Lock Upp 2’ winner Shreya Kalra has revealed that she had already come to terms with the possibility of losing the reality show to Shivangi Joshi, after rumours — and even Google search results — suggested that the television actress would be crowned the winner.
Shreya, who ultimately lifted the trophy and won a cash prize of Rs 1 crore, said she was genuinely surprised when she was announced as the winner.
“I didn’t feel that I would win the show because we have seen reality shows, and we know that a certain bias creeps in for the people who are famous while deciding the winner,” Shreya told the media.
She said she believed reality-show makers could favour established celebrities with an eye on attracting bigger actors in subsequent seasons. By the time the finale arrived, she had convinced herself that her experience on the show mattered more than the final result.
“I was convinced that whatever I had, I gave to the show. Even if I hadn’t won the show, I won in life,” she said.
Shreya added that the friendships she formed during her stint and the support she received from viewers had already made the experience worthwhile.
“I had said the same thing in my speech that the friends I made along the way in the show, the way fans supported me, I was happy in that moment,” she said.
The actor said rumours about Shivangi winning had become so widespread that she had accepted them as fact.
“I heard about the rumours about Shivangi Joshi being the winner, even Google had reported the same. I had accepted it. But when I got to know that I’m the winner of the show, I was shocked,” she said.
Shivangi finished as the first runner-up. The other finalists were Ram Kapoor, Shilpa Shinde and Yogesh Rawat.
Ahead of the finale, Varun Yadav and Akanksha Chamola were eliminated. Akanksha’s eviction followed a collective decision by Yogesh, Shreya and Varun after host Riteish Deshmukh asked them to choose a contestant to leave the competition.
Shreya eventually emerged as the season’s winner, taking home the coveted trophy along with the Rs 1 crore prize.