‘I am so comfortable around gays': Dheeraj Dhoopar after Harshad Chopda's homophobic comments on Lock Upp 2

REality shows ar often remembered for their fights and spectacular twists, but the in style(p) instalment of Netflix realism show, Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, took a far more emotional turn. Episode five saw the contestants engage in a deeply personal discussion about sexuality, identity and the fear of societal judgment. The conversation was sparked by a topic placed before the contestants: whether sexuality is a person's identity, a part of their identity, or something that is shaped by society's perception. The inmates were also told that between 70% and 95% of people hide their true sexual identity because they fear being judged.Sufi Motiwala opens up about family rejectionFashion influencer Sufi Motiwala spoke candidly about his own journey and the struggles he has faced because of his sexuality. He revealed that even today, his parents believe there is something wrong with him, making acceptance at home incredibly difficult.Sharing the painful reality faced by many members of the LGBTQ+ community, Sufi said: “It is so difficult to come to your families. People are sent to conversion therapies, where violence is used against them, and they are brainwashed.”Actor Ram Kapoor silently agreed as Sufi spoke. The conversation became too overwhelming for the influencer, who broke down in tears while his fellow contestants gathered around to comfort him.Dheeraj Dhoopar and Harshad Chopda share different experiencesElsewhere in the house, actors Dheeraj Dhoopar and Harshad Chopda discussed their own experiences and perspectives when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community. Dheeraj spoke warmly about the people he has met over the years and said, “I am so comfortable around gays. Lagta hi nahi hai. Personally, mera yeh opinion hai ki they are better human beings. They are more sensitive towards everything. They are wonderful (I am very comfortable around gay people. It doesn't feel any different to me. Personally, I believe they are better human beings. They are more sensitive towards everything. They are wonderful).”Harshad, however, admitted that his feelings were shaped by fear and a lack of understanding in the past. Recalling an incident from years ago, he said, "Maine ek ramp walk kiya hai zindagi mein. Uske bhi paise nahi mile kyunki paise lene ghar jana hai (I have done a ramp walk once in my life. I didn't get paid for it either, because I have to go home to collect the money),” Harshad shared, before opening up about fleeing from an encounter with a gay individual. “Pehle na main bhaag jaata tha seedha. Samajh nahi aata tha. Uss insaan ko main kuch din pehle mila tha. Darr bahut lagta tha, uss time pe bhaag gaya tha bahana bana ke ki shoot hai. Usko pata tha ki shoot cancel hai phir bhi main bhaag gaya tha (I used to just run away straight off. I didn't know how to handle it. I had met that person a few days earlier. I was terrified; I ran away at the time by making up an excuse about a shoot. Even though he knew the shoot had been cancelled, I still fled).”The actor added that he recently met the same person again. He added, “When I met him now, I went to him and told him ki ‘Sorry I did not know how to deal with the situation’. I am not a confrontational person. Phattu insaan hoon. Maybe it takes me longer but mujhe darr lagta tha (When I met him now, I went to him and told him ki ‘Sorry I did not know how to deal with the situation’. I am not a confrontational person. Phattu insaan hoon. Maybe it takes me longer but mujhe darr lagta tha).” Harshad Chopda's earlier remarks resurfaceHarshad's comments also brought back an earlier conversation from the show that had already sparked debate on social media. In a previous episode, while speaking to fellow contestant Shreya Kalra, he tried to understand the difference between fear and homophobia.He asked, “If somebody is a little scared of gay people, what would that come into… Homophobic… That person is a bit scared or wary, not that the person hates the community.”Shreya immediately questioned him, “Are you scared of gay people?” Although Harshad laughed, Shreya pointed out a stereotype that many queer people often face. She said, “You feel gay people hit on you… But with that thought you are putting every gay person in the same box, which is not true.”Lock Upp 2 detailsHosted by Riteish Deshmukh and Farah Khan, the new season of Lock Upp features 15 contestants, including actors Dheeraj Dhoopar, Akanksha Chamola, Shivangi Joshi and Harshad Chopra, along with reality television personalities such as Shreya Kalra, Yogesh Rawat, Pamela Serena and Akanksha Choudhary, among others. The show streams on Netflix, with new episodes releasing every Saturday to Wednesday at 8 pm.