Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan has opened up about her experience hosting Lock Upp season 2, calling the reality show her “dream job” and revealing that the stint unexpectedly helped her connect with her children and their teenage friends.
Farah hosted the second season of the reality show alongside actor Riteish Deshmukh, with the duo serving as the show’s jailers. Speaking at FICCI Frames, Farah reflected on the experience and explained why the format suited her personality.
‘Lock Upp was our dream job’
Farah revealed that she had not watched the first season of Lock Upp, which originally streamed on Alt Balaji, but said her love for reality television made the second season a natural fit.
“I have made movies and done YouTube and a lot of TV, but Lock Upp was our (her and Riteish Deshmukh) dream job,” she said.
Farah added that she watches reality shows regularly and enjoys storytelling and entertaining audiences. She said her instinct is to ensure that viewers do not get bored, a quality she also brings to filmmaking and her YouTube content.
While the show came with several suggestions about how the hosts should conduct themselves, Farah said she and Riteish eventually found their individual hosting styles.
Farah wanted to be the audience’s voice
Farah said she wanted to represent the perspective of viewers while hosting the show, even if that sometimes made her appear biased.
She also praised Riteish’s role as co-host, revealing that he would occasionally stop her when she became too harsh while reacting to contestants.
Reflecting on the show, Farah said she enjoyed the experience immensely and described it as one of the best reality shows she had worked on or watched. She highlighted its focus on human behaviour, secrets and culture.
‘It made me cool with my kids’
One of the biggest surprises for Farah was the impact Lock Upp 2 had on her relationship with younger audiences.
She said the show helped make her “cool” with her children and their friends. Farah recalled teenage girls approaching her and referring to themselves as “Lock Upp pagloos”, reflecting the show’s popularity among younger viewers.
What happened in Lock Upp 2?
Lock Upp returned for its second season after a four-year gap in a revamped format on Netflix. Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh replaced Kangana Ranaut as the show’s jailers.
The season featured celebrities and public figures competing in tasks, forming alliances and facing eliminations in a prison-themed setting, while revelations about their personal lives became part of the show’s narrative.
The season concluded with Shreya Kalra emerging as the winner and taking home the trophy and Rs 1 crore. Shivangi Joshi finished as the runner-up.
