Now We Don't Need a Temple , Rhea Chakraborty on Surviving the Storm After Sushant Singh Rajput's Death
January 12, 2026 03:44 PM IST

Now We Don't Need a Temple , Rhea Chakraborty on Surviving the Storm After Sushant Singh Rajput's Death

Desk Correspondent , Mumbai - In the final episode of her podcast Chapter 2, actor Rhea Chakraborty delivered a deeply emotional retrospective on the year 2020—the period following the death of her former boyfriend, Sushant Singh Rajput. Rhea, who faced intense media scrutiny, legal battles, and social boycotts, stated that she would not have survived the "storm" without the unwavering support of her close friends, specifically Shibani Dandekar and Anusha Dandekar. In a touching tribute, Rhea shared her father’s sentiment: "If it weren't for these women, we would have never survived. Now we don't need a temple in the house, we need a picture of these women."

During the episode, Rhea expressed how "freeing" it felt to finally acknowledge her support system publicly. She noted that back in 2020, it was "not cool" to announce who was supporting her due to the fear of backlash. "People keep telling me you are strong, but I only survived this because of certain people in my life," she admitted. The Dandekar sisters joined her on the episode, with Anusha wishing for Rhea’s "Chapter 2" to be the best phase of her life, acknowledging that it is unfair to expect someone to be "brave all the time."

The conversation also touched upon the long-term impact of the ordeal, with Rhea previously revealing she suffered from PTSD due to the events of 2020. Having been cleared of all charges following a CBI closure report in early 2025, Rhea has focused her efforts on a "comeback" through her podcast and new entrepreneurial ventures. The episode serves as a powerful testament to the strength of female friendships and the actor’s journey toward reclaiming her narrative after years of being defined by tragedy and legal controversy.

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