05 August,2026 08:33 PM IST | Mumbai | Shruti Sampat
Akanksha Chamola and Varun Yadav (Pictures via X)
Varun Yadav, popularly known as Laila, narrowly missed a spot in the Lock Upp finale after getting evicted just a day before the grand finale. In an exclusive conversation with mid-day, the actor reflected on his journey inside the reality show, speaking candidly about his bond with fellow contestants, his disappointment over the eviction task, Akanksha Chamola's pregnancy prank, and the controversy surrounding Pamala branding him a "misogynist."
Addressing his equation with Yogesh after their fallout in the house, Varun clarified that there was never any bitterness between them. "Nothing like that. At the end, Yogesh felt that Ram sir suddenly came between our bond. But then I had clarified with him later about everything that happened. He thought I only keep Aarush as my closest, but it's not like that. Yogesh is also my brother and we share the same bond outside," he said.
Speaking about the task that ultimately led to his eviction, Varun admitted he wasn't upset with the format but wished he had been able to play independently. "I didn't feel it was unfair, but I feel that if I would have done the task on my own then I could have won it for my family and fans. Everything went in Shreya and Shivangi's hands and I had just fought with them a day before, so things didn't turn out the way I wanted. They didn't support me. I was disappointed but I am happy that the game was good."
Varun also opened up about his loyalty towards Shreya Kalra during the game and said he expected the same support in return. "Yes, I had stayed loyal to Shreya, we had spoken it out. I even told her that I will do a podcast with you as well, just save me when needed. But you all saw what happened."
Talking about his dynamics with Pamala and Akanksha Chamola, Varun said the friendship ended on very different notes. "With Pamala and Chamola it was fun. But Chamola played me at the end. When it comes to Pamala, I didn't understand her. She came to me with the 'misogynist tag' after the task. She just became a completely different person whenever she lost. Maybe she did it for the camera or what. I couldn't understand her despite knowing her from the beginning of the show."
One of the most talked-about moments from the show was the joke implying that Varun was the father of Akanksha Chamola's unborn child. Recalling the incident, the actor revealed that while it was intended as harmless humour, it had real-life consequences for him.
"I was sitting on the sofa and Ram told me that, 'Laila, you didn't tell me, you are Chamola's kid's father.' I was completely shocked. I realised it was all in a fun way but people took it seriously. Especially my mother, she was upset when she saw it. However, I later told her that it was a joke and nothing serious in that. Akanksha later apologised to me as well post-finale and mentioned that she realised I had never spoken anything against her. It was all a misunderstanding," he shared.
Varun further admitted that he has no intention of reconnecting with Pamala after the show because of the allegations she made against him. "I don't want to meet Pamala again. She tagged me as a 'misogynist' and defamed me. She even made some nasty remarks against me. I didn't know whether all the claims she made would get telecast in the episode or not, or whether the hosts would take up this matter in Judgement Day. Because of her, people perceived me in a wrong way. Such things can cost careers to people if not clarified."
Despite the controversies and disappointments, Varun said he is grateful for the experience and believes his journey on Lock Upp helped audiences see his real personality beyond the conflicts and drama.
