- Lock Upp Season 2 grand finale features seven contestants competing for Rs 1 crore prize
- Contestants shared childhood sexual abuse experiences, praised by host Riteish Deshmukh
- Riteish stated shame belongs to perpetrators, not victims, emphasizing support for survivors
Lock Upp Season 2 has entered its grand finale week with contestants Shivangi Joshi, Varun Yadav, Ram Kapoor, Shreya Kalra, Shilpa Shinde, Yogesh Rawat and Akansha Chamola battling it out for the trophy and Rs 1 crore cash prize.
While the reality show has been packed with tasks, confrontations and emotional moments throughout the season, some of its most powerful episodes saw contestants open up about being sexually abused as children. Reacting to their deeply personal confessions, host Riteish Deshmukh applauded their courage and reminded them that "the shame doesn't lie with the victim" but with the perpetrator.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Riteish said, "I feel all of the contestants are achievers in their own right and it is not easy to come out. This is not the same as saying it to one's friend, wife, parents… but to say that out loud in the open and embrace whatever happened to them is not easy. But I must say that it gives immense strength to a lot of others and to talk about it."
He added, "The shame lies on the perpetrator and not on the victim. We need to really give that strength and embrace the fact, and so I just feel the contestants have given immense strength even to the viewers to come out and talk about. To name these people and shame them publicly."
Riteish Deshmukh acknowledged that hearing these accounts is emotionally overwhelming. Yet the stories serve a larger purpose, reminding people that survivors deserve support and compassion.
When asked about his preferred contestant, Riteish stayed away from naming his favourite. "Unfortunately, Farah Khan and I don't have the luxury of doing that… We can definitely observe. Shreya's journey has been fantastic, she is a very strong player. So has Shivangi and Harshad, and their story continues. Ram has been someone who was really reluctant earlier and then embraced the format. I thought Varun did so well. Yogesh and Akanksha [Choudhary], both of them played well. Shilpa Shinde was very strong," he said.
Riteish added that each contestant brought something different to the show and credited them all for their journey.
According to reports, Lock Upp 2 grand finale is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on August 5.
