Actor Jannat Zubair defended her close friend Shivangi Joshi after comments made by Shilpa Shinde on Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa drew criticism online. In a post on Instagram Stories, the 24-year-old said attacking a woman’s character should never be turned into entertainment.
The reaction came after the Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai! actor alleged on the show that Shivangi had been involved with several male co-stars. She also made a remark about the Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Haiactor’s virginity while mimicking her. The clips led to criticism from viewers online.
Sharing a picture of Shivangi from the show, Jannat wrote, “It’s strange how easily people choose to judge someone’s character without really knowing them (sic).”
She added, “I’ve known Shivangi for years, and I know the values she carries and the person she is. That’s why watching her being spoken about this way doesn’t sit right with me. You can disagree with someone, call out their actions, or have a different perspective. But attacking a woman’s character should never become entertainment (sic).”
Shilpa’s comments and the backlash
In one instance, Shilpa claimed Shivangi had multiple affairs with co-stars. She said, “Itne shows kiye ab tak aur jis show mein gayi hai uss show mein uss ladke ke saath affair raha hai. Abhi Kushal Tandon usse bada hai age wise dekho toh, uske saath bhi toh affair tha uska (She’s done so many shows, and in every show she’s been on, she’s ended up having an affair with the male contestant. Now, even Kushal Tandon is older than her if you look at the age difference, and she had an affair with him too).
In another clip, Shilpa was heard commenting on Shivangi’s virginity. The video showed Shilpa with Shreya Kalra and Madhuri Jain Grover during a conversation in which Shreya said she would mock Harshad, while Shilpa should mock Shivangi.
Shreya said, “Arre yaar, mera to koi itna secret hai bhi nahi. Kitni zor se acting karu mein? (Oh man, I don’t even have any big secrets. How hard am I supposed to act?).” Shilpa then said while mimicking Shivangi, “Main to bahut masoom hoon. Mujhe to kuch bhi nahi pata, main virgin hoon. Main to shaadi ke baad bhi nahi karungi (I am very innocent. I don’t know anything. I am a virgin. I will not even do it after my wedding).
As the clips spread online, several viewers criticised the remarks. Many called them ‘crass’ and ‘disgusting’.
Shivangi’s sister Sheetal also posted in support of her. On Instagram Stories, she said she was disappointed by Shilpa Shinde’s treatment of Shivangi and alleged that the senior actor continued to pressure her to do the work alone despite knowing she was unwell. Sheetal claimed the rest of the house could see what was happening and accused Shilpa of targeting Shivangi out of personal resentment.
The comments came after Shilpa, who had been appointed as a controller on the show, told Shivangi to stay away from Harshad and limit her conversations with him. That exchange led to an emotional breakdown for Shivangi.
About the show
Hosted by Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh, Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa brings together actors, content creators and reality television personalities in a jail-themed house, where they compete in tasks to avoid elimination. The show is known for intense drama and ‘secret’ confessions, which contestants often reveal to gain immunity or escape eviction.
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