As Lock Upp 2 inches closer to its grand finale, audiences are actively backing their favourite contestants and closely following every moment inside the show. Moreover, Shivangi Joshi ’s revelation about her family’s financial troubles has created a massive row on social media. While some viewers expressed solidarity with Shivangi, others criticised her for lying about the ordeal. As a result, Shivangi’s sister Sheetal Joshi and her team have responded to the allegations saying that Shivangi’s statements have been misconstrued.

Addressing the backlash, Sheetal shared a video on Instagram on July 30, explaining that people had linked Shivangi’s statement to an older interview without considering the full context of what was said on the show.

Clarifying the “bread butter” secret, Sheetal said, “She nowhere mentioned in her secret that we were born very poor. What she actually said is that our father suffered a huge loss in business, which is why we did not even have money for food.”

She also reacted to comments questioning their background, adding, “I also saw people on Instagram writing, ‘Your father was in the army, and you had a big house.’ Do problems come by looking at a house? Like, ‘Oh, their house is small, so they should face problems,’ or ‘their house is big, so they shouldn’t have problems?’ No, it does not work like that.”

Further elaborating, Sheetal explained that having a house did not necessarily mean the family was financially secure. According to her, while they always had a place to stay, they still went through a difficult phase when managing basic expenses became a challenge. Speaking about the emotional impact of Shivangi sharing the story, she said, “It is very easy for you people to say things like, ‘Oh, she is doing this for sympathy,’ or ‘She is lying.’ When Shivangi revealed that secret, we literally cried because we are a part of that story. If today we call that house a bungalow, it is because of Shivangi. If there are any facilities in our house today, it is also because of Shivangi. I literally request you all, please do not call my sister a liar; she is not lying.”

During a recent episode, Shivangi had opened up about a phase when her father faced major losses in his business, which significantly affected the family’s financial stability. She shared that they had to rely on support from neighbours for basic necessities, while both her parents took on multiple jobs to keep things running.

Recalling that time, Shivangi said, “They always felt ashamed about not being able to provide food to the family. I am the only one who earns in my family, and I take care of everybody.”