Richa Chadha on Playing Zarina in Inside Edge: ‘I’m the Polar Opposite of Her’

Richa Chadha has described her character Zarina Malik in the Amazon Prime Video series Inside Edge as completely different from her real-life personality. The actor said that this contrast is one of the reasons she enjoyed portraying the ambitious and complex character.

The popular sports drama returned with its third season, continuing the story of power, politics, money and competition surrounding the fictional world of professional T20 cricket.

‘I Am Nothing Like Zarina in Real Life’

Speaking about her character, Richa Chadha said she could understand why Zarina had become the person she is, even though the character was very different from her own personality.

“Zarina is an interesting character and although I am nothing like her in real life, I get how she became the way she did,” Richa said.

“I am just the polar opposite of Zarina’s character, and this is one of the reasons I have thoroughly enjoyed playing the role immensely.”

Richa further spoke about the qualities that define Zarina and make the character an important part of the series.

“The love for power, fame, money, comes alive in her character and is so real,” she said.

Zarina’s Journey in Inside Edge

Richa Chadha’s Zarina Malik has remained one of the prominent characters in the series. Her journey has been shaped by ambition, personal setbacks and the complicated power dynamics of the world she inhabits.

Reflecting on the character’s journey, Richa said she was looking forward to how audiences would respond to the next chapter of Zarina’s story.

“I am excited about the third season and look forward to audience reviews because I feel Zarina, who has been wronged in so many ways since Season 1, will claw her way back to the person she once was,” the actor said.

What Is Inside Edge About?

Inside Edge is a fictional sports drama centred on the Mumbai Mavericks, a fictional T20 cricket franchise competing in the PowerPlay League.

The series explores the intense world behind professional cricket, where sporting competition intersects with business, personal ambition, celebrity culture and power struggles.

The show became one of the notable Indian streaming series built around cricket and sports entertainment. Its earlier seasons received attention for their ensemble storytelling and dramatic portrayal of the business surrounding the sport.

The Creative Team Behind the Series

Inside Edge is an Amazon Original produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment. The series was created by Karan Anshuman.

The third season was directed by Kanishk Varma and continued the fictional cricket drama with new developments and conflicts for its central characters.

Richa Chadha’s Approach to Complex Characters

Over the years, Richa Chadha has built a reputation for choosing characters that are very different from one another. From intense dramas to comedy films and streaming series, the actor has often taken on roles that challenge her screen image.

Her portrayal of Zarina in Inside Edge offered her another opportunity to play a character driven by ambition and a desire for power.

Although Richa has said that she is personally very different from Zarina, that contrast appears to have been central to her interest in the role.