Actor Rhea Chakraborty has opened up about the years of scrutiny she faced following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, saying she spent a long time living under suspicion and no longer wants to experience that feeling.
Rhea, who is currently participating in the second season of The Traitors, spoke about her experience during a conversation on the reality show. Her comments come months after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a closure report in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.
Rhea says years of suspicion took a toll
During a conversation about whether she would prefer to play an Innocent or a Traitor on The Traitors, Rhea said she would choose to be an Innocent.
Explaining her choice, she referred to the clean chit she received in connection with the case.
“Iss saal hi actually mujhe clean chit mili hai, iss saal hi logon ko pata chala hai ki main innocent hoon. Bohot der tak shaq mein rahi hoon, toh woh itna pasand nahi hai ab mujhe. Kaafi saal kar liya hai maine,” she said.
Rhea’s remarks reflect the impact of the intense public scrutiny she faced after Sushant’s death in 2020.
CBI closure report brought relief
Sushant Singh Rajput died in June 2020, triggering widespread public attention and multiple investigations.
Rhea, who was in a relationship with Sushant, faced intense scrutiny during the investigation. She and her brother Showik Chakraborty were also arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a drug-related case linked to the investigation.
The CBI subsequently filed a closure report in the death case, with Rhea being cleared of allegations connected to Sushant’s death.
The development came after years of investigation and public debate surrounding the actor’s death.
Rhea previously spoke about mental health impact
Rhea has previously spoken about how the events following Sushant’s death affected her mental health.
In earlier interviews, she said the experience had taken a significant toll on her and that she had suffered from PTSD.
The actor also faced a period of social boycott and intense media scrutiny during the investigations.
Her latest comments suggest that the conclusion of the case has helped her move forward from a period she described as being marked by prolonged suspicion.
Rhea returns to The Traitors
Rhea is currently part of the celebrity line-up for the second season of The Traitors, which premiered on Prime Video in India on August 13.
The reality show features two groups: Innocents, who attempt to identify the hidden Traitors, and Traitors, who secretly eliminate contestants while keeping their identities concealed.
The new season features contestants including Aaditya Kulshreshth, Abhishek Malhan, Ansh Chopra, Dalip Tahil, Harman Singha, Ikka Singh, Karan Singh Magic, Krystle D’Souza, Mallika Sherawat, Munawar Faruqui, Parul Gulati, Prish and Ranveer Brar.
Rida Tharana, Sahil Salathia, Shahneel Gill, Shalini Passi, Shweta Tiwari, Soundous Moufakir and Tanya Puri are also part of the season.
As Rhea takes on the reality-show challenge, her comments about choosing the Innocent role have added a personal dimension to her return to the spotlight.
