Despite crises, India fixes its gaze on Sushant Singh Rajput's death

Covid-19 is rippling through the country. The economy is reeling. But for many Indians, an actor’s death and the investigation that followed are a bigger story.

A rising young movie star meets a tragic end. His family blames his death on his glamorous girlfriend. As she sits in jail, her friends proclaiming her innocence, the police hint at a shadowy network of money laundering and illegal drugs deep within the world of show business.

India has been captivated by the story of Sushant Singh Rajput, a 34-year-old actor whose death has been ruled a suicide by the police in Mumbai.