Rhea Chakraborty recently spoke about the difficult years she and her family went through after the 2020 Sushant Singh Rajput case. In a conversation with filmmaker Farah Khan on her YouTube vlog, Rhea Chakraborty recalled how she and her brother Showik Chakraborty faced rejection from both the film industry and the corporate world after their release from jail.
The actress said they were “cancelled by society” and had no work offers. Her brother, who had scored 97% in the CAT exam and secured admission to IIM, could not find a job either. Even her father, a retired army officer and medical professional, lost a senior hospital position because of his surname.
What Rhea said about being cancelled by society
During the vlog, Rhea Chakraborty explained why she and Showik started their apparel brand Chapter 2. She said they had no other option after struggling to find work.
“We used to be sitting at home. Cancel hi ho gaye the society se aur filmein bhi nahi mil rahi thi (We were cancelled by society and there were no film offers). Showik was not even getting jobs. No corporate was willing to take him on.”
Rhea Chakraborty also shared how difficult it was to rebuild their lives. She said, “Itni mushkil se cheezein theek huyi hai darr lagta hai (Things have improved with such difficulty; I’m afraid).”
Showik Chakraborty lost his IIM seat and job opportunities
Showik Chakraborty had a promising academic career before 2020. He scored 97% in the CAT exam and got admission to IIM. His family had even paid the fees. But the arrests and the controversy destroyed those plans.
Rhea said, “He got 97% in CAT, and then 2020 came and all of that happened, where he got arrested along with me. He had even got into IIM and we had paid the fees but that did not happen and he lost the time… Then we came out and kuch kaam nahi tha (there was no work).”
After their release, Showik Chakraborty could not find any corporate job. No company was ready to hire him because of the stigma attached to his surname. The siblings then decided to build something on their own and launched Chapter 2, a clothing brand and podcast.
Rhea’s father lost a hospital job because of his surname
The impact of the case was not limited to Rhea and Showik. Their father, Indrajit Chakraborty, a retired army officer and former medical corps administrator, also faced professional setbacks.
Rhea Chakraborty revealed that her father had been offered a senior position as medical superintendent at a big hospital in Mumbai. But the hospital withdrew the offer after staff learned his surname.
“Papa got a very big job as a medical superintendent at a very big hospital in town… and then they found out his surname and said, ‘Sorry, aap Rhea Chakraborty ho toh (You are Rhea Chakraborty’s father so you cannot work here).’”
Rhea said this incident showed how the controversy affected her entire family, not just her.
The family decided to build something of their own
After facing rejection from every side, the Chakraborty family decided to stop depending on others. Rhea Chakraborty and Showik Chakraborty launched their own brand, Chapter 2.
Rhea explained, “We were like, ‘We don’t want to depend on others, we will make something ourselves. Let’s sell something.’ We want to make something and start a brand.”
The brand became a way for them to rebuild their lives after years of struggle. Showik became Rhea’s partner in the business.
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Rhea’s arrest and the CBI closure report
Rhea Chakraborty‘s life changed dramatically in 2020 after the death of her former boyfriend, Sushant Singh Rajput. She faced serious allegations from the late actor’s family and was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in a drug-related case. Her brother Showik Chakraborty was also arrested in the same case.
Both siblings spent time in prison while under investigation. They were initially charged with abetment to suicide and later investigated for drug use and other allegations. All charges were eventually dropped.
In 2025, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a closure report in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. The agency found no evidence to support the allegations made against Rhea and her family.
Rhea’s return to the entertainment industry
Despite the years of struggle, Rhea Chakraborty has slowly returned to the entertainment industry. She made her comeback as a judge on MTV Roadies and started her own podcast.
She is currently part of The Traitors Season 2, a reality show hosted by Karan Johar. New episodes of the show release every Thursday on Amazon Prime Video.
On the show, Rhea Chakraborty was asked whether she would prefer to be an “Innocent” or a “Traitor”. She chose “Innocent,” connecting the choice to the years she spent facing suspicion.
“I want to be an innocent. Iss saal hi actually mujhe clean chit mila hain, iss saal hi logo ko pata chala hai ki mai innocent hoon. Bohot der tak shaq mein rahi hoon toh woh itna pasand nahi hai ab mujhe. (I got a clean chit this year. This year people learned that I am innocent. I was under suspicion for so long, I don’t like that anymore.)”
Rhea Chakraborty has previously spoken about the mental health impact of the entire ordeal. She revealed that she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder following everything she experienced during that period.
The actress has shown resilience in rebuilding her life and career after facing one of the most difficult periods any Bollywood celebrity has gone through in recent years.
Also Read: Rhea Chakraborty Reveals Father Was Denied Hospital Job Because of His Surname During 2020 Case
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