Rhea Chakraborty Reveals She Spent Her Last Rs 3 Lakh VJ Salary on Her Appearance

Rhea Chakraborty has opened up about her teenage years as an MTV VJ, revealing that she earned around Rs 3 lakh from one of her final VJ salaries and decided to spend the money on changing her appearance.

Rhea Chakraborty has revisited her early days in the entertainment industry, speaking candidly about money, beauty standards and the choices she made when she was still a teenager.

During a conversation with comedian Tanmay Bhat, Rhea recalled earning what she described as around Rs 3 lakh from her work as an MTV VJ when she was approximately 17 or 18 years old.

Looking back at an older photograph of herself, the actor spoke openly about how she spent that money.

Rhea recalls spending her VJ earnings on her appearance

Rhea said that VJs were paid well at the time and recalled feeling extremely wealthy because of her age.

She explained that the amount she remembered as her last VJ salary was around Rs 3 lakh and joked that she spent the money on “fixing my face.”

Her candid admission prompted laughter from the people participating in the conversation.

Rather than presenting the decision as a recommendation, Rhea was reflecting on a personal choice she made when she was very young and had only recently begun earning independently.

‘I was 17-18 years old’

Rhea’s recollection also highlighted how unusual it was for her to have substantial personal earnings at such a young age.

At 17 or 18, she was already working in television and had access to an income that felt enormous to her at the time.

Her comments offer a glimpse into the pressures faced by young performers entering an industry where appearance can play a significant role.

Rhea also discussed how beauty and appearance were perceived when she was beginning her career.

Rhea on beauty standards in the entertainment industry

During the conversation, Rhea reflected on the importance placed on physical appearance in the entertainment business.

She recalled a period when she felt that “only good-looking people were allowed to speak.”

The comment points to the broader pressures that young actors and performers can experience when entering an image-conscious industry.

When Tanmay jokingly asked whether he should also get his face “fixed”, Rhea responded humorously by suggesting that people could consider cosmetic procedures, while pointing to advances in technology.

Her remarks were made in the context of a light-hearted conversation and should not be interpreted as medical advice.

From MTV VJ to Bollywood

Rhea’s career began with television, where she became known as an MTV VJ.

She subsequently moved into acting and made her film debut with the Telugu movie Tuneega Tuneega in 2012.

The following year, she made her Hindi-film debut with Mere Dad Ki Maruti.

She later appeared in films including Sonali Cable, Half Girlfriend and Jalebi, building a career across Hindi cinema.

Her professional journey, however, was overshadowed by intense public scrutiny following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020.

The 2020 controversy changed Rhea’s public life

Sushant Singh Rajput died in June 2020, after which Rhea became the subject of extensive media coverage and investigation.

She faced allegations in connection with the case and was subsequently arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in a drugs-related investigation. She was later granted bail.

The period had a profound impact on her public image and career, and Rhea has subsequently spoken about the psychological and emotional toll of the experience.

She has increasingly described her current phase as a new chapter in her life.

What happened with the CBI investigation?

The Central Bureau of Investigation investigated the circumstances surrounding Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

Reports in 2025 said that the CBI submitted a closure report in the case, with the investigation reportedly concluding that there was no evidence supporting allegations of foul play.

However, terms such as “clean chit” should be used carefully in legal reporting. A reported CBI closure finding should not automatically be described as a formal judicial declaration of innocence unless the relevant legal record supports that wording.

For a publication such as Hunterfly, the precise status of the closure report should be linked to the underlying reporting or official documentation.

Rhea’s ‘Chapter 2’

Away from acting, Rhea has also moved into entrepreneurship with Chapter 2, a venture associated with her and her brother Showik Chakraborty.

The brand name reflects the broader idea of rebuilding and beginning again that Rhea has discussed publicly in recent years.

Her latest conversation with Tanmay Bhat similarly revisited her past with a mixture of humour and self-reflection—from her teenage years as a VJ to the extraordinary public attention that followed in 2020.

Rhea’s next project

Rhea is also returning to the reality television space with The Traitors Season 2, hosted by Karan Johar.

Her appearance on the show comes as she continues to rebuild her professional presence and explore projects beyond the period that dominated headlines about her.

For Rhea, the journey from a teenage VJ earning her first substantial salary to becoming an actor and entrepreneur has been anything but conventional.

Her latest comments offer another candid look at the early decisions, pressures and experiences that shaped that journey.