Richa Chadha recently revealed that the NFDC never paid the full amount promised for her film Girls Will Be Girls (2024). The organisation, known for supporting filmmakers, failed to keep its commitment.
In an interview, Richa spoke about how creative people often rely on government bodies like the NFDC to bring their stories to life. But what happens when the very system meant to help them doesn’t follow through?
She questioned why major global networks keep appointing MBAs to decide which films get funded. Why isn’t there anyone from within the industry offering funds with creative freedom and trust that the money will be returned later?
Richa pointed to a Channel Grant that gives filmmakers ₹2 crore as soft money, which doesn’t need to be repaid. She wondered why India doesn’t have a similar model or a person willing to take that initiative.
Sharing her own experience, Richa said that for Girls Will Be Girls, NFDC promised a specific amount but released only half. The remaining payment never came.
Her case isn’t isolated. Many independent filmmakers face the same struggle. They depend on promised financial backing, only to find the support weak or absent when they need it most.
If India truly values art, Richa’s experience raises a hard question how are new filmmakers supposed to grow when institutions stop standing by them?
