Actress Rhea Chakraborty has opened up about her early days in the industry. During a conversation on comedian Tanmay Bhat’s YouTube channel, she revealed that she started earning ₹3 lakh as an MTV VJ at 17-18 years old.
Rhea said she felt extremely wealthy at the time and spent most of her earnings on treatments to improve her appearance. She also recalled that Salman Khan was the first celebrity she interviewed in her career and said that people were quite intimidated by him at the time.
Rhea spent salary on facial treatments
Rhea said that earning ₹3 lakh a month at the age of 17-18 felt like a huge amount of money to her. When Tanmay asked what she did with her earnings, she candidly said that she spent the money on “fixing” her face, referring to beauty treatments.
When Tanmay asked if he should also consider getting similar treatments, Rhea jokingly said that everyone should, adding that technology has become much more advanced now.
Rhea interviewed Salman Khan
Rhea also recalled interviewing Salman Khan for the first time while working as an MTV VJ. She said the other members of the team were hesitant to interview him because they were scared of the actor, so she was given the opportunity instead.
Recalling those days, Rhea laughed and said that at the time only good-looking people were allowed to speak.
CBI gave clean chit in Sushant case
Rhea’s personal life came under intense scrutiny following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020. She was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in a drug-related case and was later granted bail.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) later closed its investigation into the case. The agency did not find sufficient evidence to establish the allegations of abetment of suicide against Rhea
In 2025, the CBI filed a closure report in this case. The CBI clarified that no evidence was found of Sushant’s murder or Rhea instigating him to commit suicide. The Mumbai court had accepted this closure report by the CBI.
Returned with ‘Roadies’, will appear in a new show
After the controversies, Rhea stopped getting work in the industry. After this, she made a comeback in 2023 as a gang leader in the show ‘Roadies: Karm Ya Kaand’. Additionally, in 2024, Rhea also launched her clothing brand ‘Chapter 2’.
Now Rhea will soon be seen in Karan Johar’s reality show ‘The Traitors 2’. The show will be released on Prime Video on August 13. It features 21 celebrities including Mallika Sherawat, Munawar Faruqui, and Shweta Tiwari.
