Deepti Vempati is speaking out about her time with Abhishek “Shake” Chatterjee, both on Love is Blind and off.
After fans watched as the would-be couple failed to make a connection on the second installment of the Netflix reality show, mainly due to the fact that Shake wasn’t physically attracted to Deepti, which he made quite clear to just about everyone, Deepti revealed what viewers didn’t see of Shake on the show and shared details about their recent communications.
“I knew to my face he would say, ‘I’m not physically attracted to you,’ not in those harsh of words. He kind of sugar-coated it, but then when he would talk behind my back, and I had no idea,” Deepti said on the March 2 episode of The Viall Files. “I watched it with the rest of the world, I was so disappointed. Honestly, there are no words, and I’m pretty sure he got a good edit. I’ve heard from castmates that he said way worse. He got a really good edit.”
As Shake was speaking ill of Deepti on Love is Blind, she was doing her best to care for him and help him cope with his bouts with anxiety.
“I actually cared and took care of Shake so much during filming,” she revealed. “His anxiety levels were so high, I like, calmed him down, I would walk his dog, make him breakfast, pack his lunches, I just put so much of my time and energy into that relationship and so to see that he treated me that way and talked about me that way, it’s just disheartening and kind of sad.”
“I thought this was my friend,” she continued. “And you don’t talk about your friend this way, let alone your fiancé.. I think it solidifies that my approach of leaving him alone and letting him live his life is the best choice that I ever made.”
While Deepti was understandably devastated by the events seen on Love is Blind, she continued to support Shake as his cruel behavior was exposed.
“Even throughout, if Shake ever needed me, I’ve been there for him. Sometimes he’s called me, and he watched an episode, and he’s like, ‘I’m really upset about this.’ After finale, he tried to call me. And it was just embarrassing,” she shared. “I tried to talk to him, but he lacks so much self-awareness and he thinks he’s a character on a TV show.”
In addition to reaching out to Deepti post-filming, he’s also put on a certain front on social media.
“He’s constantly trying to blow me up now and posting pictures of me from back after filming had wrapped. He’s kind of insinuating on social media that we are amicable or friends. And I’m trying not to engage because that’s what he wants,” Deepti revealed. “He wants something from me, and I’ve had it. I’m done. I’ve had enough of him.”
Although Shake never apologized to Deepti or her family, Deepti wanted to maintain their friendship because she felt they had a strong bond due to what they went through on the show. However, after hanging out with Shake without cameras, she “started to see more of his true character.”
“Every time I hung out with him he had an issue with at least one person in the room and it was just tough. He was very outward about his dating, and we had just ended this engagement essentially. So it was kind of tough, and I distanced myself,” she explained.
Looking back at her time on the show, Deepti said that throughout her struggles with Shake, she had the support of her cast, including Shayne Jansen and Jarrette Jones.
“All of the cast had my back with Shake. They kind of saw the type of person he was,” she said.
And while Jarrette was once seen seemingly laughing about Shake’s mean comments to Deepti, Deepti said Wednesday that she felt editing was to blame for the potentially shady moment.
“I think the editing kind of showed Jarrette in a weird like laugh-y mood there. But Jarrette actually specifically pulled me aside and was like, ‘I don’t think you should marry him. He doesn’t speak highly of you.’ And Shayne, the whole time, protected me,” she shared. “So I’m thankful for the cast.”
Also during the interview, Deepti confirmed she is not dating co-star Salvador Perez.
“Sal and I are not together,” she stated. “We’re just friends. All I can say is tune into the reunion, and maybe you’ll find out a little more.”
The Love is Blind season two reunion is currently streaming on Netflix.
