Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Sushant Singh Rajput's death grips India with frenzied TV coverage

The demise of a young movie star has transfixed India like no other news in a year of bad headlines.

The abrupt death of Sushant Singh Rajput has spurred a debate about the stigma of mental health, the rarefied insider world of Bollywood, and, more recently, condemnation of the media for the non-stop coverage of the duelling accusations between Rajput's family and his girlfriend.


Mumbai police initially reported Rajput's death as accidental and local media called it a suicide. But the federal police agency is now investigating if there was any foul play and is questioning Rajput's girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty, and others.

On Tuesday, Chakraborty was arrested by India's narcotics department, which is investigating a drugs case linked to the probe of Rajput's death. She denies any wrongdoing and her lawyer, Satish Maneshinde, called the arrest "a travesty of justice".

Along the way, the story has become a media obsession in India, fed by a wave of TV coverage still swelling almost three months after Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Mumbai apartment.

In recent weeks, India's TV channels have given more airtime to the Rajput case than India's surging COVID-19 caseload, a plane crash and top political stories, according to the Broadcast Audience Research Council.

India's boisterous TV networks, which include more than 350 news channels in English and several local languages, have flashed photos of Rajput's body, analysed his medical prescriptions, even used voodoo dolls and graphics of a skull to hype allegations that "black magic" was performed on the actor.

The federal police, the High Court in Mumbai, and the government watchdog Press Council of India have all criticised coverage of the investigation.

"I spent 21 years in television and I've never seen a race to the bottom this bad," said Nidhi Razdan, who recently left Indian news network NDTV to teach journalism.

"It is a media trial. What else is it?" she said. "I haven't seen this kind of viciousness in coverage before."

'SICKENING'

Before his June 14 death, Rajput, most famous for portraying India's cricket captain in a biopic, and his girlfriend were more likely to be depicted as a down-to-earth - if Bollywood-beautiful - couple, cuddling tousled-haired at home or sitting playfully in jeans on a rundown park bench.

Chakraborty, 28, was regularly hounded by reporters when she appeared in public, with news commentators opining on her innocence or guilt.

Rajput's family claims she poisoned him, used black magic and is responsible for his death.

"There has been a conspiracy to break me and my family and my spirit," Chakraborty said in an interview with television anchor Rajdeep Sardesai in late August. "It is the systematic breakdown of an innocent family, an innocent girl who loved an innocent boy."

On Sunday, she was jostled by a pack of journalists as she tried to enter a narcotics department office in Mumbai, where police struggled to disperse the crowd.

"Sickening," journalist Swati Chaturvedi wrote on Twitter. Alaka Sahani, a senior Indian Express journalist, said, "The visuals of Rhea being hounded makes my stomach churn and puke."

The CBI, the federal police agency, said last month it was investigating allegations of abetment to suicide and criminal conspiracy. Its announcement came after requests from Rajput's family and Chakraborty.

In a statement last week, the CBI said some media reports on its probe were "speculative" and "not credible." The bureau, it said, "has not shared any details of investigation with media."

The Press Council of India has urged the media not to "conduct its own parallel trial."

Some television editors have defended the coverage.

Arnab Goswami, editor of Republic TV and a widely watched anchor known for his sharp-elbowed commentary, last week credited his channel's coverage with ensuring that Rajput’s death wasn’t “whitewashed” as a suicide.

"I pushed, I pressurised, I connected the dots," he told news website OpIndia. "In the process, if I've done a media trial, I'm happy I have done one."

Goswami did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. His main show, The Debate, ran last week with the hashtag #ArrestRheaNext.

Soon after her arrest on Tuesday, the channel started using the tag #RheaArrested.

More For You

Glastonbury 2025

Glastonbury 2025 delivers heat drama and mystery with Pulp reunion rumours and Kneecap row

Getty Images

7 biggest moments at Glastonbury 2025 from Pulp reunion buzz to Kneecap controversy

You think you're coming to Glastonbury for the music. That’s what you tell yourself. But then, by Day 4, it’s Saturday afternoon, the sun’s hammering down like it’s got a personal vendetta against pasty Brits, and the air’s thick with sunscreen, spilled cider, and pure anticipation.

Something big’s brewing. Something secret. Something that makes you feel like you're standing on the edge of history, or at least a really, really good party. There’s joy and rebellion here. Tears and beer. Political fire and surprise reunions.

Keep ReadingShow less
Harris Dickinson Bond rumors

Tom Holland Jacob Elordi and Harris Dickinson top James Bond shortlist as Amazon eyes younger 007

Getty Images

Tom Holland, Harris Dickinson and Jacob Elordi among top picks for 'James Bond' as Amazon begins new 007 era

Quick highlights:

  • Amazon’s reboot of the James Bond franchise is in early stages, with Dune director Denis Villeneuve attached.
  • Insiders claim Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi and Harris Dickinson are top contenders for the new 007.
  • The studio is reportedly seeking a British actor under 30; no official casting decisions made yet.
  • Next Bond film is unlikely to release before 2028 due to scheduling and production timelines.

The race for the next James Bond is heating up, and three familiar faces are at the top of the list.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kamal Haasan, Ayushmann Khurrana and Payal Kapadia

Kamal Haasan Ayushmann Khurrana and Payal Kapadia invited to Oscars Academy in global list of 534 members

Getty Images

Kamal Haasan, Ayushmann Khurrana and Payal Kapadia invited to Oscars voting body

Quick highlights:

  • Kamal Haasan, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Payal Kapadia among Indian invitees to the Academy’s 2025 voting class
  • Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences extends membership to 534 new global members
  • Other Indian honourees include Maxima Basu, Ranabir Das, and Smriti Mundhra
  • Hollywood invitees include Ariana Grande, Conan O’Brien, Jason Momoa, and Jodie Comer

Veteran actor Kamal Haasan, critically acclaimed star Ayushmann Khurrana, and All We Imagine as Light director Payal Kapadia have been invited to join the Oscars Academy’s 2025 voting body. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended invitations to 534 new members from across the globe, recognising diverse contributions to cinema across disciplines.

Keep ReadingShow less
Prabhas Kalki 2898 AD anniversary

Kalki 2898 AD showcased Prabhas in a genre-blending sci-fi mythological role

One year of 'Kalki 2898 AD': How Prabhas reminded everyone he’s still the pan-India superstar

It’s been a year since Kalki 2898 AD hit theatres, and whether you loved it, questioned it, or are still figuring out what you watched, one thing’s clear: it cemented Prabhas’ place at the top. A unique experiment packed with mythology, sci-fi, and big-screen ambition, Kalki didn’t just push boundaries—it made sure everyone was paying attention.

Here’s how Kalki quietly reinforced what audiences across India (and beyond) already suspected: Prabhas isn’t going anywhere.

Keep ReadingShow less
Anusha Mani playback

Anusha Mani

gettyimages

Anusha Mani: From playback to primetime

Anusha Mani’s artistic journey has been anything but conventional. Revered as the velvety voice behind Bollywood chartbusters like Lazy Lamhe, Tera Rastaa Chhodoon Na, and the irrepressibly catchy Gulaabo, she has carved out a distinctive niche for herself as a singer, lyricist, and now actress.

With a foundation in Indian classical and Carnatic music, and a career launched by a serendipitous meeting with Shankar Mahadevan, Anusha’s rise to prominence has been a blend of talent, timing, and tenacity.

Keep ReadingShow less