Rhea Chakraborty quit acting to start clothing brand, achieved valuation of Rs 40 crore in less than a year

Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Rhea recalled, “When I was arrested, my T-shirt read: ‘Roses are red, violets are blue, let’s smash the patriarchy, me and you.’ It spoke for me when I couldn’t.” That moment sparked the idea of turning clothing into a medium of expression, and a pathway back to her career.

Reflecting on their journey, she said, “When we went through what we went through, we both sort of lost our careers. I stopped getting acting calls, and Showik had scored 96% in CAT and was set to attend a prestigious college. But he went to jail around the same time, and by the time he came out, the first trimester was over—and so were his MBA plans and future prospects.”

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She added, “It was at this moment that we wanted to create something that gives people their voice—something that helps people feel seen and heard. That’s how this idea was born.”

Rhea Chakraborty launched Chapter 2 Drip online in August 2024, and in June this year, they opened their first offline store—despite her initial hesitation. “I didn’t even have the guts to open a store because overheads naturally increase. Rents on Bandra’s Linking Road are ridiculously high. We were doing well online, and I wanted to stay that way, but Showik found the space and convinced me. We were building a community, and a community needs a headquarters. We wanted to host events, meet people, talk to them about their Chapter 2. That couldn’t happen if we stayed only online.”

The brand received Rs 1 crore in seed funding from retail pioneers Kishore and Ashni Biyani, and quickly reached a valuation of around Rs 40 crore.

Recalling the unexpected moment that led to the investment, Rhea said, “I invited them on our podcast for a chat, thinking we would just get some insights. But while we were talking and I asked sir for advice, he suddenly said, ‘You can give us free equity.’ I said, ‘One second—I don’t want to give you free equity, but we will give you equity.’”

She continued, “I was confident about my numbers. If your brand isn’t bringing in revenue, nobody will invest in you. But we were generating revenue, we were profitable. I didn’t go for a 5X valuation.”

Today, Chapter 2 Drip sells denims for Rs 5,500, the viral “indifferent” white T-shirt for Rs 2,290, Anti-Everything Club vests for Rs 1,790, and co-ord sets priced up to Rs 7,990.

In her latest podcast with Huma Qureshi, Rhea shared, “I am not acting otherwise. It’s over. But if you guys are producing something and need me, I will come.”