Mumbai: Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty graced Day 2 of the India Today Conclave Mumbai 2023 as the keynote speaker for her session titled, 'Rising from the Ashes and Finding Herself.' Moderated by Consulting Editor Rajdeep Sardesai, she shed light on her life journey, her return to showbiz, and the challenges she faced post the tragic death of Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020.

Rhea, currently a gang leader on 'Roadies 19,' reflected on her experiences and mental health struggles, emphasizing the importance of understanding mental health issues.

During her session, Rhea looked back at the period when she faced severe trolling after the demise of Sushant Singh Rajput. She shared her thoughts, saying, "I always believe that there are two sides of the story, and not everyone believed in that that day. Today, life has come to a full circle, and I am speaking to the media after 2020 for the first time. Because I think I wanted to and thought I was ready. But now that life is moving on, I want to move on, and nothing could have been better than the India Today Conclave. The new me is very different. I’ve been through a lot. I feel like an 80-year-old woman inside a 31-year-old woman’s body mentally at least."

Addressing the challenges she faced, Rhea stated, “Honestly, when I enter a room, I can see it in people’s faces. I can see people looking at me with pitiful eyes, thinking, 'How is she still standing?' while some others are like 'we are rooting for her, and she should go on.' I can hear the thoughts in their minds. Sometimes they are looking at me and thinking she doesn’t seem like a criminal. I can feel that thought at the same time. Does it matter to me? Absolutely not. I actually did not have a choice in that matter. It mattered to me; I wouldn't have been able to sit here today, talk to a journalist, or walk through my house if it did."

She emphasized the prevalent misunderstanding of mental health in society, especially when it comes to celebrities. Rhea commented, "The truth is that mental health is not understood in this country at all. We are making progress, and I am happy that the youth is talking about it, and India is moving on and talking and understanding mental health. But if someone is famous and has a mental health condition, people don’t understand."

Addressing her relationship with Sushant Singh Rajput, Rhea stated, “See, I could never know the truth about why he did what he did because I don’t live his life. But I do know the truth about him being mentally ill, about what he was going through. I miss Sushant. It is going to be very difficult to live the rest of my life without that friend, that partner, that companion."

During the India Today Conclave, she expressed her aspirations, including her desire to continue in Bollywood despite the challenges faced. Rhea candidly discussed her experiences and the emotional journey she has undertaken, providing valuable insights into the complexities of mental health and societal expectations, especially in the public eye.

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Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal has secured victory in the election for the post of President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). Sibal emerged triumphant with 1066 votes, defeating his closest competitor, Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai, who garnered 689 votes. The incumbent President, Senior Advocate Dr. Adish C Aggarwala, received 296 votes, according to tentative figures.

Among the other contenders were Priya Hingorani, Tripurari Ray, and Neeraj Srivastava.

This marks the fourth time that Kapil Sibal will serve as the President of the SCBA. He previously held the position three times, with his last tenure dating back twenty-three years ago in 2001. Before that, he served as President during the terms of 1995-96 and 1997-98.