"Sushant had turned a different person towards the end: Media journo who met him 6 times (Pt 1)

Hi, Shravanti. This is Kaberi calling from Canada, and it's yeah, it's been the first time I think we are talking on video. We've interacted so many times, but we've never met each other personally. We are both journalists.

I guess we know each other virtually for more than ten years now.

Yes, yes, more than ten years approximately. Yeah, but we've never got to meet in person really. Uh, but, uh, the thing is that, um, it's, it's, uh, you've been an entertainment journalist and you've been so close to Bollywood actors. And, uh, it's, it's like, uh, it's a question on everybody's mind here in Canada and I'm sure out of the, uh, rest of the world that what do you think about this, uh, Sushant Singh Rajput mystery, death mystery, that, uh, that's really a kind of, uh, now, now that is the talk of the town, kind of. It's become the talk of the entire world. It's glo— there's a global campaign going on. So what is, uh, so much that everybody wants to know about particularly this death mystery? Number one. Number two is, are we sensationalizing the news? Is, is this, uh, news sensationalization? So tell me about this.

See, uh, firstly, Kabiri Ji, that, uh, you know, the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, we have Not, I mean, I mean many of us. I mean, I guess everybody, everyone of. I mean, like we took it very badly. You know, it was quite a big blow to all of us because you know what I felt about this whole incident that Sushant was someone who has actually you know he was a very popular guy, very very popular. If you look at his career graph. Like, he has done very, very less work in his, uh, 12 years of career, if I count 2008 from his television journey to till 2020. And but whatever he has done, very good work. And no, his work, his performance has been appreciated a lot. And he was someone, you know, his smile, his appearance, uh, You know, he he was a people's I mean people's actor.

Tell me about the times you met him.

Like it seems I will take you to those few few like you know meeting which I got the opportunity as a journalist. I met him first on the set of Pavitra Rishta around 2009. Okay. And he was like a normal TV actor and. He spoke to me very nicely since he's from Delhi, and you know I'm a huge, huge admirer of Shah Rukh Khan. So I asked him about Shah Rukh and the influence he has of him.

Yeah, I can hear you. Continue, continue, continue, continue. I can hear you. Can you hear me? Okay, this poor connection reconnecting. Sorry about that, guys. He's— she's a journalist based in Mumbai and she has met Sushant almost 6 or 7 times. That's what you're saying. So this is okay. Let me just try to reconnect. I think she is getting reconnected. Okay, let me call her once more.

Yeah, today is a bad day.

It's okay, I, I, the kind of video has been continuing, so don't worry, just continue from wherever.

Yeah, so, uh, when I met him, like, you know, he was a normal TV actor, but he has this, uh, lot of dreams in his eyes that he told me that, you know, film is my ultimate destination. I mean, I'm Working now on TV, and I'm very grateful to Ekta Kapoor that who has given me my first debut. I mean, first work on TV. But film is my ultimate dream. And you know, then I again met him on the set of his first ever reality show called "चला पिछला जा," and he's a terrific dancer. He's a terrific dancer.

Yeah, we saw that.

My my second meeting with him was also very nice. I could see a little change in his behavior. He was much more confident. Much more, you know, uh, like very energetic. And he spoke to me at length, and, you know, we had a very long chat about his career, about his mother and all. He was very close to his mom, and he's the only son. And he told me about his sisters also, his 4 sisters. And Aipuche was a surprise to all of us because the producer and the director, they took a decision that they did not want to They do not want to introduce the hero to the media. So he was— he has not given any interviews during Kaipuche, but I met him during his first ever Jashraj film, Shuddh Deshi Romance, and he immediately recognized me and we had a very good chat. And I told him that I'm very happy for you because, you know, you always wanted to do films. He said, yeah, bless me, and, you know, we will meet often and all. And then again I met him during Bomkesh Bakshi.

Oh, okay. That's in Kolkata.

Bomkesh Bakshi. I mean, you know, he— have you seen that film?

Yes, yes, I've seen most of his films. Awesome.

I told him that, yeah, I told him that if you are not good in this film, now Bengalis are not going to like you. They will not— they will never forgive you. So he was like, no, no, Shabanti, I've given my best. Let's hope, let's hope. And then he he asked me about Swarudhindu Bandubandha and all. He said, "I wish के you know ये English में Hindi में कहीं पे translate करके होता है और in English I would have read that also." And during Dhoni Kabir Di, I realized there was slight change in his behavior.

Okay.

And then I thought कि ठीक है you know that happens in Bollywood.

What kind of change do you think? What kind of change?

Like he was a bit snob.

Oh, okay. That's that's normal.

And then and during Dhoni even I was so flattered by his performance.

Yeah.

Especially I mean I went to him. The Dhoni interview happened to me after the film release and I was like and I don't usually I'm not a very starstruck journalist apart from only one actor. That is Shah Rukh Khan.

Okay.

And I was, but then I was just going on and on and on because he was very good in dhoti. And then I, then I could see a sense of pride in his eyes and his body language. And I thought, I told myself that that is okay. That is, you know, that, that's normal.

Like it happens. I'm big.

I'm big. That kind of thing. Yeah.

But nothing of the depression that is being talked about. Nothing of that.

Not at all. Not at all. He was always this very energetic and you know full of positivity and all. But then Kabirji, there was a big controversy when Ramta released because what happened during our Ramta press conference in Mumbai that is that footage is available on YouTube. There is a very senior journalist in Mumbai, so she actually asked not Sushant, Sushant Keerti and also director-producer about certain political questions.

Okay.

And which Sushant said, I am not here to answer all these questions because I am an actor, and you ask me anything regarding my films, I will reply. And then that journalist also had his— had her own point. And this whole thing happened in front of the camera, in front of the media.

Okay.

And the way Sushant behaved And it was not nicely taken. And then that point of time, I realized, Kabiri ji, that there is something wrong in his body language. Like, you know, he was sitting, he was sitting on the tires, but he was continuously moving his hand like this, and his legs were also moving, and he was very restless. And I was like asking one of my good friends who was sitting with me, I said, "What wrong with her? Can you see there is something unusual in his behavior?" So she also noticed. She said, "Yeah." And then I got to know that you know actors sometimes they are on highly on medicine, highly on drugs. Drugs means they want to build up their muscles and all. जल्दी-जल्दी you know like you know in fast way shortcut ways. So I got to know from someone maybe he was on drug, he was on high. प्रोटीन और ऑल सो आई थॉट ओके दैट हैप्पेंस बट देन ड्यूरिंग रामता इंटरव्यू आई मीन आई वाज टोटली लाइक नो ही वाज नॉट द द वे आई हैव सीन ही यू नो बिफोर दैट आई हैव मीटिंग फॉर थ्री फोर थ्री टू फोर टाइम्स एंड ही वाज कंपलीटली अ डिफरेंट पर्सन टू मी एंड ड्यूरिंग दैट प got to know many things from many sources, but that doesn't mean all things are right. But then I got to know that he has taken his stardom very seriously, and he has taken granted everything apart from that, you know. Like, he, he was thinking himself that he's the king and all, all those things. But these theories coming and going for any actor, you know, that, that has been applicable to many other actors also. It is very common in Film industry. But then coming back to your first question, अच्छा ओके and then for the last one and a half year, like we have no clue how many times Sushant has changed his mobile number. Yeah. Because you are a you are a journalist too Kabir. Yeah. You know that. I mean hardly actors they change their number.

Exactly.

They don't change their number.

Yeah because they don't want to be reached. Continuously. They want the media to reach them.

And then, yeah, one of my very good friends is a close friend to Sushant. So I asked him, you know, can you give me Sushant's recent number because I need to take some quotes for some story. So he said, even Shabanti ji, I don't know his number. I said, you don't know his number? You are very close to us. I mean, this guy is also a journalist. So he said, no, even I have no And you know, sometimes he's in Mumbai and sometimes he's in his— that, you know, he has taken a place just outside Mumbai. It is called Palava, where he has his own, like, you know, kind of cottage, a bungalow type, cottage type. Yeah, that he has taken on rent. So half of the time he was there only. So then I could realize that something was wrong, but then I— then we thought that You know, हमलोगों में इतने हिंदी में there is a line called success चढ़ गया है ऊपर. So we all thought that maybe that is the reason and he wants to be aloof from everyone. But then on 14th June when this news came and when people started saying that it's a suicide, like you know as you have asked rightly that why we are all so moved? I mean we are all so sad. about the news. Because I feel, uh, you know, Sushant is also someone who has no, no filmy background.

Yeah.

Yes, he has started from scratch.

Yeah.

And whatever he has achieved, totally with his sheer hard work and talent. And, uh, I am sorry, but, uh, being a journalist, you know, the debate of nepotism and the debate of insider-outsider which started happening after his I find it absolutely rubbish. I mean, yeah, nepotism happens in the Bollywood film industry, it happens everywhere. But if you look at Sushant's graph, see all these allegations, and you see the verdict is not yet out. Yeah, it is— people, CBI will investigate now. And you know, the funniest part is now the whole shift has been— I mean, the whole angle has been Shifted to a different thing now. Now people are not talking about nepotism.

No, now they're talking about murder. Yeah, murder and stuff like that. And so what, as a journalist, what do you feel, uh, like has happened to him? And why is like, why do you think this news is getting so much of a, of a like sensation in creating so much of sensation?

See, that's that's the you know the first the credit should go to Kangana Ranaut.

Yeah.

Because she is this fearless heroine of our film industry.

Yeah.

She she only she only started if if you follow the channel called Republic.

Yeah yeah I've been following India quite some time.

Yeah. So on 18th of June I guess Kangana came gave an interview live interview. And she actually basically spoke a lot about certain people in the industry.

Yeah.

And she, she also mentioned about Sushant and nepotism because Kangana has also faced a lot of nepotism. So that was the starting point. That was the starting point. And let me tell you one thing, social media has played a huge role in Sushant's case.

Yes, yes.

You You won't believe, Kabirji. I mean, till the time I think, I mean, since this thing started happening, the debates were, you know, alive every day on news channel. How many versions of Shushant's murder case or suicide case we have got on WhatsApp? Yes. Like people started investigating on their own.

On their own, yeah.

Have you ever noticed there is this person called Sahil Chaudhary?

Yeah, yeah, I've been following his blog.

So Yes, I don't know him, Kabir. I have never seen him. Maybe he himself, he is telling that he's a struggler. He has gone to people like Karan Johar. He has gone to people like Mahesh Bhatt, and he has not got the chance. When you need to see what kind of talent you have, right? I know so many TV actors, Kabir. They are so bloody talented. They are so good looking. But are they getting roles in films?

No. But why do you think the social media has become so active in this case? Like I want to know the reason why is this case drawing so much attention. There are several cases. Even when Sridevi died, for instance, people were like really surprised. Why would she die in a bathtub? Like quite tall lady like her. But nobody raised this kind of uproar really. Everybody was— yeah, movement. This can become a movement. So what Why did it become a movement? Maybe like if I think maybe Sushant was a very we we kind of identified ourselves with Sushant. He's he's an outsider, common person, greatly you know. I think people started identifying themselves with Sushant, and that is why. That's one of the reasons.

Yeah. A lot of sympathy, as I said earlier, the roles he has chosen for himself, whether it is Kaipoche, whether it is. P.K. P.K.

No, he has a small role. Yes, very nice. Awesome. P.K. We've seen so many times. Yeah, yeah.

And then Kedarnath.

Kedarnath I've also seen.

Chhichore.

Chhichore. Yeah, yeah. Chhichore I've seen in the big screen. That's the last big screen movie we saw in Canada.

Right. And also Kabir ji, I don't know whether you will agree or not. I mean, this is completely my personal opinion. See, there's You know, during lockdown in India, people have actually locked themselves in house and they have nothing to do.

Yeah, so that's one of the problems.

A lot of time and devotion has gone to social media.

Yeah, right.

Yeah, I mean, I have seen people are fighting among their relatives, among their family friends about Sushant Singh Rajput. One person is saying this is a murder and another person and say this is suicide, and none of them are aware of the actual facts.

No.

But everybody is, you know, here judge because social media has made us like that.

Yeah.

And also, I would like to, I would like to, uh, you know, say one thing which I have told my several colleagues in the media. You know, uh, I don't know whether it was— honestly, for the last 1.5 months, I thought it was a suicide. Believe me. Because, uh, but then how Things started getting unfold now. Now I also feel it is not suicide. But initially, you know, Kabir ji, this, uh, you have done entertainment journalism in your life, in your career. These actors, they are like 80% of the time they are busy with their assignment. Yeah, either they are going abroad, either they are shooting in India, or else they're going for some स्क्रिप्ट ब्रीफिंग एंड द पापाराज़ यू नो द पैप्स इन इंडिया वी कॉल देम पैप्स सो दे आर गेटिंग फोटोग्राफ एवरी डे देयर मूवमेंट हैज बीन स्कूटनाइज्ड एवरी डे दिस फेलो इफ यू सी हिज ऑल इंटरव्यूज़ ही हैज ऑलवेज़ सेड दैट आई हैव नो फ्रेंड्स आई हैव नो नो फ्रेंड्स ही एक्चुअ I mean, at times I am so frustrated.

Like, you know, then why is Sandeep Singh calling him his very good friend? Then Siddharth Pithani, why is he calling himself to be his very good friend and being at their—

So, so you have raised a very good point. Let me just tell you something, Kabir ji. I'm not a CBI officer, I'm not a police inspector, I'm nothing. I'm just a normal people, normal person, normal journalist. I'll tell you something. All these friends, do you know how long they have been knowing each other? Just take a guess.

Maybe a few months. A few months.

No, Siddharth Pichani, I think they used to know each other for one and a half years.

Okay.

Okay. The other two three guys also max to max one and a half years, maximum two years.

And they all came to him for their own personal gains. I think they wanted to be in the movie and stuff like that.

Actually, Sushant was operating a project called— I'm forgetting the project. It's a very niche project. He was operating this with a few of his close friends. Okay, so actually, all the few of the news channels, they have explored that factor also. So what they used to do, they used to work on project. And what Shushant's ambition was, he has written some 151 or 150 dreams in his life.

Yes, yes, we read that also.

What he has said, what he has told to this all his friends, that, you know, you also achieve your dream and I also achieve my dream. Both of us will achieve our dreams and in a way we will achieve these goals, you know, in a joint effort, in a joint way. But what I'm trying to say, Kabir, like, you know, a person who you personally know for one and a half years, you will allow them to stay with you at your home?

Yes, that's also my point. Why would you allow them to stay at your home? And then Riya Chakravarti is there. I mean, how many bedrooms do you have? That's— it's really silly.

No, see, Riya was his girlfriend, so whatever, uh, I mean, they want to do, they They would have. I mean, they have done. But this fellow, like these three, Porsithat, Betani, and then Sandeep Singh. Sandeep Singh never used to stay. Sandeep Singh used to stay when Shushant was working on TV in his Malad. There is a place called Malad in Mumbai. So Sandeep Singh used to, you know. But then Sandeep Singh again is a very. I don't know. He's a very shady person to me.

Yeah, that's what. He's going to be questioned with CBI. He's going to be the first person to be questioned. It seems he's completely disappeared now. Whether he is alive or dead, nobody knows. Whether he is तड़ीपार हो गया कि पता नहीं कोई किसी को पता नहीं। तो that's the last thing I heard. And Riya said, "I am sorry, Babu." Why would she say? I think why Riya said, "I'm sorry," because she walked out on him and she wasn't there at at his crucial time. So probably the But everybody's saying it because Riya said sorry, that's supposed to be means that he she was in the murder.

Yeah, see the problem with our country is that people have already drawn a conclusion.

Accepted that yes, that Riya is the main but yeah, I don't think so. She's too small a fry to do a murder like that and walk away with it. I think if it is a murder, like if I if you ask me if it is a murder, I think there's a बिग गैंग इन्वॉल्व्ड इन दिस एंड प्रॉब्ली बिकॉज़ शुशांत वाज़ सपोज्ड टू काइंड ऑफ़ पेटेंट हिज वर्क, गिव अ पेटेंट एंड फॉर सम काइंड ऑफ़ आई डोंट नो आई फॉरगोट व्हाट वाज़ इट शी ही वाज़ संगीत सेल हिज पेटेंट इन इन जनवरी, दिसेम्बर सो ही वाज़ मेकिंग समथिंग। नो एंड आल्सो य लोखान्दे की फर्स्ट गर्लफ्रेंड टोल्ड अ न्यूज़ चैनल दैट द फैमिली आल्सो स्पोक इन आफ्टर अ मंथ बिकॉज़ देवर डिवेस्टेटेड यू नो आफ्टर इस डे दैट इज अंडरस्टैंड दैट इज ओके दैट आई हैव एक्सेप्टेड दैट फैक्ट बट अ फ्रेंड कॉल्ड स्मिता प्रकाश आई हैव नेवर हार्ड ऑफ़ द We can think, I mean, the main, I mean, one of Sushant's very close pals, Mahesh Shetty, who was actually his co-actor in this serial called, uh, Pavitra Rishta.

So this guy, people have not spoken to him.

Yeah, where is he? I know he was—

he doesn't want to talk maybe, but maybe CBI will speak to him. I think Now CBI has every right to do that.

But this Mahesh Shetty totally like we have not seen or read any of his interview or any of yes yes that's right on Sushant's case yeah that's right so and there's also a news of a skeleton being discovered in Arabian Sea which is supposed to be related to Sushant oh God your video is paused again okay let's let me yeah there's a Skeleton which was discovered in Arabian Sea two three days back, which is really back, which is related to Shushant's death. So there are so many things are cracked completely. Yeah.

But we just hope the you know the ultimate justice should happen now since the CBI is has given the case.

Yeah. How is the how are in Mumbai? Like what are your neighbors? Like I like you said people are fighting with each other, not talking to each other because. Somebody said suicide and somebody said murder. So relatives and friends are there.

Okay, one more aspect I'll tell you. Like when the debate started about nepotism and all, people started taking the clippings of the award function and they started debating on that. Okay, let me just take you to one Filmfare function which happened, I guess, 10 years back.

Did you—

Shah Rukh Khan said—

did you attend any of these functions?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Done it in my initial years. Now I am bored. But yeah, initial years I have done a lot. So one of the film fair function, like when Shah Rukh and Saif were hosting and Neil Nitin Mukesh.

Yes, I remember that.

Yeah. Nitin Mukesh, they were sitting, you know, in the audience. I mean, in the star thing. And they have made fun of Neil Nitin Mukesh.

Yes, yes. I remember that. He hit back.

His respected father was also He hit back, but then Kabirji was all scripted. I mean, come on, Neel Nitin Mukesh and his father, they were all aware of the script. Do you think Neel Nitin Mukesh is a fool that he will make fun of his father in front of 500-odd people? Yeah, so it was all scripted. And then the second one, people started digging all these and they started putting it on Facebook and they started blaming all the film industry people. You know, I will tell you one of my experience. Like, you know, one of my school friends started having a debate in my school group that what kind of fun is this. I said, you look at Neil Nitin Mukesh's face. He was like, he went completely blank. I said, hold on, Neil Nitin Mukesh and his father, all of them were aware of that joke. It is all scripted. But then my friend told me a very valid one. I said, okay, I accepted this. I will accept this. She said, "This kind of fun is not giving us any laughter." I said, "Yeah, you have a point now. Now you have a point. But you are telling me that Neil Nitin Mukesh was not aware of that joke which has been made in front of him and his father. It's completely wrong. There is one more clipping which went viral was Sushant Singh Rajput got a call from you know that was an award function and Shah Rukh was making." fun of it. Karan was calling him like, oh my God, you have such a long name, Sushant Singh Rajput, and what film you have done? Kai Po Che? What kind of name is that? And Sushant was laughing. So people started making video title, look at Sushant's expression, he got so upset.

I mean, come on.

So, and then people started taking videos of Karan Johar's Coffee with Like whom you want to date, whom you want to marry.

Yeah, that I think is like a little bit going over the whom you— I want to kill. Uh, yeah, these are the small games we play, you know, like privacy. You can't take it to that level.

Now my, now my point is maybe Karan Johar has also taken a point or clue from this. Maybe he will also change his set of questions.

Yes, he should.

But When when people like you and me, Kabiridi, when we were seeing this as an audience, we have also we never felt it.

Exactly. We never felt that this was some kind of a nepotism or going against the gang or something. Yeah, people like Kangana Ranaut said you are the leader of nepotism to king of nepotism to to Karan Johar. We kind of enjoyed the whole show, but we never thought it was something like some some kind of a You know, malice going on in this whole thing. We really didn't think that way. But now when you maybe you know he should have toned down. I mean, now when I think back that if this is going to hurt people, those who are involved in it, those who are not like if it's going to hurt people, then he should have toned down his thing.

And questions. You know, among the industry, a lot of time is the case of grapes are sour, Kabir. Yeah, like there is this actor, there is this actor called Puneet Vashisht.

Oh my God, yes, I, I, I think I had— I saw his videos. Yeah, he was in, uh, I think he was with Josh, Josh, Josh or Josh.

Yeah, yeah, he was Shah Rukh Khan's son and he was also part of Tal Subhash Ghai's Tal. Yeah, yeah, so he came, he