It’s been ten years since Masaan quietly yet powerfully carved its place into the heart of Indian cinema and into the soul of actress Richa Chadha, who calls it “one of the most rewarding experiences” of her career. Celebrating the film’s 10th anniversary, Richa took to Instagram with a moving video from the film and a deeply personal note that reminded everyone why Masaan continues to be cherished.
“Some of the singularly most satisfying, rewarding, unsettling, uncomfortable days of my life were because of Masaan… and I mean everything in a good way,” she wrote. “It was an education for me, as an artist and a human being.”
Released in 2015 and directed by debutant Neeraj Ghaywan, Masaan was a lyrical, haunting tale of grief, guilt, and liberation. Richa’s portrayal of Devi Pathak, a woman navigating societal shame and personal trauma, was both raw and groundbreaking. But a decade later, the way people interpret her character still weighs on her.
“It irks me when someone says ‘Devi Pathak got punished for her bad deeds’… because in writing her, Neeraj and Varun Grover held no shred of judgment! She is punished as many are, till date, for a healthy curiosity,” she emphasized.
Her post was as much a celebration of the film’s legacy as it was a tribute to the team behind it—including debutants Neeraj Ghaywan and Vicky Kaushal, who have since gone on to become two of the most respected names in Indian cinema.
“What a debut by both Neeraj and apna superstar Vicky Kaushal!” she said. “Everyone was special in this film and truly it had a magnificent team.”
She didn’t forget the producers either, calling out Puja Banerji, Karuna Dutt, and Guneet Monga, now an Academy Award-winning producer, as “a team of dreams... held together by love.”
Richa, who turned producer last year with her company Pushing Buttons Studios, has since expanded her creative footprint in the industry. Her production debut Girls Will Be Girls—a powerful, coming-of-age film set in the Indian hills—has already made waves on the international circuit.
“I’m producing now, so I know how rare it is to find a team like this,” she wrote, reflecting on Masaan’s collaborative magic. “I hope everyone who worked on it remembers the experience with a smile.”
What makes Masaan enduring, Richa believes, is its emotional truth.
“It is honest in its demand for compassion, and we the audience are loved by its earnestness. You remember how the film made you feel. And you never forget HOW something made you feel.”
Now, ten years on, Richa is showing no signs of slowing down. Up next, she stars in the much-anticipated political satire Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai, directed by Anubhav Sinha. The film is expected to be both biting and brilliant, much like the kind of work Richa has consistently gravitated towards.
As she signs off her anniversary post with a sunflower and a mention of her Masaan co-stars Shweta Tripathi (@battatawada) and Avinash Arun Dhaware, Richa leaves no doubt that the bond formed during that film was real and lasting.
“It’s a bond, a healthy bond.”
A decade later, Masaan remains a benchmark in Indian indie cinema—and for Richa Chadha, it remains a role of a lifetime.
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