This is an archive article published on November 7, 2024
Exclusive | Rupali Ganguly’s stepdaughter Esha Verma says she’s exposing Anupamaa actress, father Ashwin K Verma: ‘An ugly person inside out’
In a detailed chat with SCREEN, Esha Verma shares that her comments against Anupamaa actor Rupali Ganguly and her father Ashwin are not a publicity stunt.
Anupamaa actress Rupali Ganguly has been in the news after her stepdaughter claimed that she broke her parents’ marriage and ‘mentally, emotionally and physically’ abused her and her mother. It all began after a 2020 post made by Rupali’s stepdaughter and her husband Ashwin K Verma’s daughter from his second marriage, Esha Verma, resurfaced on social media and went viral. She then made new posts, saying she stands by her statements.
Now, in an interview to SCREEN, Esha, who is 26 now and stays in New Jersey, US, claimed she had a traumatic experience with Rupali and added she has not opened up about her life story for publicity.
Esha also clarifies that her siblings have nothing to do with this — it is her story and her battle. “I request that my sister and brother are not involved in this, it is my battle and experience with Rupali and the danger I had to face from Ashwin and her. My sister had a different experience and my brother has a wonderful lifestyle, I am grateful that my brother was protected and loved by two parents. But why was it that another life was created, by destroying one?” says Esha before she narrates her story.
Esha shared her side of the story and said, “I was two when the affair started, Ashwin and Rupali had confirmed this in their interviews. She has said that they met when they made an ad together. My father would go to India to shoot these commercials and would be away for three months at a time. He would say it was for work, but it was also to meet the woman he was having an affair with. Rupali was a nobody at that time, she had also said that while she was from a film background, she hadn’t done any major roles. I am not only pointing fingers at Rupali, but also my father. This is difficult because a father is the first love of a daughter, but mine proved that to be wrong and she is an ugly person inside out,” stated Esha.
‘Rupali was obsessed with my father’
Accusing the Anupamaa actress of hitting her mother, Esha claimed Rupali never loved Ashwin but was obsessed with him. She shared, “Rupali is 20 years younger than my father, she was an adult. She knows that if a man is married, you stay away especially when they have kids. I and my mother were still in the picture. It was an obsession, not love. She would constantly call him, send messages, and spam his phone. She had the audacity to come home and stay in my mother’s room and take my mother’s jewelry when we were away on vacations.”
“I have said earlier that Rupali also hit my mother in Mumbai. My father had brought us to meet my grandparents. Rupali was constantly blowing up my father’s phone, but he ignored it, so she ended up coming to the house and screaming outside. For the sake of my grandparents’ reputation, we asked her to stop doing this and proposed to leave. Instead, Rupali started hitting my mother and verbally abusing her in English and Bengali. I was only 8 or 9 at that time, and I was scared (gets emotional). I didn’t know what to do. I had to scream and pick up an object to threaten Rupali,” said Esha Verma.
‘Rupali’s team has been trying to take down the articles’
Esha said neither Rupali nor her father Ashwin have got in touch with her after the viral post. “I am trying to issue a video statement on my own. It’s not easy because that will not just bring more traction, but also hate comments and negativity probably. I am going to lose my father for real. So far Rupali has not reached out to me, but I have heard that her team has been trying to take down the articles that exist right now, my father told me not to do this, and he asked me take it down. But at the end of the day, he never apologized or acknowledged me publicly or personally. Now that the truth is coming out, they are staying silent because they are scared.”
“Rupali is trying to get into politics, and it is not a good look for her, especially taking on the role of being a woman who advocates women empowerment. My mother and father were legally married till 2008, they may have had ups and downs in the marriage, but which marriage doesn’t have that? It wasn’t bad until Rupali came into the picture,” she alleged.
‘I called my father on Father’s Day and Rupali was screaming’
When asked if it was all a publicity stunt on Esha’s part, she said, “If I had to become an actor, I would have made reels. I never did that because I was scared; I had a lot of trauma to deal with. I was looking to find my path, this comment resurfaced, I did not push it out. I had forgotten about it completely. I wish I had worded it better, I was very angry at that time. I had called my father on Father’s Day and Rupali was screaming at the top of her lungs, ‘How dare you call him, watch what I do to you when you come to India.’ I do admit that she cornered me when my mother came again to visit in Mumbai and I wanted my parents to meet.”
‘I barely sleep or eat because the trauma resurfaces’
Esha says she just wants to expose the truth. “I barely sleep or eat because the trauma resurfaces. This is not for sympathy at all, but just exposing the truth. Why should we support a celebrity? I want to ask the fans what are they getting in return. I don’t get a penny from my father.”
While Rupali and Ashwin have not released any official statements, Esha’s father had reacted to her first social media post and said Rupali Ganguly had nothing to do with the end of his previous marriage.
Nawaz Javed Kochra is a seasoned entertainment journalist at The Indian Express Online, bringing nearly a decade of expertise to the forefront of cultural reporting. With a focus on the television and Over-The-Top (OTT) landscapes, he has established himself as a prominent voice in the industry, known for his high-profile celebrity interviews and insightful coverage of the Indian entertainment sector.
Experience & Career
Nawaz holds a Master of Arts in Communication and Journalism from Mumbai University, providing him with a rigorous academic and ethical foundation. In his 11-year career, he has navigated through several of India's leading media houses, building a portfolio that spans digital, print, and broadcast media:
The Indian Express: Currently leads coverage of TV and OTT content, producing both written analysis and popular video interview segments.
Former Roles: He began his career at the iconic Stardust Magazine and later held key positions at Zoom TV, Zee Multimedia, MissMalini, Bollywood Bubble, and Raindrop Media.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Nawaz’s beat is characterized by a blend of exclusive access and trend analysis. His core areas of expertise include:
Reality Television: Specialized coverage of major franchises like Bigg Boss, providing behind-the-scenes insights and winner profiles.
OTT Ecosystem: Tracking the shift from traditional cable to digital streaming platforms, with a focus on web series and digital premieres.
Celebrity Profiles & Interviews: Nawaz is celebrated for his ability to foster candid conversations with industry stalwarts, from music composers like Amaal Mallik to other TV legends.
Investigative Entertainment News: Reporting on sensitive industry developments, including legal disputes and personal stories of resilience within the acting community.
Authoritativeness & Trust
With a reputation built on years of networking and credible reporting, Nawaz Kochra is a "known face" in the Mumbai media circuit. His work at The Indian Express adheres to the publication's "Journalism of Courage" standard, ensuring that even entertainment reporting is approached with accuracy, sensitivity, and transparency. His educational background and extensive tenure across diverse media platforms provide him with the authoritative perspective required to analyze the rapid evolution of Indian show business. ... Read More