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Lock Upp EXCLUSIVE: Dheeraj Dhoopar on joining Farah-Riteish's show: “I'm here to win and that is my number one priority”
Before entering Lock Upp, actor Dheeraj Dhoopar sat down with Pinkvilla and spoke at length about what he is looking forward to on the show.
Actor Dheeraj Dhoopar is all set to enter the reality show Lock Upp, hosted by Riteish Deshmukh and Farah Khan. The much-anticipated series premieres on Netflix on June 27, 2026. It is produced by the streaming platform along with Ektaa Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms. Ahead of his stint on the show, Pinkvilla caught up with the popular actor, where he opened up about his expectations, excitement, and what viewers can look forward to from his journey on Lock Upp.
I am extremely excited, you know, for stepping into a different format, of course, a tad bit nervous, but a whole lot excited because it's also an unexplored territory for me. And definitely daily soaps are my comfort zone, you know, my home, but it will be fun to participate in, you know, a reality because there are a lot of things that I am yet to find out about myself, which I will now along with the audiences. So I am definitely looking forward to it.
My first reaction was a no, a hard no. In fact, I had even refused it in the beginning. But things aligned and here I am now.
Well, specifically for this show, she has advised not holding back. She feels that I am a gentleman and there will be people that will test me at times and I don't usually lose my patience easily. So I would say that there will be times where I will have to put people in their places and have to stand up for myself. And I should do so without, you know, worrying about sounding or being disrespectful, because there will be times that people really deserve that. So while I am always respectful of people and I always have that at the back of my mind, I am not going to hold back when it's required for me to do something, you must go for it.
Well, the game plan is to be my authentic self and go with the flow because the audiences, you know, in today's times cannot be fooled, should not be fooled and will not be fooled. So, I think being your authentic self will only make you shine and nothing else will. So, there is no game plan because it's a new territory for me and I think just being myself and going with the flow will work best I feel and that is what I intends to do.
Well, all of the above to quite an extent. I have connected with the audiences. Now, it's time for the audiences to connect with me in a whole new way in a very different way. Definitely discovering new things about myself also, like I feel that if there is a side that does come out, it's going to be news for me too. So, well, if it does, then of course, it's discovering myself, but winning the trophy, most importantly, I am here for the win and that has been my number one priority.
And if I perform, you know my best and you know, which I intend to for winning the trophy and you know, exceeding in all the tasks and the games and whatever lockup has to throw at me. If I am doing well, then I feel connecting with the audiences will definitely happen on a deeper level and there will be a lot of things that I will discover on the way to you know, on the way, you know, on my journey to winning the trophy.
Yes, the jail format agreeably is very mentally and emotionally demanding and the toughest thing for me is going to be staying away from my family, my wife and my son most importantly. So that is going to be my toughest challenge. But I am definitely looking forward to mingling with all my peers, all my co-actors inside in a very very different way, exploring a territory that I haven't explored before and on the way also making some friends and finding out new things about myself.
Well, if Vinny could send me one message inside lock-up, I would firstly want to know how she's doing, how my son is doing, how my parents are doing, that would motivate me enough to work harder and if I could I would ask her if I am doing well and if she was proud of me.
Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.
ALSO READ: Lock Upp Release Date: When and where to watch the reality show online
