Anshula Kapoor: No issues between Maheep Chachi and me after The Traitors

Anshula Kapoor

became the latest participant to be evicted from

The Traitors

(India). During the intense ‘Circle of Shaq’ round, her fellow contestants mistakenly identified her as a Traitor, leading to her exit from the game. Reflecting on the experience, Anshula admits that being part of a game built on suspicion, deception, and strategy was anything but easy.She says, “Yes, the game is unpredictable and all about mind games. It felt like living in a psychological thriller. You didn’t know whether you were the plot twist, or if someone smiling too much at breakfast meant they knew who’d been murdered. You’re constantly second-guessing yourself, debating whether to trust your gut, and at times, overthinking every micro-expression.”She continues, “It’s not a natural environment to be in. As human beings, we crave connection and trust. This game flips that on its head. I don’t know if this experience has made me better at spotting deception in real life, because bhai, hum toh Traitors bhi baraabar se spot nahi kar paaye! Half the time, we chased things we thought were red flags and were proven wrong.”Still, she says the experience has shown her something about her own strength. She says, “I may not have become an expert at reading people, but I’ve realised I’m capable of putting myself in uncomfortable situations and coming out of them. That clarity is valuable.”

One of the more talked-about dynamics on the show was her bond with her real-life aunt, Maheep Kapoor, who was eliminated earlier in the season. Their relationship came under scrutiny when Anshula questioned Maheep’s allegiance during the Circle of Shaq, prompting Maheep to wonder aloud how her niece could doubt her.Setting the record straight, Anshula explains that a lot of what happened between them was misconstrued. “What the audience saw was a one-hour edit from a 17-hour day, packed with conversations that couldn’t make the cut. And because they brought an aunt-niece duo onto the show, of course they wanted to highlight that dynamic.”She adds, “To Maheep Chachi’s credit, she was clear from the beginning; this was a game, and we should treat it as one. There was no need to get emotional or overthink it. In fact, the question I asked her during the Circle of Shaq? We had discussed it earlier that same day. I told her I’d bring it up in front of everyone so she could defend herself, because people who stayed quiet were being targeted. At the end of the day, she is and always will be my Chachi. One game can’t dent that. We didn’t need to ‘reflect’ on that moment afterwards, because it wasn’t really a moment. It was curated for drama. But both of us were there; we know what happened.”She concludes, “I never even voted for her. I didn’t believe she was a Traitor. The job of every innocent in the game is to question everyone, and that’s what I did. I’m grateful to her for encouraging us to play the game for what it was, without adding emotional baggage. Our equation is exactly the same before, during, and after the show. This is literally not even an issue.”