Actress Rhea Chakraborty is making a fresh start after being shunned by a certain segment of the public. On Saturday, she introduced her new podcast, Chapter 2, which she stated reflected her current state of mind.
Rhea, who was embroiled in a political controversy and faced immense media scrutiny following the passing of her actor boyfriend, Sushant Singh Rajput, in 2020, mentioned that she is now reclaiming control of her narrative after a turbulent period in her life, which also included a period of incarceration.
She was detained in September 2020 in connection with an alleged drug-related case. She was released on bail in October 2020. In her podcast, which featured actor Sushmita Sen as the guest, Rhea said, “Ok, people are confused about what I do for a living anymore. I am not acting in films, I do other things, I do motivational speaking and that’s how I earn my money.”
Rhea also revealed that the name of her show is inspired by her life. She continued, "Everybody knows my 'chapter one' or assumes that they know it. I went through many phases of feeling different emotions and being different versions of myself. Finally, I am feeling more me, but a newer version, like a rebirth. And I want to celebrate that with anyone who has a "chapter two". I want to say that it is okay to have a chapter two, to start again, to move on in life. I want to celebrate change."
In that very discussion, Rhea revealed her self-perceived superpower: the ability to change the atmosphere of any room she walks into. Although some admire her for being a strong woman, others denounce her as a "witch".
"I often joke that I have a big superpower. I enter a room and I can polarise it! Half of them would think, 'She has done something, she is a witch, she practices black magic,' and the other half would think, 'She's a strong girl who fought through it, she had courage.' I can sense it the moment I enter a room. I will experience this at the dentist's clinic, the gym, the airport. This has also made me understand that it doesn't matter. Those who love you, great, those who hate you, that's also okay, it doesn't matter," said the actor.
Rhea Chakraborty faced arrest in September 2020 and was confined to Mumbai's Byculla Jail on drug charges in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput case.
She was alleged to have been involved in obtaining and distributing drugs to the deceased actor. After 28 days, the actress was released on bail. Sushant Singh Rajput died at his residence in Bandra, Mumbai, in June 2020.