After Shreya Kalra, Ram Kapoor Kisses Akanksha Chaudhary On Lock Upp 2. Internet Is 'Disgusted'

Ram Kapoor has been courting controversy ever since entering Lock Upp 2 as a contestant. 

Now, the actor has once again found himself at the centre of criticism after the latest episode showed him hugging and kissing fellow contestant Akanksha Chaudhary while consoling her. 

The moment quickly sparked reactions online, with several viewers expressing their discomfort and criticising his behaviour.

Ram Kapoor Hugs And Kisses Akanksha Chaudhary

In the latest episode of Lock Upp 2, Akanksha Chaudhary was seen upset after Akanksha Chamola removed her from her gang. She later vented her frustration to Shivangi.

Soon after, Ram Kapoor entered to console Akanksha. During the interaction, he hugged and kissed her. The clip soon went viral on social media, with many viewers questioning whether the gesture was appropriate.

Internet Calls Him "Sleezy" (Once Again)

Several users criticised the actor, with some calling him "sleezy" and a "pervert."

One user wrote, "I also felt uncomfortable after watching this." "Akanksha looked visibly uncomfortable," another commented.

A third user wrote, "Why is nobody stopping him. What a sleeze and pervert." "I'm disgusted by watching this. He needs to calm down," another user added.

Shreya Kalra Earlier Accused Ram Kapoor Of Crossing Personal Boundaries

The latest controversy comes days after fellow contestant Shreya Kalra accused Ram Kapoor of crossing personal boundaries.

In an earlier episode, Ram had kissed Shreya on the cheek after she won a task that secured him for the week.

Following a later leadership task, Shreya spoke to Shilpa Shinde about the incident and alleged that Ram had made her uncomfortable.

She said, "Maintain some boundaries. And this time, if he tries to kiss me, I'm gonna hold his mouth and be like, that my father doesn't kiss me this much, don't kiss me now. I saved you three times, and you don't even lift a finger. I should be ashamed of his seniority. I spit on these seniors."

Shreya Recalls Incident Involving Shivangi

During the same conversation, Shreya also recalled an incident involving Shivangi during one of the tasks.

She said, "When Shivangi was doing her task, Ram sir came very close to her. So Harshad said, 'Don't come so close'. As soon as he moved, he said, sorry. What sorry? That man comes and spits (when he speaks). Say it to his face. He literally spit all over the f***ing place."

Gautami Kapoor Defends Husband Ram Kapoor

After Shreya voiced her opinion about Ram Kapoor, the actor's wife Gautami defended his actions. In a video shared on social media, Gautami dismissed allegations branding Ram as "sleazy" and urged people not to pass harsh judgments based on edited episodes. 

She also said she would continue to stand by her husband.

"I had actually decided not to speak up regarding the show Lock Upp, but I think the last 2-3 days are kind of refraining me from being silent," she said.

She added, "So, I came here to speak today on behalf of my husband. A lot of people are passing judgments and comments, saying that he's a sleaze, he's a tharki, he's an old man who has some vested interests. So let me tell you guys that this is the way Ram is."

Gautami further said, "I'm not defending him for the way he is, but he's a man who is all heart, and he went into the game show or the reality show without any strategy or any plan. So I think that is what is coming across."

"If he was being sleazy, then I'm sure the inmates would have called him out in the initial days of the show."

She also pointed out that the contestants have been inside the reality show for several weeks.

The actress' statement comes a day after Shreya Kalra accused co-contestant Ram Kapoor of crossing personal boundaries. Shreya had said that if Ram tried to kiss her again, she would tell him that even her father "doesn't kiss" her that much.

Referring to the recent controversy, Gautami said, "Then why is it now that suddenly there's this uproar and people are talking about it? I mean, what is the reason? The only reason I can see is that, yes, he did not support Shreya as the gang leader, which maybe he should have done because she's done the tasks brilliantly for him and she supported him all the way."

"So maybe he should have, but that's one's personal decision. So I don't want to comment on that. Also, I want to tell you that we watch the show in the comfort of our homes, and the inmates have been locked up for the last 4-5 weeks without any contact from the outside world," she added.

Gautami said she understands how mentally challenging the reality show can be for contestants.

"So it must be really tough, and it must be such a mind game that we don't even have an idea about. Also, let's not forget that the episodes are edited. We don't know what the whole story is. We only see the edited version. So before passing these heavy and toxic comments, please understand that all these things are trickling down to our family. Please be a little considerate of that."

Ending her message, she said, "And I wish all the contestants, all the inmates, all the very best. I'm definitely going to support my husband till the very end. Ram, we love you, and we are rooting for you. All the best."

Sharing the video, Gautami captioned the post, "So easy to make assumptions without actually knowing the real person! @iamramkapoor always so compassionate and loving be it woman or man! Countless people he has helped and we have all their blessings hence this too shall pass! I stand by him today and always! Play the game with mind and bit only heart. #realisrare."

What Shreya Kalra Said About Ram Kapoor Kissing Her

During the latest episode, Shreya recalled an incident involving Ram Kapoor during Shivangi's task.

She said, "When Shivangi was doing her task, Ram sir came very close to her. So Harshad said, 'Don't come so close'. As soon as he moved, he said, sorry. What sorry? That man comes and spits (when he speaks). Say it to his face. He literally spit all over the f***ing place."

Shreya further spoke about maintaining personal boundaries and alleged that Ram had made her uncomfortable.

"Maintain some boundaries. And this time, if he tries to kiss me, I'm gonna hold his mouth and be like, that my father doesn't kiss me this much, don't kiss me now. I saved you three times, and you don't even lift a finger. I should be ashamed of his seniority. I spit on these seniors."

For the unversed, in one of the episodes, Ram kissed Shreya on the cheek after the latter won the task, securing the actor for the week. 

Background

Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa is currently hosted by Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh. The contestant lineup includes Akanksha Chaudhary, Sunita Ahuja, Ram Kapoor, Shreya Kalra, Shivangi Joshi, Harshad Chopra, Sufi Motiwala, Dheeraj Dhoopar and Varun Yadav, also known as Laila.

The first season of Lock Upp premiered in 2022 with Kangana Ranaut as the host and Karan Kundrra as the jailor. Munawar Faruqui emerged as the winner of the inaugural edition.

The second season features 14 contestants, two jailers and one lock-up over a six-week competition. Contestants are required to complete tasks to earn in-game currency, which is used to access basic necessities such as food, supplies and other privileges.