Rhea Chakraborty recently opened up about her time in jail following the death of her ex-boyfriend, Sushant Singh Rajput, and her subsequent arrest by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a drug-related case. During an interview on Karishma Mehta’s podcast, Rhea shared the emotional and mental toll that her incarceration took on her, describing it as an overwhelmingly challenging experience.
Rhea recalled how time seemed to stretch endlessly while she was behind bars, with each day feeling like an entire year. She found it difficult to adjust to the harsh reality of being in jail, a place she described as a “strange world” where societal norms no longer applied. “Jail is a very different world,” Rhea explained. “There’s no society in jail. Everyone is just a number; you’re not a person anymore. You’re a UT number when you’re in under-trial prison. It’s a weird sense of equality, but it’s also a place where raw human emotion is laid bare. It’s all about survival, and you have to find a way to get through each day, which feels incredibly long when you’re doing nothing.”
Also Read: Sreelekha Mitra withdraws from Kochi seminar amid harassment claims against Ranjith
The actor-model also spoke candidly about the emotional darkness she faced during her time in jail. She described the first two weeks as particularly tough, as she struggled to come to terms with her situation. “No one ever thinks they’re going to end up in jail,” Rhea said. “When you find yourself there, it takes time to fully grasp that this is your reality. I went through a deep depression and a sense of darkness that was very hard to shake off. It was a stark contrast to my usual self because I’ve always been a bubbly, positive person—almost delusionally optimistic.”
Despite the grim environment, Rhea Chakraborty found a way to connect with the other women in jail, offering them a bit of solace through yoga and dance. She saw this as an opportunity to give a part of herself to those who were also struggling, creating a small sense of community amid the bleak surroundings.