Richa Chadha is taking her curiosity about Mumbai to YouTube with Musafiri, an eight-episode non-fiction series that explores the city through its lesser-known places, people, history and culture.
The actor has expanded her creative role for the project, serving as the show’s host, writer and producer. The trailer for Musafiri has been unveiled, with the first season set to focus entirely on Mumbai.
The series will premiere on Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal’s YouTube channel, Phull Stop, on September 25. A new episode will be released every Friday.
What Is Richa Chadha’s Musafiri About?
Rather than concentrating on Mumbai’s most familiar tourist attractions, Musafiri aims to uncover stories and locations that often remain outside the city’s mainstream narrative.
Across eight episodes, Richa will meet local residents, historians, cultural practitioners and other experts while exploring different aspects of Mumbai.
The series is described as an exploration of “People, Places and Pyaar,” bringing together the city’s cultural history and the personal stories of the people who have shaped it.
For Richa, the project is also an opportunity to look at a city she has known for years from a different perspective.
Richa Chadha Reveals What Inspired Musafiri
The idea for Musafiri developed after Richa entered motherhood, which she says changed the way she looked at familiar surroundings.
“Motherhood changed the way I look at the world. It makes you curious all over again, you start questioning things you have taken for granted, looking at the familiar with a completely different sense of wonder,” Richa said in a statement shared in the show’s press material.
That renewed curiosity led her to question how well she really knew Mumbai.
“I found myself asking so many questions about the city I have lived in for years. Do I really know Mumbai? How much of this city do I actually know?” she said.
She also found herself thinking about what she could give back to the city that had played an important role in her life.
“And a question that stayed with me was, a city that has given me so much, what do I owe it in return?” Richa added.
Richa’s Interest in History and Culture
Richa’s academic background also influenced the concept behind the series. The actor has previously spoken about her interest in history, art and culture, and she studied history at the undergraduate level.
“I have always been curious about history, art, culture and people. I was a history honours student and grew up in a family where academics and curiosity were very much a part of our lives,” she said.
For her, Musafiri became a natural way to combine those interests with storytelling.
“Musafiri felt like a natural extension of that part of me. It is my attempt to travel through a city I thought I knew, but with fresh eyes,” Richa explained.
From Acting to YouTube Non-Fiction
Musafiri marks another step in Richa and Ali Fazal’s expanding work as producers.
The series is the second production from their banner, Pushing Buttons Studios, following Girls Will Be Girls. The latter received recognition at the Sundance Film Festival, while Richa won the John Cassavetes Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles.
With Musafiri, the production house is moving into non-fiction storytelling and giving Richa a chance to work in front of and behind the camera in a different format.
When and Where to Watch Musafiri
The first season of Musafiri will be available on Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal’s YouTube channel, Phull Stop, from September 25.
The Mumbai-focused season will feature eight episodes, with a new episode scheduled to arrive every Friday.
