Rhea Chakraborty knows the pain of being dragged through the mud under the glare of media cameras. After the tragic death of Sushant Singh Rajput, she faced a relentless trial by public opinion and even spent 27 days in jail with her brother Showik on drug charges. So when Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan found himself in a strikingly similar situation in 2021, Rhea couldn’t just look away.
Rhea Opens Up About Reaching Out to Aryan Khan
In a recent chat with Variety India, Rhea got candid about whether she connected with Aryan during his arrest. Her answer? A clear yes. ‘When I saw what Aryan was going through, it took me back because it was spectacularly similar,’ she revealed. The actress added that the whole ordeal reminded her more of her brother’s story than her own. ‘They also have a resemblance. It was very, very hard to watch,’ she said.
Rhea admitted she rarely spoke to the media back then and still prefers to keep a low profile. But seeing Aryan’s face splashed across every news channel brought all those painful memories rushing back.
The Haunting Similarities Between Their Cases
Both Rhea and Aryan were caught in massive drug-related controversies that sparked endless debates on prime time. Rhea’s case erupted in 2020 after SSR’s death, while Aryan was arrested in October 2021 following a cruise ship drug bust. In both instances, the accused faced intense media scrutiny, public shaming, and weeks behind bars before eventually getting bail.
‘It took me back because it was spectacularly similar,’ Rhea repeated, emphasizing how the déjà vu was almost unbearable. She noted that watching someone else go through the same circus made her relive her own trauma all over again.
How Rhea’s Friends Stood By Her
Through all the chaos, Rhea found strength in her close circle. She revealed that her group of friends really showed up for her during that dark period. They stood by her when the world was judging her, and that support made a world of difference. While she didn’t name names, it’s clear that having a solid support system helped her survive the storm.
Rhea has slowly rebuilt her life and career, but the scars remain. Her candid admission about reaching out to Aryan shows that even in Bollywood, empathy exists beyond the flashing cameras. Sometimes, the ones who have been through the fire are the first to extend a hand.