Ali Fazal: “I’ve become a little more relaxed since Zuneyra was born”
Ali Fazal: “I’ve become a little more relaxed since Zuneyra was born”
It’s 12.30pm on a day that can’t decide whether to flood the city with rain or bake it under brutal sunshine. Inside Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha’s Juhu Beach-adjacent living room, books are piled high—under the coffee table, on the many bookshelves, in every nook you can find. The collection spans everything from communist literature to Chomsky to Rumi to Tupac’s biography to Collins Portuguese Dictionary and Grammar. But the newest additions stand out: What to Expect the First Year, a book with ‘nursery rhymes for feminist times’ and How to Raise a Viking.
Then, a mini human with a gaze that makes you feel like she knows all your secrets is carried in, and the room, buzzing with life just seconds ago, falls silent. Zuneyra Ida Fazal is here. Her father borrows my pen and writes her name in my diary to ensure there’s no typo or misheard spelling.
There are many firsts happening today. It’s the first time the baby daddy is extending his newfound fascination for photography—prep for his role as a paparazzo in an upcoming thriller—to his wife and toddler. He then hands the camera over to Chadha, who he says has “a better eye”, to capture moments between him and their daughter. It’s also Zuni’s first magazine appearance, even if it’s just a glimpse of her tiny hand or foot, enough to spark an overwhelming wave of cute aggression in anyone within sight.
What isn’t new, however, is the authenticity and humour that define the new parents’ relationship. Despite the whirlwind of welcoming a hungry new member into their lives, their easy spontaneity remains intact. “Don’t you think she looks like Guddu Pandit from season 2 [of Mirzapur]?” Chadha asks me with a straight face, referencing the character played by Ali, as he aims his Fujifilm at them. “At least we don’t need a paternity test.” Between the banter and baby sounds, they share a glimpse into their chaotic yet joyful new world.
Meet the parents
Ali Fazal: “Having a baby fills a void that you weren’t even aware existed. That part never ceases to amaze me. It’s freakin’ hard to work now. I have serious anxiety when I leave home because I just want to see the baby all the time and be around Richa and her.”
Richa Chadha: “I avoided reading too much on parenting to prevent information overload because I feel it can get in the way of your natural response. When you work on instinct, you take a few hits and misses, but eventually, you figure it out. Your nurses teach you the basics, but you also learn that you’re born knowing how to suckle. So I never question the intelligence of nature and try not to interfere with it. I observe what works for me and for Zuni. So far, it’s paid off.”
This is us
Richa Chadha: “Few discuss the challenges that come with postpartum. It’s tough to decipher your own thoughts in that space because none of it is psychological, it’s all biological. Your hormones are constantly fluctuating, leaving you to wonder why you feel a certain way. When I feel moody, I remind people not to take me too seriously and tell myself the same. I focus on the basics: getting some sunlight, basic nutrition and working out. That bit of exercise is important because your dopamine receptors can get screwed post-delivery and skew your natural responses to things.”
Ali Fazal: “She’s just two months old and already emoting so much. Expression now has a new meaning for me, and that’s crucial for my craft. The way I’ll approach subjects in the future, the stories I’ll tell—I can imagine there being a significant shift. We’ve become superheroes because our reflexes go full throttle. This has also brought Richa and me closer. I listen more intently, and now, I’m always aware of two people and their needs.”
Life as we know it
Ali Fazal: “I think I’ve become a little more relaxed. Weirdly, the ‘race’ doesn’t bother me as much as it did earlier. Questions such as ‘What will happen next?’ and ‘Will work happen or not?’ are fewer. There’s been a serious realignment of priorities.”
Richa Chadha: “I have developed a sharper instinct for people who want something out of me. I am more wary of them now because my time is precious. I give fewer people the opportunity to drain it.”
Daddy’s home
Ali Fazal: “Just before Zuni was born, we suddenly started noticing birds nesting right around our house. Butterflies began showing up, and every morning, like clockwork, we had migratory birds coming in. It feels like there’s an energy vortex in certain spots. Perhaps it’s a sign that something we’ve done is in sync with nature. Richa and I have always been free-spirited, taking off with our bags and living as distinct individuals. But now, it feels like an anchor has been dropped in the middle of it all. The baby books have helped me, but there’s only so much that a man can prepare for this because all said and done, we are on the sidelines for the first few months—mums run the show. I’m just trying to assist and be present as much as I can. Right now, I’m mainly focused on cleaning up our house.”
Something borrowed
Richa Chadha: “I don’t want to be some kind of consumer robot, constantly looking to buy more things wrapped in plastic that end up in the ocean. In fact, Ali is very mindful of single-use plastics, more so for the baby. A year ago, I was firmly against having a child, and climate change was a very big reason. This is the hottest year we’ve had, and likely the coolest year you and I will experience going forward. Eco anxiety is a real thing for people like me who lie awake thinking about it. Dia Mirza, a really good friend of mine, actually lives her truth. Many of the baby items in my home are from when she was pregnant. The books are gifts from Soha Ali Khan and my prenatal yoga instructor. There’s a wonderful community of women who may not make a big fuss about it, but they’ll say, ‘I’ve kept this for you,’ and then you pass it on too.”
Photos: Ali Fazal, Richa Chadha
Photo director: Amitava Saha
Hair: Ashish Bogi
Makeup: Shayli Nayak
Bookings editor: Aliza Fatma
Senior entertainment editor (Consultant): Rebecca Gonsalves
This story appears in Vogue India’s November-December 2024 issue, now on stands. Subscribe here
Also read:
Alia Bhatt: “It makes me anxious to think whether I am doing right by my baby and work”
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja: “Priorities do change and I think that the child will become mine”
I used to be terrified of turning into my mother. Now, I’m older and know better
