Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty, who endured a one-month stint in Mumbai’s Byculla Jail, has finally opened up about her harrowing experience behind bars. Following the death of her boyfriend, actor Sushant Singh Rajput, on June 14, 2020, Rhea found herself at the center of a media storm. The late actor’s father soon lodged an FIR accusing her of abetment to suicide and money laundering. The investigation, which drew significant attention, was transferred from local authorities to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) got involved as allegations of money laundering and drug-related activities emerged against Rhea.
Rhea Chakraborty’s reflections offer a rare glimpse into her life during this tumultuous period. Speaking candidly on Karishma Mehta’s podcast, Rhea shared, “Jail is actually a very different world because there’s no society in jail. There is a weird sense of equality. Everyone is a number, they are not a person. You are a UT number when you are in under trial prison. It’s a strange world; it’s a very evolved crowd–because it’s just human emotion at its rawest. It’s survival. You have to survive each day, and each day feels like a year. It takes a long time for a day to finish because you’re literally doing nothing; it is paused.”
Rhea’s description illustrates the psychological stress and emotional ordeal she faced while incarcerated. She detailed how she saw jail as a place where she had to navigate through longing and the slow passage of time, describing each day as feeling interminable. Despite her bleak surroundings, Rhea tried to carve out moments of normalcy by teaching fellow inmates yoga and dance–activities that gave them a fleeting sense of optimism and uplifted spirits. However, even these small respite moments could not shield her from the overwhelming darkness.
“My time in there was actually really difficult in the first two weeks to kind of adjust to this situation because no one ever believes that they are going to jail.
. Once you are in there, it takes a long time to understand that this has happened. There is a deep depression and darkness that I obviously experienced…You are really thinking negative thoughts now. I’ve always been a very bubbly, positive person, like delusionally optimistic,” Rhea conveyed during the podcast, highlighting the personal crisis she endured while incarcerated.
Living through such a daunting period left Rhea grappling with mental health issues. The jail environment, characterized by an eerie equality and cessation of time, subjected her to a series of depressive and negative thoughts that were in stark contrast to her naturally optimistic disposition. She had to summon an extraordinary level of mental resilience to cope with the situation.
Reflecting on her professional life, Rhea underscored the stark differences in her experiences before and after the legal crisis. Prior to these events, Rhea enjoyed a thriving career in Bollywood and was last seen on the big screen in Rummy Jafry’s 2021 film ‘Chehre,’ sharing the screen with luminaries such as Emraan Hashmi and Amitabh Bachchan. The criminal allegations against her and subsequent media scrutiny hampered her career trajectory for some time. However, refusing to be bogged down, Rhea has started to rebuild her professional life. She returned to the spotlight as one of the gang leaders on ‘Roadies Season 19’ and launched her podcast ‘Chapter 2’ a couple of weeks ago, demonstrating her resilience and determination to move forward.
Rhea’s ongoing work projects reflect her effort to reclaim her place in the entertainment industry amid the shadow cast by the controversy. Having faced unprecedented scrutiny and challenges, Rhea’s story illuminates her fortitude and determination to persevere.
In conclusion, Rhea Chakraborty’s ordeal in jail following Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and the intense scrutiny she faced from authorities and the public illustrate the profound personal upheaval she endured. Her reflections on this period reveal not only the harsh realities of life behind bars but also her attempts to find light amid darkness and her resilient spirit in pursuing her professional endeavors. As she forges ahead, Rhea stands as a testament to inner strength and the relentless human spirit.
