After years of maintaining a public silence, Bollywood actor Rhea Chakraborty has finally opened up about the traumatic period following the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. In an emotional and revealing conversation on her own podcast, she detailed the intense personal toll of the 2020 media frenzy, her subsequent 28-day incarceration, and the long road to finding resilience.
The Ordeal of 2020: Media Scrutiny and Incarceration
Rhea Chakraborty's life was thrust into a relentless media storm in the aftermath of Sushant Singh Rajput's tragic death in June 2020. She became the central figure in a sprawling investigation and a nationwide media narrative. Reflecting on that time, Chakraborty described it as a period of unprecedented public scrutiny and personal trauma. The actor was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in September 2020 in a drug-related case linked to the investigation and spent 28 days in Byculla jail before being granted bail.
She spoke candidly about the experience of being in judicial custody, highlighting the psychological impact of the incarceration and the stigma that followed her long after her release. The conversation marks one of her most direct public addresses about the legal and personal battles she faced, which only found a form of closure when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officially closed the case in 2025.
Friendship as a Lifeline in the Aftermath
A central theme of Chakraborty's heartfelt disclosure was the critical role her close friends played in her survival. Amid the media hate and public condemnation, she credited a small, steadfast circle of friends for providing emotional sanctuary and practical support. These individuals, she emphasized, were her anchor, helping her navigate the darkest days when public opinion was overwhelmingly against her.
She described how this support system was crucial for her mental health, allowing her to endure the fallout and begin the slow process of rebuilding her life and career. Her testimony underscores the human element often lost in high-profile controversies—the private networks of care that sustain individuals through public trials.
Moving Beyond the Controversy: A Message of Resilience
With the CBI concluding its investigation and closing the case last year, Chakraborty's narrative shifts from one of victimhood to one of survival and strength. Her decision to speak out now, through her podcast, is framed as an act of reclaiming her story. She aims to move beyond the label of 'controversy' that has defined her public persona for nearly half a decade.
Her reflections offer a poignant look at the long-term impact of media trials and legal battles on an individual's psyche. By sharing her journey of trauma, incarceration, and eventual resilience, Rhea Chakraborty is attempting to chart a new path forward, one defined not by the events of 2020 but by her capacity to endure and overcome them.
