Actor Kangana Ranaut has spoken about her reaction to reading the recently disclosed Epstein files, describing the experience as “disturbing” and questioning how those implicated could have been “okay harming” others. In a statement shared during an interview, she said the revelations left her unsettled and made her reflect on accountability and human behaviour.
The Epstein files refer to a collection of legal documents, court records and investigative reports related to American financier Jeffrey Epstein and his extensive network. Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, was accused of operating a widespread sexual abuse ring involving minors and powerful individuals. Portions of those files have since been made public or were reported by media organisations, leading to global discussion and outrage.
Kangana said that reading about the contents of the files deeply affected her. “It left me disturbed,” she said. “How come all of them were okay harming so many people?” Her comments reflected a broader shock that many individuals and institutions with connections to Epstein seemed, at least according to the files, to operate with little consequence for years.
The actor pointed out that the detailed nature of the accusations against Epstein and associated individuals forced her to consider the scale of harm and alleged complicity. She said the apparent ability of influential people to evade accountability was troubling. “When you read it, you wonder how this could happen,” Kangana said, without naming specific individuals allegedly referred to in those documents.
Kangana’s remarks about the Epstein files come amid ongoing global interest in the case and its broader implications for legal accountability and justice. Many media organisations around the world have published summaries and analyses of the files, highlighting allegations of exploitation, cover-ups and failures by authorities to intervene sooner.
In her comments, the actor also touched on the emotional impact of engaging with difficult subject matter. She said that while it is important to confront uncomfortable truths, doing so can be unsettling. “You feel helpless reading such things,” she said, noting that stories of abuse and exploitation can be hard to process even when one understands the need to shine a light on them.
Kangana’s statement did not directly address any specific names or connections that have been mentioned in global media coverage of the Epstein files. She focused instead on the emotional reaction and her broader concern about how abuse could occur on such a scale. Her reflection mirrored sentiments expressed by many commentators around the world who have described the revelations as shocking and indicative of systemic failures.
The actor’s reaction has generated conversations on social media, where followers shared their own thoughts about the implications of the Epstein files. Some praised Kangana for speaking out about how the content made her feel, while others noted that the files have reignited debates about power, privilege and justice internationally.
Legal experts and advocates for survivors of abuse have emphasised that public access to the Epstein files has created an opportunity to examine how vulnerable individuals were exploited and how systems failed to protect them. They have called for continued scrutiny and reform to ensure that such harms are less likely to occur in the future.