as these shows are also easy to produce. All you need is a good sound programmer; You don’t need thousands of crores of rupees to paint a very big scene of the battlefield. You can do this with sound alone, and that’s what makes it fun.

How did you prepare to play a sex worker?

i worked before Love Sonia, And while preparing for that film, I met a lot of sex workers. I knew about their world before I was on the show, and that definitely helped.

What do you understand by the politics going on in the country regarding sex workers?

People do not fully understand what happens in the lives of sex workers. When people fight for the legalization of sex work, it does not mean that they are fighting for the expansion of the industry. There are many examples where young girls are trafficked from their homes, and if you work towards legalization, these people will have rights.

It’s very sad if you listen to the backstory of my character. I have met sex workers who were trafficked when they were six or seven years old. If you want to visit hell on earth, you must go to the brothel.

It’s not that trade is dying out… but if we legalize it, we’ll have the means to put an end to smuggling.

what can you tell us about your character baby doll,

My character is of a woman who has nothing to lose and draws her courage from that. Viewers just have to see how she manages to get revenge or justice after going through hell. She is someone who doesn’t give up, and is very focused on what she wants.

How is the actor-director relationship when it comes to audio shows?

The actor-director relationship is similar to that of traditional films. The director and writer, Pravesh Bhardwaj, was watching me from another room in the dubbing studio and was giving me pointers. You know, in some old movies you see people directing the artist through a glass screen in a dubbing studio? It was very similar to him!

Do you see yourself doing more audio shows in the future?

I hope so, because they are very beneficial. I get people’s experiences listening to these in fan mail, and it’s really gratifying. I really think there’s a world out there waiting to be explored.

Would you like to talk about your future projects?

I’ve got a lot of work. So I am analyzing what is better for me; Work that will be creatively satisfying. Specifically speaking, there is fukerythird installment, second season Great Indian Murder In which we finally settle the matter, and I need to finish at least three movies between September and December. So, yes, a lot from my side!