November 12, 2024: In a high-profile legal move, Rupali Ganguly, the lead actress of the popular TV series Anupamaa, has filed a defamation lawsuit against her stepdaughter, Esha Verma. The lawsuit, which seeks ₹50 crore in damages, was filed on November 11 with the help of celebrity lawyer Sana Raees Khan, who is also currently a contestant on Bigg Boss 17.
The lawsuit arises from allegations made by Esha, who accused Ganguly of breaking up her parents’ marriage and claimed that the actress had subjected her and her mother to “mental, emotional, and physical abuse.” Esha, the daughter of Ganguly’s husband, Ashwin K Verma, from his second marriage, publicly accused the actress of controlling behaviour and alleged death threats.
Ganguly had remained silent on the matter until now. The decision to pursue legal action reportedly stemmed from recent remarks involving her 11-year-old son, Rudransh, which Ganguly found especially distressing. In an official statement, her legal team asserted that the accusations were baseless and designed to harm her public image. “These baseless allegations were clearly intended to harm Rupali Ganguly’s reputation and capitalise on her public standing,” the statement read. “Such actions have not only caused emotional distress but have also unfairly tarnished her personal and professional integrity.”
The controversy first emerged in 2020 when an old post by Esha alleging that Rupali had an affair with Ashwin Verma while he was still married resurfaced online. Esha’s recent video statement further intensified the issue, as she reiterated her claims about the challenges she and her mother allegedly faced due to Rupali’s relationship with her father.
