- Rhea Chakraborty spent 28 days in judicial custody in 2020 during a drugs investigation.
- She described inmates as mostly innocent women with no hierarchy inside the prison.
- Rhea recalled women singing, dancing, and making spicy Maharashtrian tea in jail.
Rhea Chakraborty has opened up about her time in jail and the unexpected lessons she took away from the experience. The actress, who spent 28 days in judicial custody in 2020, recently spoke about life inside prison during a conversation with Tanmay Bhat on his YouTube channel.
Looking back, Rhea said she found the people she met in jail to be very different from what she had expected. She said, “I feel people inside jail are better than people outside jail. Because most people in the undertrial prison, at least for women, are innocent. And there's no hierarchy. Everyone's equal, everyone's a number, there's no name."
Rhea was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau on September 8, 2020, in connection with the drugs investigation linked to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. She was accused of procuring drugs for him. She was later granted bail on October 7, 2020.
The actress also shared some lighter memories from her time behind bars. According to Rhea, the women would sing and dance to pass the time. They also made thecha, a spicy Maharashtrian preparation.
When the conversation turned to prison food, Rhea kept things playful. She said, “Guys, I am writing this book, padh lena." Asked what the book would be called, she said, “The book is called Chudail ka badla."
She also had a funny take on the food served in jail, saying, “You get sushi, champagne, vada pao and chaat."
Rhea Chakraborty On Life After Jail
Rhea Chakraborty also spoke about what changed after the investigations into Sushant's death. The CBI filed a closure report on March 22, 2025, clearing Rhea of charges and concluding that Sushant's death was a suicide.
She later got her passport back. Recalling her first trip abroad with her parents, Rhea said, “I went on a holiday with my parents. It felt strange to not be stopped at immigration, and being told, ‘Okay ma'am, you can go.' I was like, ‘What do you mean?'"
She also recalled how people in the film industry would react when she entered a room after her release. According to Rhea, conversations would suddenly become more serious around her.
Rhea Chakraborty is currently seen in Karan Johar's The Traitors 2. The reality show is available for streaming on Prime Video.
