The 28-year-old actress started her career playing the jealous sister of the lead heroine in Dibakar Banerjee's 'Oye Lucky Lucky Oye' and got recognition for her portrayal of a ganster's wife and later a widow in Anurag Kashyap's two-part revenge saga 'Gangs of Wasseypur'.
Richa does not see herself taking the typical route to success where a heroine does 2-3 commercial movies, an item number and retires at the age of 30.
"I wonder if anybody asks people who do conventional roles that when will they start acting? Because normally what happens is - Win a Miss India, do 1-2 movies, do an item song and then they suddenly realise that they are 32-33 and need to act.
"So they will do one award-winning regional film and people will be 'Wow she is a good actress'. I am just going the reverse way. I want to relax and have fun. I don't want my career to finish in my 30s," Richa told.
Her life post 'GOW' has changed drastically and Richa feels she is in a much secure position as an actor now.
"Life has changed in a major way because earlier I would wonder If I would get work, If I can sustain my career as an actor, If I can make that my livelihood. But now I am very comfortable and secure with that thought. I can be a professional actor in the industry and people are accepting me.
"If I go to a party I wouldn't be left alone. I can talk to Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan by going upto them and just introducing myself and they will know me. There is a lot of respect and love that I get from the industry for which I am very fortunate," she added.
Richa, who will be seen playing a gangster in new movie 'Fukrey', releasing this Friday, says she is nothing like the characters she plays on-screen. "It is no fun playing yourself. I am the exact opposite of the characters I play.
I barely abuse, I don't eat meat because I don't believe in violence. I try not to use leather, I am almost vegan. So for someone like me its more fun to play these horrible roles because I will never get to be that in real life."
It's been a busy year for Richa who has been shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Ram Leela', 'Tamanchey', Mira Nair's short film and a romantic project opposite Neil Nitin Mukesh. She says though there has been a gap between 'GOW' and her other projects, she has about 4-5 releases in the second half of the year.
