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."
I miss Sushant. It is going to be very difficult to live the rest of my life without that friend, that partner, that companion: @Tweet2Rhea #ConclaveMumbai23 #SushantSinghRajput #SSR #RheaChakraborty | @PreetiChoudhry pic.twitter.com/limrcb4sHc
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) October 5, 2023
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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New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has refused to entertain the bail plea of Mihir Shah, the son of a former Shiv Sena leader, in the 2024 Mumbai BMW hit-and-run case, saying "these boys need to be taught a lesson".
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih took into account that the accused belonged to an affluent family and his father was associated with the Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena.
"He parks his Mercedes in the shed, takes out his BMW and crashes it and goes absconding. Let him be inside for some time. These boys need to be taught a lesson," the bench observed on Friday while refusing to entertain the bail plea.
Senior advocate Rebecca John, appearing for Shah, said the high court allowed him to seek bail after the testimony of key witnesses was recorded in the case. However, sensing the mood of the court, she sought permission to withdraw the plea, which was allowed.
Shah (24) was arrested on July 9 last year, two days after he allegedly rammed his BMW car into a two-wheeler in Mumbai's Worli area, killing Kaveri Nakhwa (45) and leaving her husband, Pradeep Nakhwa, injured.
The accused allegedly sped off towards the Bandra-Worli Sea Link after the accident, even as the woman remained on the bonnet of the car and then got entangled in its wheels for a distance of more than 1.5 kilometres.
Shah's driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, who was also present in the car at the time of the accident, was arrested on the day of the alleged accident. Both are in judicial custody.
Shah has challenged the November 21 order of the Bombay High Court that denied him bail in the case after noting that he was heavily inebriated and failed to stop the car even after hitting a scooter and dragging the victim under his vehicle.
The high court had said in the order that the conduct of the accused at the time of the alleged offence and afterwards does not inspire confidence in the court to grant him bail. It had said that Shah had accidentally crashed into the scooter but sped away at high speed, dragging the victim underneath the car.
His further actions indicate a clear intent to escape the consequences and evade arrest, the high court had noted, adding that his exchanging seats with his driver, calling his father and leaving the scene of offence indicate the predilection to tamper with evidence and/or intimidate witnesses.
