13 July,2026 12:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Farah Khan and Madhuri Grover (Pictures via X)
The drama inside Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa intensified after contestant Madhuri Grover openly criticised hosts Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh over their feedback during Judgement Day. Upset over being labelled as someone living under Shreya Kalra's shadow, Madhuri defended her game and accused the hosts of constantly pulling contestants down instead of motivating them. Farah has now responded to the criticism with a light-hearted remark, making it clear that she holds no grudge against the entrepreneur.
In the latest episode, Madhuri expressed disappointment over Farah's earlier comment that she was merely playing in Shreya's shadow. Defending herself, she said, "It's easy to bring everyone's morale down, but it's equally important to lift their spirits. There are better ways to encourage someone by telling them they're doing well and motivating them to improve further instead of constantly criticising them."
She also brought up fellow contestant Riyaz, claiming the repeated criticism had affected him mentally. "Think about Riyaz. He was repeatedly told that he wasn't visible in the show. You mentally harassed him. He didn't have 27 million followers for no reason. What was he supposed to do? Start making reels inside the house?" Madhuri said, questioning the hosts' approach.
The entrepreneur went on to explain why she had no problem being associated with Shreya. "You brought me here because of who I am. I ask questions, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. I don't need anyone's approval we have a genuine connection." She further added, "I'm not Shreya's manager; I'm her friend, and I'm proud of that. When our morale was low, we lifted each other up, something you people failed to do."
The controversy soon spilled outside the show after Madhuri's husband, entrepreneur Ashneer Grover, shared a clip of her outburst on Instagram. Tagging Farah Khan, he jokingly wrote, "Mata aagyi isko toh aapki instigation se," suggesting that Madhuri's fiery reaction was triggered by the host's comments.
Farah, however, chose to respond with warmth rather than escalate the situation. Replying to Ashneer's post, she wrote, "I love her. She's a legend." Her response quickly caught fans' attention, with many appreciating the friendly exchange despite the heated on-screen confrontation.
The controversy stems from the previous Judgement Day episode when Farah had teased Madhuri while she was rooting for Shreya to stay in the competition. The host had quipped, "Yeah, she needs to come back; otherwise, who will save Madhuri next week?" implying that Madhuri relied heavily on Shreya's support in the game.
As Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa enters its third week, shifting alliances and strong opinions continue to fuel drama inside the jail-themed reality show. Whether Madhuri's outburst changes the dynamics between the contestants and the hosts remains to be seen.
