Aug 04, 2026 10:34am IST
Riteish Deshmukh On ‘Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa’: ‘Harshad Chopda Has Played For Himself And Also Looked Out For Shivangi Joshi’ (EXCLUSIVE)
As “Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa” enters its finale week, Variety India catches up with co-host Riteish Deshmukh for a short chat. He confesses that captive reality shows are a format he truly enjoys watching. “It was a unique experience for me. But primarily, hosting with Farah (Khan) was great fun. I think there have been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of shockers. I think the most memorable part for me is that almost all of them shared their deep dark secrets,” he says.
On the show, actors like Ram Kapoor, Harshad Chopda and Shivangi Joshi opened up on being molested as kids, while Aakanksha Chamola admitted she was bisexual before marrying Gaurav Khanna. Deshmukh opines, “I hope they can start a conversation at home. This platform gives them the strength to share their secrets with their family, friends, parents and siblings.”
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Deshmukh says that he is an unbiased host when asked about his favorite contestant. “I have enjoyed everyone's journey. Everyone has had their own ups and downs, had great two-three weeks, followed by quieter one or two weeks. But I think towards the finale, almost all rose to the occasion. They gave their best and it has been wonderful. I like all of them. I like Shreya Kalra, Shilpa Shinde, Yogesh Rawat, Akanksha Chaudhary, Ram Kapoor, Pamala Serena, everyone. I miss having Sunita Ji (Sunita Ahuja) in the show,” he states.
He finds it disappointing when contestants are eliminated in the first two weeks as they do not get time to get a hang of the show. “A lot of times it’s the inmates who get to decide that. I wish Sunitaji had stayed on for a bit longer,” he quips. Deshmukh admits that he is too scared to ever be on a reality show like “Bigg Boss” or “Lock Upp” as a contestant. He believes the contestants who bare their hearts out are very brave. “It is very difficult,” he says.
Deshmukh also addresses the online chatter that Shivangi Joshi relied on finalist Harshad Chopda to get ahead in the game. He says, “I guess, when you care for someone as a friend, then you support them. It is not a one-way thing on the show. Even Shreya and Shilpa look out for each other. You make partners in the game to figure out how to play. It is difficult, as at times you want to play together and at times, you need to play for yourself. These are calls you need to take. Eventually, there will be only one winner. I believe Harshad has played for himself too, and also looked out for Shivangi. Both of them also played as individuals. Sometimes, they take a stand for each other, which is wonderful to see.”
Reflecting comparisons between “Bigg Boss” and “Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa,” he says, “I don’t think that one show is tougher than the other. Both the shows are equally entertaining and are unique.”
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