Rhea Chakraborty Reveals How Sushant Singh Rajput's Death Changed Her Family's Life: Lost Films, Jobs and Brother's IIM Opportunity
Rhea Chakraborty has opened up about one of the most difficult phases of her life and revealed how the fallout following Sushant Singh Rajput's death in 2020 affected not just her career but her entire family.
Speaking to Farah Khan on her YouTube vlog, Rhea recalled how she and her brother Showik Chakraborty found themselves without professional opportunities after the intense scrutiny surrounding the case. She said she lost film offers, while Showik struggled to find employment despite having secured an impressive score in the CAT examination.
Rhea Chakraborty Says She Lost Film Offers After 2020
Rhea was dating Sushant Singh Rajput at the time of his death in June 2020. The events that followed brought intense media attention and investigations involving the actress and her family.
Looking back at that period, Rhea said the professional impact was severe. According to her, after she and Showik were released from jail, there were virtually no work opportunities available to them.
She recalled that she stopped receiving film offers, while Showik found it difficult to secure a corporate job. Rhea described the feeling as being "cancelled by society" and said the experience eventually pushed the siblings to think about building something independently.
Showik Chakraborty Missed His IIM Opportunity
Rhea also spoke about her brother Showik's academic journey and said the events of 2020 affected his plans to pursue management studies.
According to Rhea, Showik had scored 97% in CAT and had secured admission to an IIM. However, following his arrest, he was unable to complete his first trimester despite the fees having already been paid.
She said the experience became one of the reasons behind the siblings' decision to start something of their own rather than remain dependent on traditional career opportunities.
Rhea Says Her Father Also Lost a Job Opportunity
Rhea further claimed that the controversy surrounding her also affected her father, who had served as an army officer.
She recalled that her father had been appointed as a medical superintendent at a major hospital but eventually had to leave the position after the management discovered that he was Rhea Chakraborty's father.
According to the actress, the incident was another indication of how deeply the controversy had affected her family beyond the entertainment industry.
How Rhea and Showik Started Chapter 2
After finding themselves without conventional professional opportunities, Rhea and Showik decided to create something of their own.
This eventually led to the launch of Chapter 2, a clothing brand and podcast initiative. Rhea explained that the idea was partly inspired by a T-shirt she wore around the time of her arrest, which carried a message about smashing the patriarchy.
She said the T-shirt later went viral and felt that it had spoken for her during a period when she was unable to speak for herself. This inspired the siblings to create clothing that could allow people to express themselves.
Rhea said the venture has since been doing well and has become an important part of what she describes as the second chapter of her life.
Rhea Chakraborty's Life After the Controversy
The actress has gradually returned to the public spotlight in recent years. She is currently appearing in the second season of The Traitors, while continuing to work on her other professional projects.
The CBI filed a closure report in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case in 2025, with the agency reportedly finding no evidence supporting allegations of abetment to suicide, illegal confinement or theft against Rhea and her family.
Rhea's latest comments offer a glimpse into the personal and professional consequences she says her family faced during one of the most closely scrutinised periods of her life. Her decision to build a new career and business outside traditional film opportunities has now become what she calls “Chapter 2.”
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