Riteish Deshmukh Shuts Down Question On Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt At Lock Upp Launch

During the launch event of Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, actor Riteish Deshmukh found himself in an uncomfortable moment. A reporter brought up past legal troubles of Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt's and asked if he would like to see them on the reality show.

The remarks displeased the actor clearly and made him respond with a sharp rebuttal.

Riteish Refuses To Entertain The Question

On Monday, Riteish attended the grand launch of Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa in Mumbai alongside filmmaker Farah Khan, producer Ekta Kapoor and Netflix India's Vice President of Content, Monika Shergill.

During the media interaction, a journalist asked whether Riteish would invite close friends Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt to participate in the reality show. The reporter further questioned how he would "punish" them if they entered the competition.

The comment visibly annoyed Riteish and he wasted no time in expressing his disapproval.

"First of all, I don't think I'd like to dignify your question by answering it," the actor said firmly.

"My Job Is To Host, Not Select Contestants"

When Ritesh was asked about the question, he clarified that he has no role in deciding who enters the show.

The actor said that his role is limited to hosting the series and interacting with contestants once they are part of the game. He added that the hosts communicate with participants and guests who enter the Lock Upp setup. However, there is no involvement of the hosts during the casting process.

A New Chapter For Lock Upp

The upcoming season, titled Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, marks a major shift for the reality franchise. Although the show was hosted by Kangana Ranaut initially, the new edition will see Riteish Deshmukh and Farah Khan taking over.

14 celebrity contestants will be set to live as "inmates" inside a high-pressure environment. As alliances shift and challenges become tougher, contestants will be forced to make difficult decisions that could dramatically alter the game.

First Contestants Revealed

At the launch event, the makers unveiled the first batch of contestants for the season. Veteran television and film actor Ram Kapoor was introduced as the show's first confirmed inmate. Later, television actress Shivangi Joshi and international personality Pamala Serena were also announced as participants.

Netflix Joins Hands With Balaji Telefilms

The new season also marks a significant platform change for the franchise. After debuting in 2022 on ALTBalaji and MX Player, Lock Upp is now moving to Netflix through a collaboration between the streaming giant and Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms.