Sushant Singh Rajput’s death anniversary: A look back at the Bollywood star’s tragic end

On June 14 this 12 months, we clock 12 months since we woke as much as the tragic information of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput being discovered lifeless at his Mumbai residence. The blow was swift, however its affect continues to rattle even the sturdiest minds.

Barring Indian actress Sridevi’s premature death in Dubai in 2018 because of unintentional drowning in a tub, no different superstar death has rattled the collective consciousness of movie-mad Indians like the method Sushant Singh Rajput’s loss has triggered.

He's gone, however he won't ever be forgotten. Every improvement in his death probe is being watched carefully and the intrigue exhibits no signal of letting up as three central law-enforcement companies in India get right down to the process of discovering out what led the actor to take this excessive step.

Rajput’s loss and absence has change into emblematic of the rot that appears to be plaguing Bollywood. For the first time in a long time, influential and suave Bollywood film moguls, star kingmakers and valuable star-kids are being seen with a distinct lens. Their privilege and entry has change into a burden that they'll’t appear to shrug off.

Rajput, who's now symbolic of a younger man who rose the ranks of Bollywood by way of sheer grit and benefit, appears to be taking one for the outsiders’ crew who're furiously making an attempt to crack the famously clannish world of musicals and high-voltage drama in Mumbai.

His death additionally uncovered the inherent decay in the media circles. Star tv anchors change into the paragon of horrible reporting as they started doling out of judgements as an alternative of stating info and experiences which can be double-checked and substantiated.

The sole silver lining in Rajput’s loss has been the heightened sensitivity in direction of how Bollywood treats its fresh-off-the-boat skills and a new-found respect for individuals who reside in the public eye.

As an leisure journalist, I've change into extra delicate in direction of actors who're struggling to stay related. Rajput had notoriously fought and tried arduous for acceptance all his grownup life, however he by no means acquired that respect whereas he was alive. But in his death, he appears to have discovered a military of believers who appear to respect his journey and his hard-won success.

For occasion, when information broke that actor Kartik Aaryan was being allegedly side-lined by highly effective producers like Karan Johar or ousted out of tasks because of his ‘unprofessional behaviour’, utmost care was taken whereas slamming each events.

The heightened sensitivity whereas reporting an actor’s skilled despair is one thing new to most leisure journalists, and that’s one among the largest legacies left behind by Rajput. His vacuum can by no means be fulfilled, however his legacy of taking one for the underdogs remains to be going robust. With Rajput’s premature and tragic death, we now have inherited that feeling of unimaginable loss and the solely option to pay it ahead is to deal with actors and their physique of labor with extra respect than earlier than.

Even in his death, Rajput continues to provide us helpful life classes.

As Rajput’s first death anniversary attracts upon us, the thought of closure stays an elusive idea to his household and followers as they battle to make sense of that irrevocable tragedy. No superstar death in India has evoked this diploma of intrigue or spawned so many a number of conspiracy theories about the worth of Bollywood fame or skilled despair.

Here’s a chilly reality. As early as October 2020, the AIIMS Medical Board had submitted its report back to the CBI the place it categorically dominated out homicide, whereas stating that the actor died by suicide — he was discovered hanging in his Mumbai condo on the morning on June 14. But Rajput’s followers and household are removed from appeased.

Rajput’s death additionally triggered an avalanche of morbid thought processes, like whether or not nasty and vitriolic colleagues can push an actor to take an excessive step equivalent to ending one’s life or whether or not drug-addled debauchery can take a toll on a public determine’s bodily and psychological well being.

Rajput’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik Chakraborty proceed to be on CBI’s radar as prime suspects, whereas gaining notoriety (Rhea’s identify has emerged on ‘60 Most Desirable’ record put collectively by the day by day Times Of India), and on the different hand, Rajput’s grieving father is scrambling to place a halt to the making of a Bollywood biopic Nyay, based mostly on his son’s life.

In what would put a Bollywood homicide thriller to disgrace, Rajput’s death appears to have additionally unearthed the seedy underbelly of the movie trade the place questions on the poisonous work tradition and dependence of medication by iconic stars are being scrutinised. While Rajput’s death unleashed a media frenzy at first, the curiosity has undoubtedly waned in the previous few months. One of the most vital developments in the latest previous was the arrest of Rajput’s flat-mate and pal Siddharth Pithani, who discovered the actor’s physique final 12 months.

According to experiences, the NCB has filed an intensive 12,000-page cost sheet in opposition to 33 folks, together with actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and others in the Bollywood-drugs mafia probe case linked to Rajput’s death. Pithani is being reportedly questioned on whether or not he acted as a drug provider or was a conduit to Rajput’s alleged drug habits.

While the drug and the monetary dealings associated to Rajput’s death are nonetheless beneath investigation, Bollywood is now always being chastised for being hostile in direction of skills with no trade connections.

The 12 months additionally noticed National Award-winning Indian actress Kangana Ranaut hurling unsubstantiated accusations at film mogul and producer Karan Johar for intentionally sidelining Rajput and sabotaging his profession. The 12 months — since Rajput’s death — additionally noticed film followers being hyper-vigilant in direction of outsiders equivalent to Kartik Aaryan who misplaced out on tasks backed by Johar.

Speculations like will Aaryan’s ouster from Johar’s internal circle make him the subsequent Rajput is being always floated about. The scrutiny has reached such heights that it prompted acclaimed director Anubhav Sinha to level out that there appears to be an orchestrated smear marketing campaign in opposition to an outsider like Aaryan, one thing that even Rajput had reportedly confronted whereas making an attempt to spice up his profession in Bollywood.

Since Rajput’s absence, the collective sympathy in direction of different actor hopefuls who make it massive in Bollywood on their very own steam is now being revered and appeared at as a Herculean process. Established heroes equivalent to Salman Khan and star children like Alia Bhatt are being referred to as out for his or her innate privileges and are being blasted for getting it simple in life. There’s no denying that a few of actors — who have been born to performing dyansties — are bearing the brunt of displaced or misplaced anger.

Following Rajput’s death, the sheen and dazzle of Bollywood additionally appears to have worn off because it’s now acquired a rap for being a murky place that runs on unsavoury elements equivalent to rampant drug abuse and remoted existences. As companies proceed to analyze into Rajput’s death, Bollywood — as an trade — appears to be in a dire want for a picture make-over the place equal alternatives for outsiders and stars with connection and clout can co-exist.

As of right now, there’s nonetheless no pleased ending in sight.

She was Sushant Singh Rajput’s girlfriend and was one among the prime suspects. She claimed she had left her boyfriend’s house on June 8, a number of days earlier than his death. But Rajput’s father KK Singh filed an abetment to suicide case in opposition to her and accused her of misappropriating the actor’s funds and harassing him mentally.

Once the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Chakraborty was arrested beneath the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for allegedly procuring medication in 2020. She was launched on bail after spending a month in jail.

The actor has maintained distance from social media since Rajput’s demise and solely posts often about having psychological energy to energy by way of this darkish, troubled part. She was blasted and revered in equal measure. While many have fortunately demonised her, there’s a bit who're reportedly admiring her stoic nature.

He’s Rhea Chakraborty’s brother and was the director in two of the firms based by Rajput. The actor’s household claims these firms have been used to siphon off Rajput’s cash. Just like Rhea, Showik was arrested by NCB and spent months in Byculla jail in Mumbai earlier than being launched in December 2020.

He was Rajput’s former flatmate and claimed to be his shut pal. He was current in the home on June 14 when Rajput was discovered lifeless and was arrested in reference to the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) ongoing probe into the drug angle in the late actor’s death on May 26 this 12 months. He has now utilized for bail and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act courtroom is prone to hear his bail plea on June 16. His bail software additionally mentions that Pithani is getting married quickly. NCB arrested this Hyderabad native for allegedly procuring medication and serving to Rajput get narcotics. Pithani claims he has been framed and has denied these costs.

According to experiences, the two met in 2017 and have become thick mates quickly after.

In April 2021, NCB named Sahil Shah as one among the prime suspects in the Rajput drug case after the bureau arrested two of his peddlers. In an interview with Times Of India, NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede stated: “Sahil remained a puzzle for us for the last six months; we raided his house in Malad on Monday night, where his mother and wife were there. Incidentally, he stays in the same complex where Sushant Singh Rajput used to stay earlier. Sahil used to supply drugs to Karan Arora and Abbas Lakhani both of whom were arrested by the NCB last August.”

He is the father of Rhea Chakraborty. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had despatched summons to him in reference to the probe into lacking Rs150 million from Rajput’s account.

They have been part of Sushant Singh’s home employees crew. The NCB has questioned Rajput’s helps in relation to the drug angle. The two have been questioned by NCB, however no arrests have been made. His different employees members Samuel Miranda and Deepesh Sawant have been additionally arrested in the drug case final 12 months, however acquired bail.

Several Bollywood actors together with Padukone, Singh, Khan, and Kapoor have been summoned by the NCB for questioning in September. The nexus between the drug mafia and Bollywood is one among the angles being explored as part of Rajput’s death investigations. They spent hours with the NCB being grilled in relation to this case.

The actor’s Mumbai residence was raided and he was additionally questioned in relation to the drug angle. What’s the nexus between medication and Bollywood stars is being always pursued.

Bombay High Court quashed the case filed by Rhea Chakraborty in opposition to Rajput’s sister Meetu Singh, through which the actress had alleged that the late-actor’s sister procured pretend prescriptions to assist her brother combat anxiousness points.