INDIA PERSPECTIVE

New Delhi, May 28, 2026. The conviction of Kenneth Iwamasa, Matthew Perry's personal assistant, to 41 months in prison has caught the attention of Indian media, which sees it as a symbolically heavy judgment on the responsibility of those around Hollywood celebrities.

According to the Times of India, Iwamasa, Perry's live-in assistant, was found guilty of providing the ketamine that directly contributed to the actor's fatal overdose in October 2023. The 41-month sentence marks, the daily notes, "the closure of a major chapter" in this case that had shaken international media.

For Indian commentators, the dominant angle is not so much the celebrity status of the victim as the nature of the relationship involved: a trusted assistant, living under the same roof, becoming a supplier of deadly substances. This paradox - the protective figure becoming a risk factor - resonates in a context where discussions about the addictions of public personalities are gaining momentum in India too, particularly in the Bollywood industry.

Ketamine, a medical anesthetic diverted for recreational use, is at the heart of the American judicial case. Perry, who had publicly spoken about his struggles with addiction over the years, was found dead in his hot tub in Los Angeles. The case led to several indictments, including two doctors and a drug dealer, in addition to Iwamasa.

Indian media highlights that this conviction illustrates the ability of the US judicial system to pursue individuals without a prior record if their role in an overdose death is established. This judicial precedent is presented as a potentially deterrent signal for celebrity entourages in the United States.

Finally, Indian media coverage remains factual and detached: Perry is presented as a global icon through Friends, but the focus is on the legal mechanisms rather than the sentimental aspect, differentiating Indian coverage from some Western media that focus more on the elegiac dimension.