Sushant Singh Rajput's friend and actress Krissann Barretto claims she was denied work for talking about him

Krissann Barretto

Actress Krissann Barretto, known for her work on the TV show Sasural Simar Ka, has opened up about the emotional and professional toll she underwent for speaking up about the demise of her dear friend Sushant Singh Rajput. She recalled not getting work for being vocal about his passing. Sushant's death was widely discussed and became a raging national debate.

Krissann: I risked my career, my life

Krissann recently appeared on Shardul Pandit's podcast Uncensored, where she opened up about the tough time she faced for talking about Sushant. "In India, if you are an actor, you can't grieve," she said. "If your friend passes away, people assume you're posting for attention. Just because you're in front of a camera, they think you're performing. There's no room for genuine emotion."

Sushant died in 2020, and his passing led to a national discussion, taking up prime-time slots and involving central agencies like the CBI and NCB. "There's a reason nobody was talking about it," she said. "It comes with risks. I risked my career, my life… even my parents were furious with me for speaking out."

Reacting to criticism of her using Sushant's name for fame, Krissann firmly said, "No one is so foolish as to risk their life for attention. People don't realize how many doors get closed on you when you take a stand like this. It's happened to me. I was denied work."

She added, "I lost a lot and gained nothing. I did it for my friend, not for fame. I don't care what I lose. Even my friends told me to stop. They'd call and say, ‘Mat baat karo.' But I couldn't stay silent."

CBI files closure report on Sushant Singh Rajput's death

The central agency recently filed a closure report in the alleged suicide case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. According to news agency PTI, the CBI has submitted its findings before a special court in Mumbai, which will now decide whether to accept the report or order further investigation by the agency.

Rajput was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra, Mumbai, on June 14, 2020. He was 34. His postmortem report stated that the cause of death was asphyxia, as reported by ANI. The postmortem was conducted at Mumbai's Cooper Hospital.

The central agency had taken over the probe from Bihar Police, which had registered an abetment of suicide case based on a complaint filed in Patna by his father, KK Singh.

In its conclusive medico-legal opinion to the CBI, forensic specialists at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) dismissed claims of "poisoning and strangling" made in the case.