Rhea explained that jail is a very different world where everyone is just a number and not treated as individuals.She noted the sense of equality among inmates, where survival becomes a daily struggle, and time seems to move slowly. She described jail as a strange place where survival is at its rawest and each day feels endless due to the lack of activity, making it a world where time seems to be paused.
She also talked about the challenge of adjusting to jail life, admitting that the first two weeks were particularly hard as she came to terms with her new reality. “My time in there was actually really difficult in the first two weeks to kind of adjust to this situation because no one ever believes that they are going to jail. Once you are in there, it takes a long time to understand that this has happened. There is a deep depression and darkness that I obviously experienced…You are really thinking negative thoughts now. I’ve always been a very bubbly, positive person, like delusionally optimistic,” she added.
Aamir Khan Gets Emotional on Rhea Chakraborty’s Show, Praises Her Courage
Despite the hardships, Rhea found a way to bring some light into her own life and others. She started teaching yoga, conducting dance classes, and sharing poems with fellow inmates, some of whom had lost hope.
In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Rhea reflected on her time in jail, acknowledging that not everyone around her was a true friend and that her family was deeply affected. She mentioned that she still holds grudges against some people and has not forgiven everyone.
Rhea Chakraborty, who was dating the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, was arrested in September 2020 and spent 28 days in Byculla jail. Her release came after the Bombay High Court granted her bail in the drug case related to Sushant’s death investigation.