Of prison cells and controversial celebrities: Decoding Lock Upp, Kangana Ranaut's Bigg Boss-style reality show

“It is going to be Entertainment, Entertainment, Entertainment,” says Poonam Pandey just before entering the Lock Upp House.

Lock Upp: Badass Jail Atyaachaari Khel, a collaboration between MXPlayer and Ekta Kapoor’s ALTBalaji, is touted to be the most fearless captive reality digital show, where 16 controversial celebrities are put together in a ‘lock-up’ for 72 days while they are stripped of their amenities. Lock Upp will challenge the contestants to survive in extreme conditions where they will have to win tasks to achieve basic necessities. They would even have to play the game, and fight for getting bail to survive on the show.

Model-actress Pandey, who has often hogged the limelight for controversies, says she never thought twice before saying ‘yes’ to Lock Upp, because she was 'craving work’. Hosted by Kangana Ranaut, the show went live on Sunday, 27 February, 10 PM on ALTBalaji and MXPlayer.

"I had no option but to say ‘yes’ to the show. Lock Upp is like a prasad for me. Yes, the show is challenging, and you need to be strong to be part of it but whatever I have gone through in my life, I don’t think anything can be worse than that. I am not scared but I am a bit nervous, and I don’t know how I will deal with situations inside but I am excited because now, people will know the real Poonam Pandey. Otherwise nobody knows me. I am just a headline. I want to show the real avatar of myself. In the last decade or so, people have only seen me in videos, heard my interviews, controversies but going further, I don’t want to be that two-second judgment of somebody. I read everything, I read every single troll, and it hurts me. I come from a small family. I have worked hard on myself so I hate when people don’t see those aspects. Yes, I have done certain things which I agree are wrong. I have many regrets. But I want people to know how helpless we can get. I am nervous that many secrets of mine will come out but I am also happy that the real Poonam will now be seen, and probably understood.” says Pandey.

“I have been offered several reality shows in the past but I was in love with Lock Upp because this is a new concept, and this one is something that I will watch as an audience reason being that both Ekta and Kangana are strong ladies. And on top of it, you bring 16 controversial personalities, not seedha saadha people and put them in jail, in a lock up, and what do you get – Entertainment, entertainment, entertainment [dialogue from Kapoor's 2013 blockbuster The Dirty Picture],” she adds.

Television actors Nisha Rawal, Kaaranvir Bohra, Sara Khan, Payal Rohatgi; stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui, wrestler and gold medalist Babita Phogat, celebrity fashion designer Saisha Shinde who came out as a transwoman last year [formerly Swapnil Shinde], political analyst and social activist Tehseen Poonawala, Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, social media influencer Anjali Arora, and reality show participants Sidharth and Shivam Sharma are some of the other contestants participating in the reality show.

“I found the search for contestants quite different from other reality shows. The makers were looking for somebody who had substance in them, someone who has opinions and beliefs and can stand up for themselves, and that struck a chord with me.

It will be exciting, and I am nervous too because the celebrities will have zero amenities that they are used to and they will have to earn that. Also, with MXPlayer, ALTBalaji, and Endemol doing a show like that where there will be a metaverse and immersive experience for content consumers, that would be extremely different and challenging,” says Nisha Rawal.

It may be recalled that Rawal and her actor-husband Karan Mehra's marriage hit a rough patch after the former filed a police complaint against him for domestic violence. Karan Mehra aka Naitik from Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai had been accused by Rawal of having an affair, taking her jewellery, and beating her up. When asked how she will deal with the situation if the controversy reignites on the show, Rawal says, “Challenges in terms of talking about your personal life in front of the public doesn’t come naturally to me. And one controversy cannot help anyone sustain on the show for 72 days. There are 16 celebrities, so there has to be more to every person than just one controversy. But I will answer whatever I feel comfortable with. But this is not just me. Nisha Rawal is much more than just a controversy.”

Last year, stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui was in the news when he was arrested for jokes allegedly hurting Hindu religious sentiments in one of his stand-up shows. Later, he was under fire after the Bengaluru Police denied permission to his stand-up comedy show in the city amid protests by Hindu outfits. “I found the concept different, and sometimes, you are in that zone when you feel 'Let’s try something different.' But it is not like a career switch. I will miss the outer world. It won’t be easy to stay in the house without internet connection, and when you don’t have any control over things. But I am not thinking much, just that I will have fun in every situation. I am excited because I like working. I am waiting to go for the job. It took me time to decide but these marketing guys know how to convince us [laughs],” says Faruqui.

Interestingly, Faruqui has not been on the friendliest with Ranaut in the outside world. In tweets posted in 2020 and 2021, he took a jibe at the actress over her comments on nepotism and other issues. When asked about working with Ranaut despite having different ideologies, he said, “Mazaa aayega [It will be fun], and that is all I can say. But mine are opinions, not ideology. I am not a neta. I am a normal artist, a funny comedian, and I know how to respect other people’s ideology. Even if I disagree with them, I know it is their right and I know how to respect that. It will be a give-and-take situation, whoever will give respect, I will give them respect. This is life, not any strategy. It is a normal thing. I don’t think much about controversies. If I refuse to say things, if I don’t want to comment on things that are controversial then it won’t happen. People create controversies out of anything. You don’t know what is being edited and sent out. Earlier, controversy happened with me not even doing anything wrong.”

For certain celebrities, Ranaut hosting the show was one of the attractions to accept the offer. “I am scared of our ‘jailor’ Kangana Ranaut but it would be nice to see another strong lady out there. I don’t know how I will deal with her, it can be amazing or bitter but it would be an interesting experience,” says Pandey. “Kangana hosting it was another factor to consider because a woman who is powerful, who speaks her mind, who is fearless, and has courage to stand up for what she believes is motivating. And then of course, a new show, season one, 16 celebrities, 72 days, 24/7 live… what else would the audience want?” adds Rawal.

Meanwhile, the Lock Upp house, at least the corridor which has been revealed, looks sombre and grim. It is all black and grey with 'jail barracks,' 'prison cells,' washing area, basic toilets... with a realistic touch. Set designer Omung Kumar, who directed Sarabjit, says the research and experience of designing prison cells for his biographical drama came in handy here.

“This is a jail set and while I was designing it, I was getting tense. As it is, staying in the Bigg Boss house is difficult but this is fearful. This is like a lock-up. The contestants will always be in a dilemma because here, you have to earn everything. Beds are like beds in jail, the kitchen is shut, there are kitchen tasks, and it will open accordingly, we will see what they will eat, what they will be deprived of. Bathrooms are like the ones you find in jail where you wash clothes on the floor. You will have to fight and earn the luxuries of kitchen, bedroom, bathroom. For instance, you have to earn shower curtains or even the door to the bathroom. There is also a task for a luxury pillow. The corridor is entirely a jail but there are areas which will unfold later on. It is kept a secret. The raaz will get disclosed gradually. I have brought the elements of eeriness and cragginess to the set. It is definitely going to be a strenuous stay,” says Kumar.

Lock Upp is streaming on ALTBalaji and MXPlayer.

Seema Sinha is a Mumbai-based mainstream entertainment journalist who has been covering Bollywood and television industry for over two decades. Her forte is candid tell-all interviews, news reporting and newsbreaks, investigative journalism and more. She believes in dismissing what is gossipy, casual, frivolous and fluff.

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by Seema Sinha