An alleged shoplifting incident involving an Indian tourist in Japan has gone viral after it was shared on X by investment advisor Muthukrishnan Dhandapani, who claimed to have been part of the same tour group. Actor Richa Chadha has now reacted to the report and shared an incident from what she saw at the airport when an Indian family cut in in the immigration line ahead of her.
(PTI11_20_2025_000157B) (PTI)
What Richa said
Richa took to her X account and reposted the news report to share her reaction. She wrote, “Mat karo ye bhikharipana har jaga (Stop this stupidity at every place). From belching, burping loudly after meals in public, littering,to pushing, shoving, cutting lines, shouting loudly, to dancing in public in hordes! Eww.”
She added, “Yesterday an Indian family cut in, in the an immigration line ahead of us, I confronted them – so they huffed, puffed but pushed ahead regardless. Got confronted by a white man in the next 10 seconds, they grinned shamelessly. You represent all of us, so the rest of us will keep calling you jaahils (uncouth) out.”
Meanwhile, the news report of the shoplifting incident caught attention on social media. According to Dhandapani, the woman was caught stealing items from souvenir shops frequented by tourists during the group’s trip. He wrote on X, “In our group, from the beginning one lady has been shoplifting. We were not aware of it. In one of the tourist souvenir shops, she was caught. She immediately offered to pay money. The Japanese shop keeper said that they are a high trust society where stealing is rare and have great respect for India. He said more than stealing, what offended him was offering money after being caught.
In Japan, you can never see police. Crime rate is very less. Traffic discipline is very high. The shopkeeper called the police. Our tour manager accompanied that lady to police station. In police station too that lady offered money. The Japanese police was not amused.
They explained how severe the punishment is for stealing and said she needs to go to jail. But she being an Indian and they respect India a lot, she was let go with severe warning.”
Richa’s upcoming projects
Richa was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, which streamed on Netflix India. She and her husband, actor Ali Fazal, welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Zuneyra Ida Fazal, on July 16, 2024. After her maternity break, Richa has signed on for a new comedy film written by Amitosh Nagpal, which is set to go on floors soon. The film is described as a fun, North India‑set comedy.
Her upcoming slate includes producing and starring in the dramedy Akhri Somvaar, which she also wrote, exploring societal pressures on women to get married. She will also make her international debut in the Indo-British drama Aaina.