REVEALED: Pratyusha had consulted a psychologist

Why didn’t you marry Pratyusha Banerjee when she got pregnant, but rather preferred that she abort the baby?
The abortion was a mutual decision. Would it look nice if I had made her my wife simply because she was pregnant with my child? We both wanted to get married, she was very eagerly looking forward to our marriage. I was very happy that I had someone who loves a home and family

Did you have an aggressive relationship with Pratyusha?
What is aggressive? Should I have not shouted at her when she consumed alcohol? Don’t two people differ on things in day-to-day life and raise their voice once in a way?

By aggressive, I mean ‘violence’...
I was never violent towards Pratyusha.



It’s said that you pushed her into drugs...
I never brought her any drugs. I know that a lawyer by the name of Vikas Gupta is spreading this sh** about me. I had not hired him to be my lawyer at any point of time. He feels he is a very big lawyer. I have filed a defamation case against him.

Let me ask you point blank: Was Pratyusha into drugs?
No, Pratyusha was not into drugs. Even if she was into drugs, it’s a very private matter. Why are we tarnishing somebody’s name, who is not alive anymore? This is now a fight of reclaiming not only my reputation but hers as well.

Why was Pratyusha consuming alcohol in huge quantities every day?
Yes, she had a drinking problem, and she had it since many years. 

Before or after you came into her life?
Before I came into her life (pauses).



Go on...
She would be sitting at home and drinking even in the morning. In fact, she was drinking even a  while before I found her hanging by the fan (April 1). I had gone off to Lokhandwala Complex (Andheri) and we spoke on the phone. She sounded very upset and I decided to head back home. I told her to stop drinking as like many times before in a similar situation, I had to return home without completing my work (pauses). Kisiko peene ki aadat hoti hai, kisiko shauk hota hai. Pratyusha used to be in a lot of depression. She used to say: Mera sab kuch khatam ho gaya hai, sirf naam reh gaya Pratyusha Banerjee.

Why was Pratyusha not getting work? She was a very expressive actress...
TV is a cruel industry. I have been a TV producer. You don’t get to play too many lead roles or even good roles once you become the face of a particular show. Pratyusha would be extremely depressed that she was not getting work (pauses). Let me also add here that TV even doesn’t pay on time.

Continue...
She used to say: Rahul, I want a big wedding and I am left with nothing. She was a self-made woman who had worked so hard. She would get very rattled, her ego would pinch her if I and not she was paying anywhere. Oh, why did Pratyusha’s parents drive their 23-year old daughter into depression? We know how banks call incessantly if and when we don’t repay our loans, she was getting 29 to 39 such calls in a day.



What was the hitch? She had worked a lot in TV and must have saved for the rainy days...
No, she couldn’t fend for herself, despite having earned quite a lot in her career. Her mother managed her finances, and managed them very badly. Pratyusha had joint accounts only with her mom. She was looking after every need of her parents---from house rent to servant to driver. All the money has now been transferred to her mother’s account. And let’s not forget that I was being blamed for a similar thing. Does that say it all?

No, it doesn’t. We need to ask you more. Did Pratyusha not have any fixed deposits or recurring accounts?
No, nothing. In fact, she had several repayment of loans pending. I am willing to share with you the numbers of all those people and banks from where she managed to take loans (pauses). Kotak Mahindra ka loan baaki tha, she hadn’t even cleared her Service Tax dues (pauses).

Was Pratyusha already dead when you entered the house that day?
I don’t know if she was dead. I was too shocked to understand what had happened. I just rushed towards her, pumped her chest, gave her mouth-to-mouth, and then lifted her to take her to the car. And then, I broke all traffic rules to reach the hospital as soon as possible.

Why did you switch your phone off soon after reaching the hospital?
The phone battery conked off. Besides, the media was hounding me. 

Why did you not go to the crematorium?
The police didn’t allow me. I was told that I should not go near Pratyusha’s parents because they are so livid with me that they will kill me.

When and where did you first meet Pratyusha?
I met her at a party. After a few days, I invited her to a party happening at my house. The rest, as they say, is history.



Saloni Sharma came out to say that you were seeing her until Pratyusha came into your life...
No, she was only a partner in my business. Saloni should prove that we were dating. Uske bolne se kya hota hai? Kamya Punjabi has been going around saying that I have a 9-year old kid. Prove it, Kamya. She had also taken Rs 2.5 lakh from Pratyusha for her cricket team, but did not repay. 

Kamya denies your allegation. She has told me that Pratyusha’s father’s NGO had sponsored Rs 2.5 lakh for BCL playoff 3 years ago and her team had promoted his NGO in return...
Pratyusha had messaged Kamya two days before she passed away, asking for her money back. Pratyusha’s phone records will validate this. 



Was Pratyusha really not getting work?
Would she have been sitting at home otherwise? She was getting offers to do only cameos.

Pratyusha’s mom can’t stand you...
That’s wrong. Everything was hunky dory till Pratyusha was alive.

And now it's not...
Pratyusha’s parents and I had a very normal relationship and I got along with them pretty well. I wish they come back to me and understand that now I am their son and daughter both. They are being given wrong advice by some people. Trust me, I will never be able to forget Pratyusha.

Did anybody stand by you?
Sahila Chaddha has lent a lot of emotional support. As for my other friends, I realised that quite a few of them were only for namesake. I wouldn’t like to name them, though.

Will you be producing more shows now?
Let’s see what happens. I had pitched a show to a channel with Pratyusha in the lead--- Janam Janam Ka Saath.

And she couldn’t wait?
Yes, else would we have been doing an interview of this sort?

Where do you go from here?
No clue, kaam to karna hai, karna padhega. But nobody can take Pratyusha’s place in my heart, nobody at all.