The latest episode of Lock Upp Season 2, which saw Harshad Chopda sacrificing his grand finale spot to save Shivangi Joshi from elimination, left the internet divided. While many lauded Harshad for his selfless act, others blamed Shivangi for allegedly guilt-tripping the TV star into taking the step. Now, the show's host, Riteish Deshmukh, has weighed in on the ongoing debate.

Riteish Deshmukh spoke on Harshad Chopda elimination.

In an interaction with Hindustan Times, Riteish had admitted that he does not treat all the contestants the same way, as their journeys and personalities are different. “A lot of players think they are done and do not want to do it again, so it is also about how you prep them up and motivate… so it is not just about yelling at them as a judge. Yes, there are certain things that need to be told, and one strictly adheres to that, but primarily one has to understand the contestant, and each one of them is different. I cannot deal with everyone the same way. So Farah and me and do our best to do that,” he said.

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  Vibha Maru is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Entertainment, based in Delhi. With a decade of experience across digital and print media, she covers Bollywood, Hollywood and web shows. A self-confessed cinephile who breathes Hindi cinema, Vibha can often be found sacrificing sleep after binge-watching films and web series. Though she holds a Commerce degree, she discovered her true calling in journalism after enrolling at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). She began her career covering Delhi's cultural scene, food, nightlife, concerts, and city life at The Times of India, before moving into full-time entertainment journalism with India Today. At India Today, Vibha interviewed some of the biggest names in Bollywood and television while carving a niche for herself through film reviews, opinion pieces, nostalgic features, celebrity interviews, and trend-driven stories. She later brought her storytelling and editorial expertise to The Indian Express, where she continued to deepen her understanding of cinema through long-form entertainment explainers, retrospectives and feature writing. Now, as Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times Entertainment, Vibha continues to chronicle the world of movies and pop culture. Her work spans breaking entertainment news, exclusive interviews, celebrity features, and stories that capture the conversations shaping Indian cinema.Read More