Shivangi Joshi on lifelong acne struggles: 'Don't want to show my face'
Synopsis
Shivangi Joshi's candid moment on Lock Upp went beyond a reality show spat — she connected Shreya Kalra's 'Annabelle' jibe to a lifetime of acne-related insecurity, including past trolling during her Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai days. It is a rare, unscripted glimpse into the skin-image pressures facing Indian television actresses.
Key Takeaways
Shivangi Joshi revealed she has battled facial acne and skin insecurities throughout her life, speaking on reality show Lock Upp .
Fellow contestant Shreya Kalra had repeatedly called Joshi 'Annabelle', a reference to a horror-film doll, which Joshi said was hurtful.
When Shreya developed a skin allergy on the show, Joshi said she empathised and tried to make her feel comfortable, drawing on her own experience.
Joshi also defended television daily soap actors after remarks by Shreya and Shilpa that she felt belittled the medium.
Joshi had previously faced online trolling for visible acne marks during episodes of Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai .
Television actress Shivangi Joshi opened up about battling facial acne and skin insecurities throughout her life during an emotional conversation on the reality show Lock Upp. The disclosure came as Joshi addressed a controversy involving fellow contestant Shreya Kalra, who had repeatedly referred to her as 'Annabelle' — a reference to the haunted doll from the popular horror film franchise.
The 'Annabelle' Remark and Its Impact
Joshi, speaking with Ram Kapoor on the show, said that being called 'Annabelle' multiple times had genuinely hurt her. The comment, she indicated, cut deeper precisely because of her long-standing personal struggles with her skin. Rather than retaliating, she chose to address the incident by drawing on her own experience with appearance-related insecurities.
Joshi on Empathising with Shreya's Skin Allergy
Notably, when Shreya developed an allergic reaction on her face during the show, Joshi said she made a conscious effort to comfort her. 'When Shreya got an allergy on her face, I tried my best to make her feel comfortable. Somebody who knows how insecure you are about your face... I have had this acne and all these skin problems all my life. I know how insecure I am about all these things,' Joshi said.
She added that she could relate to anyone struggling with facial insecurities. 'So, I can understand if someone is going through something and feels like, ‘I don’t want to show my face.’ Then people make fun of my face and my make-up. It’s so hurtful,' she said.
Defending Daily Soap Actors
Joshi also pushed back against remarks allegedly made by Shreya and another contestant, Shilpa, that appeared to look down on television daily soap acting. 'Even when they were talking about Harshad and daily soap acting, I was like, “Is doing daily soaps a bad thing?” You are also from daily soaps,' she said, noting that Shreya had herself admitted to giving several auditions without success.
Background: Joshi's Trolling Over Acne
This is not the first time Joshi's skin has become a public talking point. The actress, best known for her long-running role on Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, had previously faced online trolling for visible acne marks during episodes of the show. Her candid disclosure on Lock Upp brings that history into sharp focus, and resonates with a wider conversation around unrealistic beauty standards in the entertainment industry.
As the season progresses, Joshi's willingness to speak openly about personal insecurities may reshape how audiences and fellow contestants engage with her on the show.
Point of View
Where actresses are simultaneously expected to appear flawless on screen and then trolled when that illusion breaks. The fact that visible acne on a primetime actress became a trolling trigger says more about audience conditioning than about Joshi. Her empathy toward a contestant who had mocked her is an interesting inversion, but the deeper story is that skin-image pressure in the industry rarely gets named this directly. Lock Upp, for all its manufactured conflict, occasionally produces these unscripted confessions — and this one deserves more attention than the 'Annabelle' headline it will likely generate.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Shivangi Joshi reveal on Lock Upp about her skin?
Shivangi Joshi revealed that she has struggled with facial acne and skin insecurities throughout her life. She said she understands the feeling of not wanting to show one's face and finds it hurtful when people mock her appearance or make-up.
Why did Shreya Kalra call Shivangi Joshi 'Annabelle'?
Shreya Kalra repeatedly referred to Shivangi Joshi as 'Annabelle' — a reference to the haunted doll from the horror film franchise. Joshi said the repeated use of the nickname had hurt her, and she addressed it directly during a conversation with Ram Kapoor on the show.
How did Shivangi Joshi respond when Shreya got a skin allergy?
Despite being hurt by Shreya's remarks, Joshi said she tried her best to make Shreya feel comfortable when she developed a facial allergy on the show. She explained that her own lifelong struggles with acne made her empathise with anyone facing skin-related insecurities.
Has Shivangi Joshi faced trolling over her skin before?
Yes. During her time on Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Joshi faced online trolling for visible acne marks seen during episodes of the show. Her Lock Upp confession revisits that experience in a public forum.
What did Shivangi Joshi say about daily soap acting?
Joshi pushed back against remarks by fellow contestants Shreya and Shilpa that she felt looked down on daily soap actors. She questioned why working in daily soaps was considered inferior, pointing out that Shreya herself had come from the same space and had given multiple auditions for such roles.
