Akanksha Chamola may have been eliminated from Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, but she's leaving the reality show with zero regrets—and a whole lot to say. In a candid post-eviction interview, the actress reflected on her 35-day journey, slammed the "weak player" tag given to her by fellow contestants, and boldly declared that she was actually one of the strongest players in the house.
Calling the experience one of the most memorable phases of her life, Akanksha admitted that the show pushed her beyond her comfort zone. "It was a very fun journey; I really enjoyed it. I had never done a captive reality show before, so this was a first for me. I learned and understood a lot. Overall, it was a very fun and positive experience," she said. While many viewers felt they discovered a new side of her personality, Akanksha believes those traits always existed. "I don't think I saw a new character emerge in those 35 days. It was more about the various facets of my personality coming to the surface. I already knew I possessed these traits."
One of the biggest debates surrounding Akanksha's game was whether positivity works in a high-voltage reality show. She strongly rejected the notion that kindness is a weakness. "People think being positive, kind, sensitive or sweet is a weakness. My point was that it isn't. Yes, there were moments when I mentally gave up because Lock Upp wasn't easy. I had taken four or five hard kicks to my back, we weren't getting food, and I was physically and emotionally exhausted. But if positive people had no place in reality shows, I would have been eliminated in the first week itself."
The actress then addressed the criticism that she was the weakest contestant inside the jail—and that's where she dropped her biggest bombshell. "I don't agree at all. I didn't agree inside either. Ram Kapoor Sir used to manipulate everyone a lot. Whatever he said somehow entered everyone's mind—even mine. At one point I even believed I didn't have a game plan. But after coming out and watching the show... man, I was actually the strongest player."She added, "Maybe I was a threat, which is why I was labeled weak and voted out. When it came to secrets, owning my truth, tasks, entertainment, presenting myself with dignity, avoiding petty fights and speaking up when it mattered—I did all of that. So I don't understand why I wasn't deserving."
Akanksha also laughed off claims that she was only visible because of fellow contestant Pamela. "Everyone was visible because of me. Believe it or not, whether it was Pam, Rela Laila or Ram Ji, all the reels I saw featured them because of me. So to anyone who says otherwise, I'm sorry—but I don't agree." Despite feeling disappointed that none of her fellow contestants stood up for her when she needed support, she believes the audience made up for it. "No one stood up for me, but the audience did. You all stood by me. Even if I didn't win the show, I've won people's love and support. For me, that's a win-win situation."