Netflix’s reality show Lock Upp: Sach ya Sazaa has entered its finale week after weeks of gruelling drama, intense fights, and many emotionally charged moments. Harshad Chopda became the first finalist of the show in the last episode. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, actor and co-host Riteish Deshmukh has opened up about his experience on the show so far.
Riteish on co-hosting with Farah
Riteish is no stranger to reality shows, having previously hosted Bigg Boss Marathi (Seasons 5 and 6). How is Lock Upp different? Riteish says, “ I feel there is a format that dictates how a show should be hosted. Of course, there is an inherent personality that both Farah and I bring to the table. We have our own sense of humour. As hosts, we see how everyone’s moral compass, the way things are perceived, is different. Keeping that in mind, I think Farah and I are different from each other and also similar in many ways.”
“In Lock Upp, we are interacting with the contestants on a daily basis. Usually, on the other shows, the whole week is done, and then you review the entire week, but here you interact with them as it unfolds. So it is almost like having a ringside view of the whole drama. So one has to understand where each one of them is coming from, and there are a lot of deep secrets that need to be embraced… it requires a lot of sensitivity to understand them. It is a very tough game; it is not easy. They are challenged at an emotional level every day,” he adds.
‘It is not just about yelling at them as a judge’
Riteish arrived each day as a jailer inside the Lock Upp house, sometimes to explain a new task, and sometimes to reveal a new twist in the game. His playful banter with Varun Yadav was also a catch with many on social media. However, it was not always fun. There were tense situations too. At the end of the first week, contestant Ram Kapoor wanted to quit the show. It was Riteish who made him rethink his decision and stay patient. Then there was Yogesh Rawat, who claimed he was first eliminated and then brought back to the show because the TRP was dropping. Riteish wasted no second in telling him that the platform is bigger than any contestant.
Riteish talks about dealing with the constant changes on the show, and adds, “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.
Apart from Harshad, the other inmates who have reached the finale week are Shivangi Joshi, Yogesh Rawat, Shilpa Shinde, Ram Kapoor, Shreya Kalra and Varun Yadav. Lock Upp is available to stream on Netflix.