Jun 30, 2026 1:34pm IST
‘Lock Upp: Sach Yaa Sazaa’ First Impressions: Ram Kapoor, Harshad Chopda, Akanksha Chamola Raise Stakes
Unscripted captive reality shows have viewers in a chokehold. Ektaa Kapoor's “Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa” leads, opening with a robust track from “Dhurandhar 2” playing in the background, exemplifying the mood of current reality TV: hyper, aggressive and excessive.
After shunning reality TV for years, actors like Harshad Chopda and Dheeraj Dhoopar finally take the plunge alongside Ram Kapoor, Shivangi Joshi, Akanksha Chamola and Sunita Ahuja joined by “Splitsvilla” stars Akanksha Choudhary and Yogesh Rawat, influencer Varun Yadav (aka Laila), and "Desi Bling" contestant Pamala Serena. All in all, the show seems to have an electrifying mix.
The hosts Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh, who have hosted "Bigg Boss" in the past, are as spontaneous, snarky and cheesy as ever. Moreover, their camaraderie stems naturally from their friendship. Khan is blunt as ever, while Deshmukh makes it clear that his banter might bruise contestants every now and then.
In the premiere episode, TV star Ram Kapoor, touted as the highest paid contestant on the show, unapologetically tells content creator Shreya Kalra that he is not carrying the baggage of his previous ‘offensive remarks’ on the show. The verbal sparring between Kalra and Kapoor sets the tone for the season. The hosts read out some of the comments Ram Kapoor has made as a public figure. He candidly admits that he was wrong, but refuses to be bullied by the same.
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With terms like "delusional," "ungrateful," "offensive," and "fake" used to welcome contestants on stage, the premiere was predictable to some extent. The makers seem to have a clear gameplan: playing on the vulnerabilities and perception surrounding the big names. Reality show debutant Harshad Chopda got an earful for not engaging with his legion of fans on social media. In a strategic move, he was told to reveal a secret. Tearfully, the actor disclosed how he was left broken-hearted after his former girlfriend cheated on him with his best friend. The actor admitted this left him wary of friendships in the industry.
This was hands down one of the biggest surprises of the night. Chopda, one of the most reclusive stars of the television industry, has always kept his personal life private despite being linked to three of his co-stars from top shows.
The creatives seem to have hit the nail on the head, as Indian TV fans have become damn curious to know the actors who left Harshad Chopda in tears. Gauging the online reactions, the makers seem to have succeeded in bending him to the demands of unscripted reality TV that thrives on such voyeurism.
If the actor's retelling of his tale of deep betrayal was not enough, Akanksha Chamola decided to use the ‘Expose Card’ to break the news of her impending divorce with Gaurav Khanna. She highlighted how the two have been living separately for a year now. Viewers are left wondering when and how this went down. The couple were lovey-dovey on “Bigg Boss 19” and their 2026 Holi pictures also screamed love.
PR stunts up the stakes on any reality show, and viewers are wondering what prompted Chamola to use this platform for this big announcement. With the actress claiming that this revelation was unknown to their families, viewers are left doubting whether this is just a gimmick or a power move to hog all the attention.
Can Indian reality shows be complete without at least a couple of former "Splitsvilla" contestants in attendance? Yogesh Rawat and Akanksha Choudhary made a smashing entry narrating their story of situationship, break-up, ‘reality TV love story’, connection and dirty fights’ that left the hosts confused. Uorfi Javed made a special appearance to introduce these heartthrobs of Gen-Z. With the hosts and Javed struggling to coherently narrate their journey, the message was clear. These two will be chaotic no matter what.
In the midst of such noted names, Varun Yadav and Sufi Motiwala did not fail to remind viewers why they are famous in the first place. The two took potshots at one another and Yadav also dragged in Orry. After all, a reality show is not a reality show if contestants do not go ‘personal’.
“Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa” starts off on a promising note. If someone like Sunita Ahuja pales in comparison, then it is evident that the competition is intense. Yadav, Kalra, Rawat all manage to come across as people with strong distinct personalities with a mind of their own.
A viewer will not miss the “Squid Game” influence in the design of the set. With tasks coming up, the competitiveness of the contestants will drive the drama. As far as connections go, so far, “Lock Upp 2” seems to have captured our attention.
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