Mahesh Bhatt is 'father figure', says Rhea Chakraborty, 'I was made into his girlfriend when he has a daughter my age'

Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, August 28

Rhea Chakraborty said Sushant Singh Rajput insisted that she leaves his home on June 8. This had "completely broken" her.

In an interview with Aaj Tak, Rhea said: "How would you feel when someone asks you to leave? This was when I was unwell and in the same phase as him? When I have taken care of him for so long? When there is so much affection between us? He asked me to leave when it is known that those who care for people suffering from mental illness, like a spouse or a girlfriend or a boyfriend, often face similar issues. I was completely broken. I already have anxiety. I was also having panic attacks.”

Rhea addressed the reports that she decided to leave Sushant based on the advice of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. Rhea added that the filmmaker was a "father figure" in her life.

Accepting that she spoke to him at some point on June 8, Rhea said: “I spoke to Bhatt saab because he is like a father figure for me. I called him to say I don’t have it in me to go ahead. He (Sushant) has asked me to leave and I am completely broken. He asked me to think of my father and go home, to be strong for my father. Bhatt saab told me you cannot break down to this level. This conversation was misconstrued, I was made into his girlfriend when he has a daughter my age. Don’t I have the right to consult someone?”

She said she has been in touch with Mahesh since the time they did a film, Jalebi, together. “I called Bhatt saab the same day I left Sushant’s home. In fact, Sushant and Bhatt saab also had a lovely relationship. He knew Bhatt saab much before I came into the picture. Sushant have even tweeted about how good he felt after meeting Mahesh Bhatt. Why isn’t anyone listening to Sushant then?”

To the question as to whether Mahesh asked her to leave Sushant, Rhea’s straightforward reply was “No”.

“And even Bhatt saab had asked me to leave Sushant, it would not have worked. It is a matter of the heart.”

Sushant died on June 14 in Mumbai.