Rhea Chakraborty was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in September 2020, following the tragic death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. She was granted bail after nearly a month in a women’s undertrial prison.

Life Inside: From Singing to ‘Thecha’ Making

During her conversation with Tanmay Bhat, Rhea offered a peek into the daily routines of inmates. When asked about common activities for timepass in jail, she responded, “They sing, they dance, they make thecha.” This lighthearted revelation painted a picture of communal activities rather than isolation.

Chakraborty also shed light on the social dynamics within the women’s undertrial prison, noting a surprising absence of social hierarchy. “People inside jail are better than people outside jail because most people, at least in the undertrial prison for women, are innocent, and there’s no hierarchy. Everyone’s equal, everyone’s a number; there’s no name,” she stated, challenging common perceptions of prison environments. When prompted if she remembered her assigned number, Rhea playfully first affirmed, then quickly changed her answer to “no”.

Humor as a Coping Mechanism: Jail Food and Future Books

The conversation took a humorous turn when the topic of prison food arose. Instead of a direct answer, Rhea quipped, “Guys, I am writing this book, padh lena.” Pushed for a title, she jocularly suggested, “The book is called Chudail ka badla.” She continued to joke about the food, envisioning an absurd menu: “Sushi milti hai jail mein, champagne milta hai, vada pav, chat.” This use of satire underscored her approach to dealing with past hardships.

Navigating Media Scrutiny and Social Awkwardness

Rhea also revisited the intense media scrutiny she endured after Sushant Singh Rajput‘s passing. She described the palpable awkwardness she encountered in social situations, where people would visibly change their demeanor upon her entry. “With me, if people were like laughing and joking in a group and if I came in there, then suddenly they would like change the tone, be like, ‘Ha ha ha, oh hi Rhea, how are you?’” she recalled.

Tanmay Bhat drew parallels between Rhea’s experience and the controversy surrounding his own comedy collective, AIB, observing that both found comfort in using humor to process difficult periods, often to the shock of others. Rhea elaborated on this, explaining that her jokes about the situation frequently made people uncomfortable. “It’s true though, like if I would make these jokes like we’re doing today, like four years ago, the room would suddenly just get very heavy. They didn’t know whether they should laugh or they should not laugh,” she elaborated.

The ‘Imma Bounce’ Controversy and a Plea for Clarity

The discussion also touched upon the infamous “Imma bounce” incident, where one of Rhea’s private WhatsApp messages was reportedly misconstrued by a news channel. Tanmay joked about how the phrase was interpreted as a reference to a cheque bouncing. Rohan Joshi and the panel joined in, satirizing the absurdity of how easily statements were misunderstood during that period. Rhea, too, joined the jibe, humorously stating her newfound need for absolute clarity in communication: “Now, if someone even texts me, ‘I’m on the pot,’ I’m like, ‘Please specify,’” leaving the panel in splits.

She concluded this segment with a wry observation: “Good guys, good guys. You find my trauma very entertaining. I’m glad someone’s laughing.”

Rhea’s “Chapter 2”: Returning to the Spotlight

Rhea Chakraborty, who refers to this current phase of her life as “Chapter 2,” is steadily returning to the public eye. Her appearance on Tanmay Bhat’s YouTube channel, alongside comedians Rohan Joshi, Kushagra Srivastava, Aaditya Kulshreshth, and Piyush Sharma, marks a significant step in her public comeback.

On the professional front, Rhea is slated to appear in the second season of the reality series The Traitors, hosted by Karan Johar, set to premiere on Prime Video on August 13, 2026. The season boasts an impressive ensemble cast including Mallika Sherawat, Shweta Tiwari, Munawar Faruqui, Abhishek Malhan, Krystle D’Souza, and others. Furthermore, Rhea will also be seen in Netflix’s upcoming series Family Business, directed by Hansal Mehta, alongside Anil Kapoor and Vijay Varma.