In recent events, Rhea Chakraborty has been under the toughest media scrutiny and had also gotten mobbed by the paparazzi.
Swara Bhaskar is comparing these line up of events to the Salem Witch Tryals of the 17th century.
“In recent weeks, I’ve often thought of The Crucible as I watched the public sentiment around the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, ostensibly by suicide, turn from the emotional outpouring of grief by fans into a media-fuelled hysteria and blind certitude that he was murdered,” Swara writes in The Week.
Bhaskar added that post Sushant’s death and the filing of an FIR against Rhea, the case took a leap in the direction of Rhea being the prime target. “This led to a shocking slander campaign and hysterical media trial that has practically declared Rhea to be a murderess, with no proof, based on contorted facts, rank misinformation and what are now being proven to be lies.”
“She has been vilified and called slanderous names by social media ecosystems and #JusticeForSushant ‘warriors’. Salacious conspiracy theories about her have done the rounds and she, her family and staff at her building have been physically hounded by shameless media personnel,” Swara continues.
Taking Rhea’s side, Swara then states that although there is no evidence of murder, evidence of Sushant’s family lying is emerging. “Evidence that suggests that Rajput’s family has lied is emerging. Watching this case play out and turn into a senseless, hysterical, conspiracy-heavy TV soap-like reality-show, one cannot help but wonder at the human condition.“