Showing posts with label Rhea Chakraborty interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rhea Chakraborty interview. Show all posts
The years when no one wanted to work with me were excruciatingly painful-Rhea Chakraborty
9:01 AM
Actor Rhea Chakraborty speaks candidly about her break from acting, the pain of being sidelined and why stepping back on set now feels healing
Natasha Coutinho (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 8, 2026)
After nearly seven years away from acting, actor Rhea Chakraborty returns to the screen with filmmaker Hansal Mehta’s upcoming series. Her comeback follows a prolonged period of legal battles and public scrutiny following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020, whom she had dated from early 2019 until his passing.
Opening up about the emotional struggle of being away from her acting career, she says, “Letting go of this dream of acting, which I had worked towards for over a decade, took many sessions of therapy. I had to stop thinking about it because I couldn’t have it; I didn’t get acting opportunities.”
Rhea’s last theatrical release was Chehre (2021); she later appeared in the reality show Roadies (2023, 2025) and hosted her podcast Chapter 2 (2024-26). Yet, she was largely away from mainstream acting. The 33-year-old adds that the break was not by choice: “I had to pause, with discomfort and pain. Maybe I wouldn’t have been ready immediately after what happened anyway, emotionally, mentally, or physically. The years when no one wanted to work with me were excruciatingly painful. God and the universe have given us all resilience; we just have to tap into it. Had it not been for my friends and family, I don’t think I would have come out of it the way I did.”
Actor Rhea Chakraborty gets emotional as she recalls how her female friends stood by her through her most difficult phase. “My girl friends have shown me what true friendship is. To be loved for no reason and at the cost of their lives and livelihoods being in trouble is phenomenal,” she says, calling singer-actor Shibani Dandekar “like a sister.”
Rhea reveals Shibani lost brand work for publicly supporting her; something she learnt only later. “I’m grateful to have such women in my life, who lift each other up. On one hand I saw the worst side of humans but on the other side I also experienced the most beautiful side of humanity,” she adds.
Speaking about finding joy again, she continues, “Normalcy is a gift that I’m seeing after a long and difficult period in my life. The gift is being able to walk on the street without being harrowed… I’m enjoying the little things.”
On working with an OTT platform for the first time, Rhea, who was last seen in MTV Roadies: Double Cross (2025), says she appreciates the structure. “Earlier, out of chaos would come order. That’s no longer the mandate of the industry,” she notes, adding that there’s now “space for every kind of actor” and a stronger focus on performance and craft rather than stereotypes.
Reflecting on internet trolls, she says she has reached a point where it no longer affects her deeply: “Social media is not real life and cannot dictate who loves you.”
Asked if her past has made her wary of love, Rhea says she’s open to finding love again. “Therapy saved my life… I swore no matter where life takes me I will never be jaded. I still believe in love, it’s beautiful, powerful and love is the answer. Love makes the world go round,” the actor shares.
On future plans, including producing films, she says, “I never thought I would own a brand… I’m in the office from 10 am to 7 pm on most days.” While she hopes to help others eventually, she adds, “At the present moment I’m wearing my oxygen mask before I help others.”
Rhea was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in 2020 in a drug-related probe linked to the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput death scase and spent 28 days in jail before being granted bail.
A lot of people automatically felt comfortable sharing their problems with me-Rhea Chakraborty
8:45 AM
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 10, 2025)
Actor Rhea Chakraborty has lived through a storm few in show business could imagine. Five years after facing jail time and a social boycott following the death of her ex-boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020, Rhea recently received a clean chit from the CBI, a verdict that was even opposed by Rajput’s family. The ordeal, she admits, left her battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and struggling to rebuild her life.
Yet, Rhea says her pain eventually became a bridge that connected her with others. “What I went through was so public that a lot of people automatically felt comfortable sharing their problems with me because they believed I understood mental health issues,” she says. “Among my own friends, a few girls confided in me about their husbands or family members, people I’ve known for ten years but who were too scared to talk before. They finally opened up after they saw me survive something bad too,” the actor adds.
The 32-year-old recalls how gratitude and faith kept her grounded during the darkest phases: “I used to wake up and go to bed reminding myself what I was thankful for, even when it felt like there was nothing to be thankful for. I’d tell myself, my legs work, my hands work, my eyes see and that’s enough for today.”
Her biggest source of strength, however, came from her daily recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa. “I started reading it in 2020, and now I recite it at least seven times a day. It’s like meditation for me,” she says, adding, “Beyond that, it’s the deep, honest connections with a few friends that truly help. Sharing is powerful, it heals. That’s why I started my podcast: I realized how much we can learn from other people’s journeys.”
Reflecting on the broader stigma surrounding mental health, Rhea says little has changed despite growing awareness. “There’s still a large section of society that believes mental illness is just drama or weakness. They say, ‘control your mind,’ without realizing that in genuine disorders, the person can’t. It’s not about willpower, it’s a chemical imbalance, and that’s something people still don’t understand,” she says.
I want to have the financial independence to hire the best lawyer if I have to without thinking twice-Rhea Chakraborty
9:32 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; June 8, 2025)
It’s a long-awaited sunrise for Rhea Chakraborty — an actress whose life was upended in the wake of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s tragic death by suicide in 2020. Vilified by the media and ostracized by much of the industry, Rhea became the face of a public witch-hunt that few could have survived with grace. Five years later, she is stepping forward into a new chapter—one not defined by controversy but by creativity, courage, and a quiet determination to rebuild. Alongside her brother Showik, she has co-founded a clothing brand that represents a fresh start. In a personal, long-overdue conversation with a leading publication, Rhea opens up about career setbacks, finding healing through work, and learning to move forward.
'Showik and I both lost out career paths because of everything that happened to us in 2020'
The reason behind starting a clothing store - Chapter 2 in Bandra, for Rhea was not born out of a choice. “We both kind of lost our career paths because of everything that happened to us in 2020. I had lost my acting career because no one would work with me at that point. We were like, ‘Okay, what do we do? We have to do something, right?’ It's okay that the things that we wanted to do are not happening. (But) You want to wake up and you want to have a purpose,” she recalls.
'It was really difficult to come to terms with acting no longer being a path that existed'
Rhea, a former video jockey, started her acting career in 2013 with Mere Dad ki Maruti. Her last film was Chehre in 2021. She admits it was frustrating to be not able to do what she wanted to.
“Honestly, it was really difficult to come to terms with the fact that the dream that you had since you were 17 and the path that you were set on for 10 years is no longer a path that exists. It’s not even like ab kaam dhundhna hai, it’s like ab koi kaam nahi de raha ya kar sakta hai. Even if somebody wanted to work, they were scared of the trolling. It's not like people didn't want to work, there was an interest, but it was not happening. Maybe their investors were saying no, or the platforms were saying no. At one point I had to take a stand for myself – Either I can be delusional and hope that it will happen one day, or I can be like if it happens one day, great, but I need to do something else because I'm young, I'm able-bodied, and I need to work. A large part of my healing will also come from working. If you're just sitting at home, you don't heal,” she explains.
'The trauma was long drawn'
After a tumultuous period in the public eye, Rhea reflects on the arduous process of healing and rebirth, as she learned to separate her identity from her profession. “The last five years have been really hard for me and for my family and for everyone in different ways. Healing is a process. It doesn't happen overnight. And the trauma was long drawn. It was heartbreaking. I did a lot of therapy sessions around the fact that, ‘Okay, Rhea, you're no longer an actor, and that's okay, and you need to let go of this dream because it's just not possible for you’. So, I had to break that piece of your heart and be like, now you don't beat for this role anymore,” she reminisces.
'It finally feels like a sunrise after a really long, dark, deserted, long night'
Having weathered years of scrutiny, Rhea has found strength in acceptance and joy in simplicity. Earlier this year in March Rhea and her brother got a clean chit by the CBI in the widely reported case. Rhea chooses to maintain a stoic silence about the clean chit, however, reflects on the year that has gone by: "Just one word for the year that's gone - Gratitude. It's been amazing. It finally feels like a sunrise after a really long, dark, deserted, long night. So, I feel like I wake up in the morning and I have tears of gratitude sometimes. The gratitude level is so immense that the small problems don't bother us as much anymore. And the small happiness and the small joys are now the big things.”
'Many people are getting to see who I am and not what they think of me'
The actress who became a victim of a media trial, admits she has evolved and credits her “life experiences” for the evolution. She also credits TV reality show Roadies for helping her heal.
“Roadies has been a huge part of my healing. The previous season was the first season that I came back to work... If there's any change that's happened to me, that's happened because of my life experiences. And of course, Roadies also does teach you a lot of things. It was a platform where I could be myself and not worry about judgment. When you've been brutally trolled the way, I have been, you kind of get a little bit close and cagey. Anything you say can backfire. If you go in a rickshaw also, people can call you names. Then you don't know how to be anymore in public. But with Roadies, I slowly eased up and I gave up the whole guard and I could just be more me. Many people are getting to see who I am and not what they think of me.”
'Want the financial independence that if I ever need a lawyer, I don't have to think twice'
While she has been away from movies, she continues to work as a podcaster, a Roadies mentor, and now an entrepreneur. Ask Rhea what she wants next, and her response will warm anyone's heart. “The one most singular goal that I have is of course my parents and my brother to be happy and peaceful and then to have enough money and financial independence that if I ever need a lawyer, I don't have to think twice. I can just hire the most, the best lawyer without having to think even one second about how expensive they are and how to get the money for it. So that's my financial goal. And whenever I get to that goal, I shall be at peace,” she signs off.
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“In my life experiences that I have lived, and I have lived a lot, I feel like everything that you planned is just a thought process. Whatever has to happen will happen. I like going with the flow a little bit in terms of what I want from my life is that I want to put in my 100% and I don't want to look back few years from now and being like, you didn't do enough. That's the one regret I don't want to have.”
This year has been normal for me after three years. It’s very important for me to feel normal-Rhea Chakraborty
8:32 AM
Celebrating Diwali this year, Rhea Chakraborty discusses battling trauma with therapy and returning to work with Roadies 19
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 14, 2023)
The last time we met Rhea Chakraborty was in October 2021 at a quaint café in Khar. Just as she had got out of her car, she was hounded by the paparazzi for pictures. Fresh out of her own scarring experience at the hands of the media, she was suitably startled. Throughout the meeting, she was skittish. It has been over two years since then. When we return to the same café this time, Chakraborty is approached by a fan for a selfie. She kindly obliges, wearing a confident smile.
“Life has come a long way. This year has been normal for me after three years. It’s very important for me to feel normal. I love the fact that I can be out and about, doing regular things,” she says.
What is ‘normal’ after the storm that Chakraborty has braved through? After her boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in June 2020, she was arrested in September 2020 by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a drug-related case. The actor spent 28 days in Byculla jail as an undertrial before being granted bail.
“Normalcy comes from different things,” she reflects. “I am aware that I am widely recognized by people because of the extensive and unwarranted media coverage that I got because of what happened in 2020. A year ago, I was uncomfortable with the media around. I was still coming off the PTSD [Post-traumatic Stress Disorder] of 2020. A lot of it was about cameras being there. There was yelling, screaming, hounding and mostly harassment. It used to bring back memories earlier. Over time, I was thrown into situations where I was required to go out, meet people and get photographed. It has taken a lot of therapy to be able to stand in front of 100 media people and get clicked. Time has also done its trick. I am feeling confident about myself.”
Her confidence shows. In the past year, Chakraborty has hosted Roadies season 19, featured in several shoots, and even addressed a conclave, her first appearance on a public platform since 2020. Slowly, she has embraced the person she has become—someone who is wiser thanks to the experiences, and knows that grief should be made place for, not battled. She admits that like it happens to every celebrity, she too had nearly no place to grieve privately when calamity struck.
“In the first few months, I was thrown into a storm, and it was a spectacle after that. But honestly, grief is something that lingers. It doesn’t go away. Your grief stays and your life grows around it. Healing is about facing our own emotions and the pain that comes with it. In therapy, I realized how to stop letting it take over my life.”
From the NCB landing at her doorstep to having to do prison time, to being trolled mercilessly, Chakraborty’s is the classic case of a woman who paid the price for patriarchy. Till date, she says that her endeavour is about putting the spotlight on the tabooed subject of mental health.
“Are we aware enough? No. Tier-2 and 3 cities, and villages have a long way to go as far as [awareness around] mental health is concerned. Mental health is the real pandemic that we realized during the pandemic. It was sitting right there amidst all of us and we just brushed it under the carpet. I hate it when people say, ‘Pagal ho kya? Don’t waste money on doctors.’ Our parents and their parents didn’t have the awareness; they called it a rough patch. But one needs support and kindness through it.”
Have people become kinder in the post-pandemic world, after seeing the fragility of life? “I am not sure. I am still one of the most trolled people online. But in the eye of the storm, I saw kindness. I had friends rally behind me, help me and my family emotionally and monetarily. That gave me strength. Our society is patriarchal. But from my story, I have realized that the women-pull-each-other-down narrative might exist, but there is a strong wave of women standing together and flourishing.”
Activist Sudha Bhardwaj, who was in Byculla jail at the same time as Chakraborty, had revealed how the latter had danced for all the inmates the day her bail came through. Recently, at the conclave, the actor recollected how she and the other inmates—all surviving on their resilience—would find happiness in simple, small things.
“If there are tough times in life, you somehow get the strength to fight back. In prison, I met people who have been through so much and remained strong. Truth is powerful and reiterating that to yourself, gives you courage. I deeply cherish my parents and my brother. We made it out alive and smiling because of each other. If their emotional support didn’t exist, I wouldn’t have made it.”
Earlier this year, there was judicial relief for her as the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) decided not to challenge her bail in the Supreme Court.
Work-wise, Chakraborty is back on the map after Roadies 19. Considering the actor started her career with MTV, it was a homecoming of sorts. “The person who was on my first show, Teen Diva, was on this show too. Debbie [Deborah Polycarp, MTV Content head] had made me a VJ, she came to me with Roadies this time. I enjoyed Roadies because it’s a lot like real life—contestants go through a lot physically, emotionally, and they have to rise above it. I got to experience human resilience on set. But the first day was very emotional for me. It was the same studio and same vanity van where I shot Chehre (2021). That was the last time I ever shot anything. I was anxious. I felt I didn’t know how to be in front of a camera anymore. But the what-ifs vanished once the camera rolled.”
It might be a studied conclusion that one has drawn, but it seems the actor is not getting much work in Bollywood. Are people scared of hiring her? “I feel there is still a sense of fear on that front, but I’m hoping it normalizes soon. A lot of it has calmed down, and honestly, the power of trolls is gone.”
We met her a few days before Diwali, and obviously one wonders what are her plans for the festival. It will be a family affair, she says. “I stand in the kitchen pretending to help my mother, but I am actually only trying to eat the treats fresh off the stove. We were posted in places across the country because of my father’s Army job, so my mother’s cooking has a wide range—from aate ke laddoo to shakkar pada to mixtures. I have been eating laddoos daily for a week. The tranquility of wearing a kurta and sprawling on the couch, knowing well that you are surrounded by love is the best,” she grins.
She is right. The storm has passed and like Haruki Murakami said, “Once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.”
Rhea Chakraborty with Gautam Gulati, Sonu Sood and Prince Narula
It feels good to be back to work, being independent again-Rhea Chakraborty
8:35 AM
Sundas Jawed (BOMBAY TIMES; October 30, 2023)
Actress Rhea Chakraborty, who was in Kolkata on Thursday to participate in the Calcutta Monsoon Derby 2023, has been in the news recently for her strong comeback with a Roadies win. On the sidelines of the races, she spoke to us about her career and more. Excerpts:
About getting back to work after a break
It feels really good. Work is always good, it’s therapeutic. It’s a confidence booster to be working and being independent again.
About her Kolkata visit
This is a short trip, but I definitely look forward to coming here and eating as much as I can – from phuchkas to egg rolls to bhapa illish and sweets. I’ll definitely take back some sandesh. I’ve just been able to get breakfast, lunch and snacks from unnamed places this time and in Kolkata, all places serve great food. We used to come to Kolkata often to visit my jethu dadu, who used to live in Lake Place. He passed away recently.
I’ve heard that Pujo themes are getting very innovative these days in Kolkata; that there was even a phuchka-themed pandal this year.
About the journey from Teen Diva and to Roadies
It has been a full circle for me. The journey from Teen Diva to Roadies has been my life journey in a way. Roadies is exciting, as it’s a lot like life – has a lot of ups and downs and many challenges. I had a lot of fun!
Celebrating Durga Puja in Mumbai
We visited pandals close to our house, had Bengali food at home and friends came over for lunch on Dashami. I haven’t been in Kolkata during Pujo for three-four years now, but I’ve heard that themes are getting very innovative these days; that there was even a phuchka-themed pandal this year.
About attending a race in Kolkata
I have attended races in Mumbai and Pune, but this was my first time in Kolkata. I love the energy, the vibe and the strong heritage feel to it.
Sushant Singh Rajput and I are very good friends-Rhea Chakraborty
7:59 AM
Sangeeta Yadav (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 28, 2020)
Actor Rhea Chakraborty didn’t have a single release last year, but that doesn’t bother her a tad. She wouldn’t do films “just for the sake of being visible”. The 27-year-old, who has been a part of films such as Mere Dad Ki Maruti (2013) and Sonali Cable (2014), talks about how she feels as being tagged as “a bubbly actor” and her bond with her rumoured boyfriend actor Sushant Singh Rajput.Was it a conscious decision to not take up projects in 2019?
Yes, I have been very choosy about my projects. After my first Hindi film, Mere Dad Ki Maruti (2013), where I played a girl from Chandigarh, I was tagged as “a bubbly girl” and was offered similar roles. People told me, ‘you can’t do intense characters’. Some said ‘you look too commercial’, and I would wonder what a ‘commercial look’ is. A few films came my way last year, which I could have done to be visible, but I don’t want to take up anything for the heck of it. The industry confines us in boxes, but we have to prove that we are women of substance.
2020 looks quite busy, already. What all is in the pipeline?
I’m very excited about my next film Chehre starring Amitabh Bachchan and Emraan Hashmi. I’m doing another big feature film and a web series.
Besides work, there’s news about your link-up with actor Sushant Singh Rajput, especially after you posted a picture with him on social media. So, what’s your relationship status, now?
We’ve been very good friends for many years. I am fond of working towards our shared goals, like starting our new NGO, and travelling. If there is anything else between us or not, this isn’t something that I want to disclose yet.
You seem to be venturing out into other areas as well. Tell us more.
I’m opening a gym along with a friend. I’m also starting an NGO with Sushant and my brother to provide free education to needy children. As actors, we do have certain powers. I want to use them for the right cause.
You recently shifted to a new house with your parents in Mumbai. Was it tough to find the right one?
It’s tough. When my parents go house hunting, they don’t take me along. People think that actors create havoc, party late and maybe do drugs as well. They are the same people who ask you for a selfie, want to pay you money to come to their wedding and pretend like they know you. But they don’t want to let out their house to you despite charging double the amount.
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