There's something about the Richas of Siliguri. Cricketer Richa Ghosh apart, the other Richa making her hometown proud is cinematographer Richa Moitra.

Moitra, 28, is steadily making inroads in Bollywood as a cinematographer associated with Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster Jawan, Bhediya starring Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon and Qala starring Tripti Dimrii and Babil Khan.

“I also worked as an assistant director of photography in Dharma Productions for the film Yodha set for release soon. Simultaneously, I'm working on my own projects,” said Moitra, who has come to Siliguri for a short break from Mumbai.

Yodha, an action thriller starring Sidharth Malhotra, Disha Patani and Raashii Khanna, will be released next month.

An alumnus of North Bengal St Xavier’s College in the neighbouring town of Jalpaiguri, Moitra loved painting as a child, which she said fuelled her interest in photography.

“Painting was my inspiration to get into photography as a hobby in my growing-up years. I used to take photos with my reel camera and then got my first DSLR in college. I was always very clear that I want to do something in the creative field,” she said.

Professionally, she did her first shoot with chef Vikas Khanna and got a chance to work in a production house in Dubai.

These early breaks helped her get a toehold in the Mumbai film industry, she added.

“My first work was in Bhediya as an assistant cinematographer. After that, it kept on happening. But now, I am more into direction and cinematography. I am doing my own film now and trying to highlight my region,” she said.

She spoke of Dal, a short crime drama she wrote and directed, to be released this year. “I have cast an actress who is from Siliguri. We have another short film in the queue,” said Moitra.

She loves to encourage filmmakers in Mumbai to choose north Bengal for film shoots, she said.

“Whenever I get a chance, I show pictures of our region to directors of the Mumbai film industry. My aim is to promote our own place and its idyllic surroundings. A number of popular films have been shot in north Bengal and I want more and more films to be shot here,” said Moitra.

With her roots in the region, she is also putting in efforts to create a community for north Bengal youths who seek to join the entertainment industry.

“I am trying to develop a community to reach out to and guide youths of my region so that they can make a breakthrough,” said Moitra.

Father Lalit P. Tirkey, the principal of North Bengal St Xavier’s College, said they were all proud of their alumna. "We appreciate Richa Moitra's tenacity and creativity. She is an inspiration for our students who want to pursue a career in the entertainment industry,” he said.