Harshad Chopda reveals childhood sexual assault on Lock Upp 2
Synopsis
Harshad Chopda broke decades of silence on Lock Upp 2, disclosing that he was sexually assaulted by a trusted community member at age 9-10. His account — raw, first-person, and unrehearsed — is a rare moment of public disclosure from a mainstream TV actor, and carries a direct appeal to parents about child safety.
Key Takeaways
Harshad Chopda publicly revealed for the first time that he was sexually assaulted as a child, aged 9-10 .
The disclosure was made on Lock Upp 2 , streamed on Netflix and hosted by Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh .
Chopda said he stayed silent for years because he was scared and did not understand what had happened to him.
The perpetrator was described as a trusted community member, not a stranger.
Chopda made an emotional appeal to parents to speak openly with their children and not leave them unsupervised with others.
Television actor Harshad Chopda publicly disclosed for the first time that he was sexually assaulted as a child, sharing the deeply personal trauma during the latest episode of the reality show Lock Upp 2. The actor, who said he had kept the secret buried for decades, revealed that he had stayed silent out of fear and confusion about what had happened to him.
What Harshad Chopda Disclosed
Prompted by the episode's code word 'childhood', Chopda recounted the incident in his own words. 'I was around 9-10 years old,' he said. 'Our parents tend to trust other people with their children. Once they had left me with some trusted people, who were not only trusted by the family but by the whole community.'
He described the assault in measured terms: 'As a child, I was a little submissive. In the night, someone was rubbing himself on me. I was fully clothed; it was just that someone was on top of me and rubbing.' He added that he did not understand what was happening at the time and chose to feign sleep out of fear.
Years of Silence and the Weight of Trauma
Chopda explained that the confusion surrounding the incident kept him from speaking about it for years. 'I was scared. I acted like I was sleeping. I have never told anyone about this before because I didn't even know what had happened,' he said. He recalled a second instance where the perpetrator, using his nickname Monu, lured him to a balcony under a pretext and repeated the behaviour. 'I wasn't sure how to ask. I was scared,' he said.
Visibly emotional, Chopda acknowledged that the perpetrator continues to live freely. 'Those people are still living their lives joyously and I am standing here with my… That is the only reason why I have a little bit of fear when it comes to gay men. I don't hate them, I am just scared of them,' he said, linking a specific fear — not a generalised prejudice — directly to the assault he experienced as a child.
His Urgent Message to Parents
Chopda used the platform to appeal directly to parents, urging them not to leave children unsupervised with others, regardless of how trusted those individuals may appear. He called on parents to speak openly with their children about personal safety. 'For people like me, whatever happens, we need to blurt out and discuss things so that the person is exposed,' he said.
About Lock Upp 2
The second season of Lock Upp streams on Netflix and is hosted by Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh. The current cast includes Pamala Serena, Akanksha Chamola, Shilpa Shinde, Akanksha Chaudhary, Ram Kapoor, Yogesh Rawat, Shreya Kalra, Shivangi Joshi, Harshad Chopda, and Varun Yadav, known as Laila. The first edition, hosted by Kangana Ranaut in 2022, was won by Munawar Faruqui, with Karan Kundrra serving as jailor. Chopda's disclosure is among the most significant personal revelations the franchise has witnessed, and is likely to renew public conversation around child safety and the long-term psychological impact of abuse.
Point of View
And when they do, the conversation tends to be brief and quickly buried. The detail that the perpetrator was a trusted community figure, not a stranger, cuts against the persistent myth that child abuse is perpetrated by outsiders. What mainstream coverage may underplay is Chopda's own framing: his fear, as an adult, is not of a community but of a specific traumatic memory — a nuance that deserves careful, non-sensationalised handling. The real story here is structural: India's child protection framework still lacks mandatory reporting norms for institutions, and disclosures like this, however personal, underscore why that gap matters.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Harshad Chopda reveal on Lock Upp 2?
Harshad Chopda disclosed on Lock Upp 2 that he was sexually assaulted by a trusted community member when he was around 9-10 years old. He said he had never spoken about it before because he was scared and did not understand what had happened at the time.
Why did Harshad Chopda stay silent about the assault for so long?
Chopda said he stayed silent because, as a child, he did not fully understand what was happening to him, and fear prevented him from speaking out. He added that the perpetrator was someone trusted by both his family and the wider community, which compounded his confusion.
What is Lock Upp 2 and where can it be watched?
Lock Upp 2 is a reality show streaming on Netflix, hosted by Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh. The first season, hosted by Kangana Ranaut in 2022, was won by Munawar Faruqui.
What message did Harshad Chopda give to parents?
Chopda urged parents not to leave their children alone with others, regardless of how trusted those individuals appear. He also called on parents to speak openly with their children so that abuse can be identified and reported early.
Who are the other contestants on Lock Upp 2?
The current season features Pamala Serena, Akanksha Chamola, Shilpa Shinde, Akanksha Chaudhary, Ram Kapoor, Yogesh Rawat, Shreya Kalra, Shivangi Joshi, Harshad Chopda, and Varun Yadav, known as Laila.
