Richa Chadha Has One Simple Answer for Anyone Turning Her Marriage to Ali Fazal Into a Political Debate

Richa Chadha opens up about her interfaith marriage to Ali Fazal, why she refuses to let others politicise their relationship, & the trust & respect that keep their marriage strong

Richa Chadha has never been particularly interested in allowing public opinion to dictate the terms of her personal life. Now, speaking about her marriage to Ali Fazal, the actor has addressed the scrutiny that has followed their relationship, particularly because they come from different religious backgrounds.

In an intimate conversation on The Soft Record, KindleCast's long-form interview series, Chadha was asked how she and Fazal managed to keep their relationship from being reduced to a political or ideological talking point.

Her answer was strikingly straightforward: their marriage, she said, is ultimately about two people who fell in love, built a life together and became parents.

The couple legally registered their marriage in 2020 under the Special Marriage Act and went on to celebrate with family and friends in a series of wedding festivities in 2022. They welcomed their daughter, Zuneyra Ida Fazal, in July 2024.

Richa Chadha Says Her Marriage Is About 'Two People Who Fell in Love'

For Chadha, the persistent attempt to attach a larger political meaning to her relationship with Fazal is something she has chosen not to entertain.

During the KindleCast conversation, she pushed back against the idea that the couple's marriage needs to be explained or defended to outsiders. Their lives, she suggested, are much more ordinary than the public discourse around them sometimes makes them appear.

The actor's position is consistent with comments she has made previously about their interfaith marriage. In a 2023 conversation, she explained that they had married under the Special Marriage Act and described the process as peaceful, noting that the circumstances surrounding the pandemic also meant they were able to avoid the kind of public attention that can accompany such marriages.

Their relationship has therefore existed in two very different spaces: the intensely public world of celebrity, where their marriage has often been examined through the lens of religion and identity, and the private world they have built together, where the concerns are considerably more everyday.

Today, Chadha says, that private world includes marriage, parenting, work and all the mundane responsibilities that come with building a family.

From an Interfaith Relationship to a Family Life

Chadha and Fazal first met while working in the film industry and eventually became a couple. Their relationship developed during their early years as actors, well before either had reached the level of recognition they enjoy today.

The couple has spoken openly about those early years and the fact that they knew each other before success had transformed their careers.

In a recent conversation, Chadha recalled that when they first met, Fazal had a cycle while she had a small, battered car. She described their journey from those struggling years to their present lives as something of a miracle, particularly in an industry where status and money can often influence relationships.

That history appears to be central to how Chadha views their relationship.

Rather than seeing their marriage through the prism of celebrity or social commentary, she has repeatedly returned to the fact that she and Fazal grew together -- professionally, personally and eventually as parents.

Richa Chadha's Marriage Non-Negotiables: Respect and Trust

The actor has also spoken about what keeps their marriage strong. In a recent conversation with Movified, Chadha identified respect and trust as the two essentials she considers non-negotiable in a relationship.

But her definition of trust goes beyond romantic fidelity. For Chadha, it also means knowing that your partner can be relied upon when something needs to get done.

That practical understanding of marriage has become increasingly relevant as the couple has moved into parenthood.

Chadha explained that their conversations today are often less about grand romantic gestures and more about everyday logistics -- who is responsible for what, bills, letters, landlords and managing their household. She described this period of married life as busy but also beautiful.

It is perhaps a more revealing picture of their relationship than the glamorous wedding photographs: two working parents dividing responsibilities and figuring out how to make a demanding life function.

'Where There Is No Respect, the Relationship Cannot Survive'

For Chadha, respect is not simply a desirable quality in a marriage; it is foundational.

She has previously said that without respect, a relationship eventually breaks down. Her understanding of partnership appears to be rooted in the recognition that both people have ambitions, responsibilities and lives of their own.

That becomes particularly important for a couple who are both actors and therefore have careers that can involve long shoots, travel and unpredictable schedules.

Chadha has spoken about how she and Fazal divide responsibilities between them, with both making sure that their respective tasks are handled. For two ambitious people, she suggested, that practical division of labour is essential.

The relationship, then, isn't presented as a perfect romantic bubble. It is a partnership built around reliability.

Their Relationship Has Changed With Parenthood

The arrival of their daughter in July 2024 marked another significant chapter for the couple.

Richa and Ali announced the birth of their daughter, Zuneyra Ida Fazal, in July 2024, saying that their families were overjoyed.

Since becoming parents, their relationship has naturally become more domestic.

In recent conversations, Chadha has spoken about Fazal's deeply involved approach to parenting, including his desire to know the details of their daughter's routine even when he is away. She has admitted that his level of involvement can sometimes irritate her, but ultimately views it as a positive problem -- a reflection of how invested he is in their child.

It is another indication of how far their relationship has travelled from the early days of simply being two young actors figuring out their careers.

From Struggling Actors to Life Partners

There is also a quieter thread running through Chadha and Fazal's story: they knew each other before either had achieved the kind of professional success that might have made their relationship easier.

Their shared history includes struggling to establish themselves in the film industry, navigating uncertain careers and watching each other grow.

Fazal has described Chadha as his "partner in crime", while Chadha has recalled the period when they were both struggling and supporting each other through it.

In another earlier conversation, Fazal described finding an anchor and a sense of home in his relationship with Chadha. Chadha, meanwhile, said she loves the life they have created together.

That shared history perhaps explains why Chadha is so dismissive of outside attempts to define their marriage.

Before the headlines, before the wedding celebrations and before parenthood, there were simply two people trying to make it in the same industry.

Why Richa Chadha Refuses to Let Her Marriage Become a Public Debate

Chadha's latest comments ultimately return to a boundary she has maintained throughout her relationship with Fazal: their marriage belongs to them.

The fact that they come from different religious backgrounds may make their relationship newsworthy to sections of the public, but it does not, in Chadha's view, turn their private life into a referendum for strangers.

They have already navigated the practical realities of marriage, careers and parenthood together. Their story has moved well beyond the question of whether an interfaith relationship can work.

For Chadha, the answer seems to lie not in defending the marriage to outsiders, but in continuing to live it.

And perhaps that is the most telling part of her comments: after years of public scrutiny, the actor isn't interested in making her marriage into a statement. She simply sees it as a life she and Ali Fazal chose to build together.