Akanksha Choudhary, a contestant on Lock Upp 2, has spoken candidly about the controversy surrounding her co-contestants Harshad Chopda and Shivangi Joshi, arguing that both stars made questionable decisions during the show's high-stakes Dawat-e-Jung task. Her remarks came during an appearance on The Verdict, a podcast hosted on Balaji Telefilms' official YouTube channel.

What Akanksha Said About Harshad's Decision

Akanksha was unequivocal in her assessment that Harshad Chopda made a strategic misstep by surrendering his finalist spot after enduring the gruelling task for 8 hours. 'Yeah, I think it was a wrong move. You did the task for 8 hours. You shouldn't have left it like that. Shivangi should not have expected anything either. I think Harshad should have told her from the beginning itself,' she said.

She added that Harshad had reportedly informed fellow contestant Dheeraj Dhoopar that he was intentionally losing the task — a detail that Shivangi Joshi was apparently kept in the dark about.

Akanksha's Critique of Shivangi Joshi

While Akanksha acknowledged the emotional weight of Harshad's gesture, she stopped short of absolving Shivangi of responsibility. She pointed out that Shivangi should not have expected Harshad to step aside after he had already invested so much effort in the task. The implication, according to Akanksha, was that both contestants bore some blame for how events unfolded.

The Manipulation Allegation

Akanksha went further, alleging that Harshad was actively playing a game with Shivangi during the show — a charge that cuts both ways. 'So Harshad was also playing a game with Shivangi, and that was not a good thing. If I was there, I would have been worried too. So I think both were wrong in this,' she said.

This framing — that neither contestant was entirely innocent — adds a layer of complexity to a moment that had already divided viewers sharply.

What Happened During the Task

Harshad Chopda won the Dawat-e-Jung task and secured the position of first finalist on Lock Upp 2. Contestant Shreya Kalra, who had earned a special advantage during the task, chose to eliminate Shivangi Joshi from the competition. At that point, Jailer Riteish Deshmukh presented Harshad with a choice: accept Shivangi's elimination or sacrifice his own place to make her the finalist. Harshad chose to exit the show without hesitation.

Social Media Reaction

The episode triggered a wave of debate online. Many viewers praised Harshad for what they saw as a selfless act, while others accused Shivangi of having manipulated him into giving up his rightful spot. Akanksha's podcast remarks are likely to reignite that conversation, particularly given her claim that Harshad was simultaneously running his own strategy behind the scenes. As Lock Upp 2 heads toward its finale, the dynamics between these contestants will remain a talking point among fans.