The Untold Truth Of Shake From Love Is Blind
Every reality show needs a memorable villain, and with his controversial statements, it's clear that Abhishek "Shake" Chatterjee claimed this role during the second season of "Love Is Blind." While the Netflix reality dating series is meant to exude the superficial aspects while helping hopefuls find their forever love, Chatterjee's early comments to other contestants left many fans wondering if the DJ was ignoring the whole point of the show. Similarly, his attempts to figure out the other cast members' weight with questions like, "I love buying clothes for girls, what's your size?" left plenty of viewers (and the targeted cast members) cringing at his not-so-subtle prodding.
Of course, things didn't seem to get any better after Chatterjee paired up with Deepti Vempati and openly spoke about his lack of physical attraction to his then-fiancée. Though Vempati would later choose herself at the altar, seemingly leaving Chatterjee behind, the DJ's controversial statements continued. Since the season's end, he has repeatedly reaffirmed that he had no regrets about his behavior on the show and even made claims that it was many of the other contestants who were problematic. Still, with plenty of the veterinarian's statements being refuted by both castmates and those who worked on the series, reality fans are dying to know the truth about Shake Chatterjee.
Shake Chatterjee is a veterinarian, a DJ, and a life coach
Whether you love or hate him, there's no question that Shake Chatterjee is a man of many jobs. In addition to his stint on reality television, the "Love is Blind" star is also a veterinarian, a DJ, and a life coach (or, as he calls it, a "certified mindset coach"). According to his social media, the latter of the three sees the television personality helping his clients "achieve (self) love and success through guidance, accountability, and memes." Still, Chatterjee's longest-running occupation is his work with animals, with his LinkedIn profile stating that he's worked in the Chicago area as a vet for close to a decade.
However, according to a recent write-up by Us Weekly, Chatterjee is pausing his work in animal care. "I'm taking a break from being a vet," he revealed. "The vet field is amazing in so many ways, but it's also incredibly draining, both physically and emotionally." The reality star went on to say that he would be focusing more on "new opportunities popping up in the crypto and NFT space." Though Chatterjee added that he may eventually return to his original occupation, it probably won't be anytime soon. Regardless, he'll still be working as DJ, with the former "Love is Blind" contestant noting that his upcoming move to Miami will work in his musical career's favor.
His ex, Deepti Vempati, has plenty of opinions about his behavior
While in the pods, Shake Chatterjee ended up making a strong connection with Deepti Vempati, but unfortunately, during the trip to Mexico, it quickly became apparent that Chatterjee's initial physical attraction to Vempati had already fizzled out. After he repeatedly commented on his lack of interest in the data analyst in both the confessional as well as to other cast members, many were relieved when she said no at the pair's would-be wedding. Still, with plenty of controversy surrounding the couple, many were curious to know how Vempati felt about Chatterjee once the season had come to an end.
During an interview with Us Weekly, Vempati definitely didn't sugarcoat her current feelings toward Chatterjee. "He lacks self-awareness in social settings or even in how to talk to people," she told the entertainment outlet. Continuing, Vempati affirmed that her former fiancé's behavior wasn't hers to worry about anymore and she no longer had to take responsibility for his actions. She then stated that she didn't want to be around anyone who doesn't appreciate who she is. Similarly, in an interview with Vulture, Vempati admitted that, after filming, she'd tried to maintain a friendship with Chatterjee, but after the season aired and she discovered the extent of his comments about her, she realized there was no point in trying to maintain a friendly relationship.
His ex-fiancée's family has spoken out against him
While plenty of viewers were thrilled when Deepti Vempati chose herself at the altar, it would seem that no one was happier about her choice than her own family. After the wedding episode finally aired on Netflix, Vempati's brother, Sunny, and his partner, Hina Merchant Vempati, took to social media to congratulate the "Love is Blind" star on her reality dating journey and to berate Shake Chatterjee's behavior in a joint statement. After noting their pride in everything the data analyst accomplished during her time on the second season of "Love is Blind," (and noting their loyalty to their younger sibling), the pair went in on Chatterjee.
"You minimized my sister's life by making some awful and cringeworthy comments about her," the response read. The pair also referred to the veterinarian as a failure, telling everyone that he chose to make controversial comments about Vempati while fully aware that her entire family would later witness his words once the season aired. Reminding the DJ of what he'd lost, they stated that Vempati had always tried to see the good in Chatterjee, despite evidence to the contrary. The Vempatis' message ended by telling Chatterjee that their family had initially welcomed him and that he'd abused their kindness. "Good luck with the rest of your life; and stay the f*** away from my sister," they concluded.
Shake Chatterjee disagrees with his portrayal on 'Love Is Blind'
While plenty of cast members and the creator have stated that Shake Chatterjee's portrayal on "Love Is Blind" was an accurate depiction of him, he himself insists that his edit on the show was biased. As noted by Variety, for the final episode of the second season, the cast returned to speak about their experiences on the reunion episode, during which Chatterjee adamantly insisted that his portrayal on the series painted him in a negative light. However, the series creator, Chris Coelen, had a very different take on Chatterjee's view.
In referencing Chatterjee's remark about bad editing, Coelen stated that if the series had remotely been worried about truth in the DJ's claims, they simply would have edited out his comment. Coelen also noted, "Every other member of the cast seems to think that he got a pretty good edit." This remark is similarly reflected in ET's reunion recap, which noted Natalie Lee's response to Chatterjee's argument, calling the veterinarian's on-screen presence "a very watered-down version" of his controversial statements and saw her questioning why Chatterjee wasn't apologetic. Meanwhile, his ex, Deepti Vempati, added, "every single person here has an issue with your character."
He stands by his controversial statements
While plenty of viewers and cast members felt that Shake Chatterjee's controversial comments about his ex, Deepti Vempati, and his behavior on the series were offensive and uncalled for, Chatterjee disagrees. The "Love Is Blind" star said he wasn't ashamed of his statements or his actions on Instagram, declaring, "One thing I don't feel inclined to do is pretend I'm sad or sorry about certain things." While the reality star did admit that he wanted to improve himself in specific ways, he made it clear that those changes weren't his conduct on the series. The DJ then affirmed that he believes he made the best choices for himself and wasn't going to be insincere by pretending otherwise. "Only I have to like me, thankfully," he noted.
Similarly, Buzzfeed reported the aftermath of Chatterjee's video, noting that, while the veterinarian had turned off his comments, he'd also uploaded further responses on his Stories, claiming that his demeanor for the then-unaired reunion was him leaning into his reality show personality. "I felt like [a] villain, so I played one. Low key was kinda fun at times, but yeah, be warned lmaoooo," he wrote (via Buzzfeed). While fans of the series know that Chatterjee wasn't kidding about his impression at the reunion, his Instagram account (which features numerous memes and other claims regarding his behavior on the show) has also made it clear that he still stands by his actions during Season 2.
Shake Chatterjee eventually apologized to Deepti Vempati
After facing plenty of negative backlash for his words about his ex's appearance, Shake Chatterjee decided to issue a public apology to Deepti Vempati. On Instagram, the DJ posted a video of himself addressing the data analyst, stating that he was sorry for causing her pain and regretted "some of the things that I said." Chatterjee even admitted that he could have put more thought into his words, adding, "Even though I knew our relationship wasn't going to end in marriage, I didn't want what we had to end either." In his caption for the post, the reality star noted that he'd privately apologized to Vempati but felt it was crucial to make a public statement, "for the sake of your family and friends that I've upset as well."
However, according to Vempati, Chatterjee's apology was insubstantial compared to what he'd already done. While speaking to the Daily Mail, the former "Love is Blind" cast member heavily criticized Chatterjee's message, telling the outlet, "I honestly don't want anything to do with him and his apology is fake. It feels insincere." Vempati added that he was "just doing damage control and clearly what he'd continued to do on social media" was proof that his statement wasn't real. Vempati also noted that, while she had gone on the show to find a life-long relationship, she felt that Chatterjee was just looking for attention and, in doing so, had ruined her experience on the series.
He is banned from his cast's group chat
As previously mentioned, the other cast members from Season 2 stated that they had issues with Shake Chatterjee during the show's reunion episode. Of course, with the reality star's history of controversial comments, it comes as no surprise that his fellow cast members have also chosen to block him from their group chat. While speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Deepti Vempati and Natalie Lee noted their issues with the veterinarian. Lee admitted, "I only had one date with him, and then I cut him off my list." However, she added that, since filming wrapped, she'd heard that Chatterjee's behavior while hanging out with other cast members had been questionable, stating, "I've just heard that he's said some things that are unnecessary or inappropriate."
Vempati added that the cast had a group chat without the DJ, saying, "I don't think any of us are gonna have Shake in our lives ever again." Similarly, while speaking with Insider, Danielle Ruhl talked about her own negative experiences with Chatterjee, admitting, "I've had to block him on every single form of social media." Ruhl also reaffirmed that Chatterjee wasn't a part of their group chat, mentioning that he was banned. The news came after Vempati told the Netflix podcast, "We Have The Receipts," that Chatterjee's conduct had been an issue early on and that his remarks had upset many of the female contestants back when they were in the pods.
His reservations at Nobu included his ex, Deepti Vempati
After getting left at the altar, Shake Chatterjee seemed to be in surprisingly good spirits, most notably telling the cameras that things were all good because he had his reservations at Nobu to look forward to. Later, while speaking to The Dipp, Chatterjee told reporter Karen Fratti that Nobu was his place "only for special occasions." The veterinarian added that he'd made the reservations with the expectation of having a conversation with Deepti Vempati.
The DJ went on to say that even after Vempati's rejection at the altar, he still attended the reservation with the data analyst and was also joined by Vito Salamone (an early Season 2 contestant who never got matched in the pods). Chatterjee went on to reveal that the group ordered delicious lamb chops, adding that there was no sense of gloom during the meal. "At this point we were going through the motions because of how much fun we were having," he alleged. After the event, Chatterjee similarly shared images on Instagram of both the wedding and the trip to Nobu, the latter of which showed the three former "Love is Blind" contestants looking cheerful.
Shake Chatterjee has a new girlfriend named Emily Wilson
Shake Chatterjee may not have gotten married on "Love Is Blind," but he definitely hasn't had any trouble moving on from his prior engagement. In March, the reality star posted a series of images on Instagram debuting his new relationship. "Good things come to those who w̶a̶i̶t̶ don't settle," he wrote, adding in a heart emoji. According to Us Weekly, Chatterjee's new lady love is Emily Wilson. A source told the outlet that the DJ met Wilson during a trip to Miami and at the time they were in a long-distance relationship. The insider added that the pair had become extremely close in a short amount of time. "She thinks that he could be The One," the source added.
Chatterjee affirmed that things were going well with him and Wilson in an interview with Us Weekly. "We're both so in sync that we can't help but be excited," he gushed. Chatterjee went on to say that his new girlfriend had even wanted to meet his family during one of her recent trips to visit him. The veterinarian declared that introducing Wilson to his parents went really well. Chatterjee also claimed that Wilson has never watched "Love is Blind," noting that while her friends recognized him, she had no idea who he was. Chatterjee added that, while he doesn't know what the future holds for the couple, he could see them in a long-term commitment.
Shake had a feud with his co-star Kyle Abrams
While Season 2 of "Love is Blind" never indicated that there was any drama between Shake Chatterjee and Kyle Abrams, it would seem that something happened to change the veterinarian's opinions about his co-star. During an interview with E! News, Chatterjee admitted to the outlet that there was bad blood between himself and Abrams. "I'm not sure how much I trust [Kyle] anymore as a person," the television personality stated. While Chatterjee then clarified that he didn't believe Abrams was doing anything sneaky, he stated he also didn't think he could have an open conversation with him.
Chatterjee's declaration came after the pair had a bizarre exchange on the reality dating series' page promoting the reunion. While Abrams commented that he was "enjoying the train wreck," Chatterjee fired back, telling the construction worker, "translation: you're a little bihh." If their remarks weren't enough to draw attention to the apparent tension between the pair, E! News noted that, shortly after their back-and-forth, Chatterjee uploaded a photo of the two contestants on his Instagram Story, calling out Abrams and making accusations about him as well. "You're a serial cheater and everyone in Chicago knows it," he alleged, adding, "Hope your 6 pack makes up for your lack of loyalty."
He has made accusations about the other cast members
Since the season's end, Shake Chatterjee has made numerous comments about the reality series and his fellow cast members. Most recently, he made accusations during an interview on the "Domenick Nati Show." Asserting that the other cast members stopped being his friend due to the public's negative perception of him, Chatterjee stated, "I felt everybody on the show, they became people that would do anything and say anything to protect their image." He went on to say that the cast members began lying about things in order to look good in the public eye. Chatterjee added that things changed after the reunion dropped, saying that he'd hung out with Deepti Vempati, Kyle Abrams, and Shayne Jansen just a week before the final episode aired.
Regarding Vempati, Chatterjee added that he was bothered by his ex's claims saying, "I'm hurt that she's playing up this victim thing so hard when we had so much fun and I took so good care of her." Additionally, he stated that the data analyst had many opportunities to tell Chatterjee how she felt about his remarks on the series but alleged that she held in her feelings to get a more prominent reaction on television. Before leaving, Chatterjee not-so-subtly suggested that the rumors regarding a cast member's drug use were true, winking while telling the host, "Use your critical judgement and don't be an idiot and everything you're thinking is probably right."
He is starting his own podcast called 'Life Is Blurry'
After he stated that he wanted more of a love is blurry than a "Love Is Blind" experience, Shake Chatterjee decided to make his idea a reality. In a post announcing his intentions, the Netflix reality star wrote, in part, "As a veterinarian, I've been a voice for the voiceless for nearly a decade. I will continue to speak for those that are unable to on this new podcast." While chatting with The Tab, Chatterjee told the outlet that he wouldn't be holding anything back on his new series, noting that the podcast would discuss sensitive subjects and host potentially problematic guests.
"This is not a show for the weak of heart," he declared after revealing that his podcast would force listeners to question their thinking and reevaluate what they believe to be true. Chatterjee also stated that he was excited to share his perspective on, as well as his experience with, reality television. The podcast's Instagram page (which has an official bio that declares "The Truth Only Offends Those Who Live Outside Of It") posted that its first full-length episode will drop in mid-April and be available on most streaming platforms.