"Cabaret" lead actor Richa Chadha is the hero of the film, says producer Pooja Bhatt.

"Richa's character in the film is a very strong character. She is the hero of the film. She is the whole and soul of the film," said Pooja at the location shoot of the film on Tuesday.

Richa had reportedly fallen ill after she had smoked cigarettes for a scene in the film since she is a non-smoker in real life. She had to take a break of a couple of days to get back to the sets.

Considering the title, it is obvious that the film will draw references to veteran cabaret dancer Helen. But Pooja denied that it is inspired from Helen's life.

"The film is not inspired by anyone. It's based on the lives of celebrities and incidents related to the functioning of the film industry. The film is inspired by life and nothing else. It is the media which has said that it is inspired by Helen," she said.

Pooja had shared Richa's look in the film on social media, which has generated sufficient buzz. The film has been directed by Kaustav Narayan Niyogi and produced by Pooja Bhatt and Bhushan Kumar. The film also marks the debut of cricketer S. Sreesanth.