Actor Rhea Chakraborty’s life took a dramatic turn in 2020 following the death of her former boyfriend, Sushant Singh Rajput. Rhea faced multiple allegations from the late actor’s family and was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in connection with an alleged drug case. Years later, Rhea revealed that while she has learned to move forward, the trauma of those events still lives in her body.
Rhea on dealing with trauma
Rhea opened up about the emotional toll of the difficult phase that followed the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput during her appearance on Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi’s chat show Double Date. Rhea was joined by her brother, Shovik Chakraborty.
Reflecting on what he called “Chapter 1” of his life, Shovik said it was vastly different from where he is today. He revealed that he was once a studious, career-driven person focused on cracking admissions to a top business school.
He recalled how life took an unexpected turn after Sushant’s death, adding that it took them about four to five years to overcome that. Shovik admitted that he continues to struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
At that moment, Neha asked Rhea whether she had been able to fully recover from the trauma. To this, Rhea responded, “It’s not something that you can truly get over. It’s trauma. It stays in your body, if not in your mind. As like Shovik was saying, there’s PTSD. You do your therapy and you deal with it.” The actor mentioned that healing is an ongoing process rather than a destination.
Rhea also noted that what they went through was unlike most personal hardships because it unfolded under public scrutiny. She said the intense media attention made an already painful experience even more difficult to navigate. “Ours was public, so everyone knows about it, everyone talks about it, and that’s okay,” she added.
What do we know about Rhea and Sushant
Rhea faced time in jail and a social boycott following the death of her ex-boyfriend, actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020. Last year, the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) closure report in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case has brought relief to Rhea, as she has been cleared of any charges. In her previous interviews, Rhea confessed that the whole ordeal took a toll on her mental health as she suffered from PTSD.
Sushant was found dead in his Mumbai home on June 14, 2020. Rhea was embroiled in a storm and subjected to intense media scrutiny following the death of her actor boyfriend. Sushant’s father had lodged a complaint against actor Rhea, accusing her of abetment of suicide. She and her brother Showik were also questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over allegations of money laundering.
After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested her and her brother, alleging they supplied marijuana to Sushant. The Bombay High Court rejected NCB’s theory that Rhea financed and harboured Sushant’s alleged addiction. They were granted bail after a few months. The case was later transferred to the CBI, which has since then been carrying out a probe into the actor’s death. In March last year, CBI submitted a closure report, giving Rhea clearance from all charges. Since then, Rhea has made a comeback in the public eye through her podcast and her entrepreneurial venture.