Actor Rhea Chakraborty recently reflected on her 27-day experience in prison, offering a candid look at life behind bars during an appearance on comedian Tanmay Bhat’s YouTube show. Chakraborty, who was arrested in September 2020 by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, shared insights into inmate camaraderie, prison routine, and the social dynamics inside a women’s undertrial facility.
Rhea Chakraborty on Her Jail Time
During the conversation with Bhat, Chakraborty made a striking comparison between life inside and outside prison walls, asserting that the environment among inmates offered a unique form of equality.
“People inside jail are better than people outside jail because most people, at least in the undertrial prison for women, are innocent, and there’s no hierarchy,” Chakraborty remarked. “Everyone’s equal, everyone is a number; there’s no name.” When asked whether she still remembered the identification number assigned to her during her stay, she initially said “yes” before quickly retracting with a “no.”
Responding to a question about how inmates spent their time during incarceration, the actress described a culture of mutual support and shared activities. She noted that prisoners often passed the time by singing, dancing, and preparing food together, specifically mentioning making thecha, a traditional spicy condiment.
Chakraborty also used humour to address queries about prison meals. Rather than giving a direct answer, she jokingly claimed she was authoring a book titled Chudail ka Badla (The Witch’s Revenge) and sarcastically quipped that inmates were served “sushi, champagne, vada pav, and chaat.”
Rhea Chakraborty With the OG Gang on Tanmay Reacts:
Legal Background and Upcoming Projects
Chakraborty spent roughly four weeks in Mumbai’s Byculla jail before being granted bail in October 2020. Her arrest stemmed from allegations related to the procurement and supply of drugs, an offshoot of the broader investigation following Sushant Singh Rajput’s demise in June 2020. Chakraborty has consistently maintained her innocence regarding the core allegations.
After taking an extended break from the entertainment industry, Chakraborty is gradually returning to public life and mainstream media projects.
She is set to feature in the second season of the reality show The Traitors, hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar for Amazon Prime Video. Additionally, Chakraborty has joined the cast of the upcoming Netflix drama series Family Business, directed by Hansal Mehta and co-starring Anil Kapoor and Vijay Varma.