Actress Rhea Chakraborty has candidly spoken about the emotional and psychological trauma she endured following the death of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the events that unfolded in its aftermath. Appearing alongside her brother Showik Chakraborty on Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi’s chat show Double Date, the actress reflected on the fear, stress and long-lasting impact the difficult period had on their lives. Rhea and Showik were arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in 2020 in connection with a drugs-related case that emerged during the investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. The case attracted massive nationwide attention and subjected the siblings to intense public and media scrutiny. During the conversation, both Rhea and Showik revealed that their lives changed completely after the incident. Rhea said the emotional stress, fear and social pressure became so overwhelming that even leading a normal life seemed impossible. “What happened during that time shook us from within, and its effects remained with us for a very long time,” she said. Recalling his life before the controversy, Showik shared that he had once envisioned a very different future for himself. “There was a time when I was living a completely different life. My dream was to study at prestigious business schools like IIM or Wharton, but suddenly everything changed. Life took a turn that I had never imagined,” he said. Showik added that certain experiences are impossible to anticipate and that his life was suddenly thrown into a crisis he had never expected. “It took me nearly four to five years to come out of that experience. Even today, I often think about those moments and wonder why all of that happened to me. The incident had a deep impact on my mental health,” he said. The 28-year-old further revealed that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “Even today, if the doorbell rings, it takes me back to those days. The environment at that time was such that every small sound felt like a threat,” he said. When asked whether she had completely healed from the trauma, Rhea admitted that such experiences never entirely disappear. “Trauma doesn’t remain limited to the mind; it stays somewhere in your body and emotions as well. I am slowly trying to heal myself. I am moving forward with the help of therapy, but this pain doesn’t completely go away,” she said. Rhea also explained that the experience became even more frightening because it unfolded publicly, under the constant gaze of the media and the entire country. “Everyone had formed opinions about us. Despite everything, we gradually gathered ourselves and tried to move forward in life,” she added. The chat show Double Date, hosted by Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi, is streamed on YouTube.
