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‘Be a Deepak Mohammad, not Deepak Chopra’: Richa Chadha slams Deepak Chopra as he breaks silence on Epstein files

After being named in the Epstein files, Deepak Chopra released a statement. Actor Richa Chadha slammed him.

Updated on: Feb 05, 2026 01:16 PM IST
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The latest release of documents from the Epstein files had named Indian-American author Deepak Chopra. Emails allegedly showing communication between the author and American financier and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were released. The author released a statement after being called out by many, and actor Richa Chadha slammed him for his response. (Also Read: Chinmayi Sripaada wonders how many powerful Indians will be named in Epstein files after Deepak Chopra)

Richa Chadha slams Deepak Chopra over Epstein files

Deepak Chopra released a statement after being named in the Epstein files and Richa Chadha slammed him for his reaction to it.
Deepak Chopra released a statement after being named in the Epstein files and Richa Chadha slammed him for his reaction to it.

After an email allegedly detailing communication between Chopra and Epstein in which he said, “God is a construct. Cute girls are real,” was widely shared online, the author released a statement addressing it. “I am deeply saddened by the suffering of the victims in this case, and I unequivocally condemn abuse and exploitation in all forms. I want to be clear: I was never involved in, nor did I participate in, any criminal or exploitative conduct. Any contact I had was limited and unrelated to abusive activity,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

For the unversed, the Epstein files are 6 million pages of documents, images and videos detailing the criminal activities of Epstein and several public figures.

What does ‘be a Mohammed, not Chopra’ mean?

Richa is referring to an incident that took place in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand. A gym owner and bodybuilder named Deepak Kumar stood up against a mob claiming to be from the Bajrang Dal, who were the harassing an elderly Muslim shopkeeper. The mob were asking the shopkeeper to change the name of his shop, Baba School Dress, claiming that it would “cause confusion” with Siddhbali Baba, a famous Hanuman temple.

A video of Deepak confronting the mob and protecting the shopkeeper has gone viral. When a man from the group asked him what his name was, expressly to know his identity, Deepak Kumar replied, “My name is Mohammad Deepak.” Police have since registered three cases, news agency PTI reported on Monday, including an FIR on Deepak for allegedly using derogatory language and threatening violence.

Last seen in Fukrey 3 and Heeramandi, Richa will soon star in Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai and a Silk Smitha biopic.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeshita Nyayapati

Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.

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