ALT Balaji‘s blockbuster reality game show ‘Lock Upp‘ enjoyed a stupendous run on OTT. It shattered viewing records, racked up astonishing engagement from audiences, and won hearts all around. Kangana Ranaut proved to be a canny, insightful jailer, that is host of Lock Upp.
Lock Upp has now culminated in a superhit finale that became one of the most-watched episodes on ALT Balaji and on streaming. Munawar Faruqui may have been the winner of Lock Upp Season 1. But besides him, several other stars of the show have gained big time – in more ways than one. Let’s analyse how four stars of Lock Upp became the biggest gainers, not just in popularity but otherwise too.
1. Payal Rohatgi –
Once upon a time, Payal Rohatgi was a pretty Miss India finalist, who went on to act in popular films such as 36 China Town and Hey Baby. But in recent times, she emerged as a loud advocate of the right wing on Twitter, due to which she was at the receiving end of internet trolls. The outspoken, opinionated girl wasn’t too popular among netizens. Then Lock Upp happened, and overnight, public perception about Payal Rohatgi flipped on its head. Viewers became acquainted with the real, kind-hearted, good-souled person beneath the deliberately-created tough exterior, and liked what they saw. Payal Rohatgi won hearts galore on Lock Upp on ALT Balaji. And today, in 2022, she’s at the peak of popularity.
2. Anjali Arora –
Before ALT Balaji’s Lock Upp happened to her, Anjali Arora had garnered quite a lot of fame on Instagram with her sometimes sweet, sometimes sexy videos where she shook her booty to popular numbers. Her ‘Kachha Badam’ is one of her most well-known ones on Instagram. But before Lock Upp, only the Instagram savvy crowd knew of her. Once she was in Lock Upp, Anjali Arora’s popularity shot up. She became one of the most well-loved contestants on Lock Upp. A lot of the affection she got from audiences was due to her closeness with Munawar Faruqui, the darling of the show. The love he got from audiences rubbed off on Anjali Arora, and the pretty lass made the most of it. Today, every Indian OTT user knows who Anjali Arora is.
3. Kangana Ranaut –
Kangana Ranaut has suffered long at the hands of the Indian left wing brigade. Banned from Twitter for being vocal about a lot of things – Hindutva, nepotism, minority appeasement – Kangana Ranaut has never given a hoot about her detractors. She grew from strength to strength, even though a lot of the younger crowd didn’t particularly like her. But after her stint on Lock Upp, how things have changed! Audiences, critics and the contestants themselves have been pleasantly surprised by Kangana’s clear sense of justice, lack of any bias when dealing with her ‘kaidis’, and her utterly down-to-earth behavior on ALT Balaji’s hit reality show. Not even once did she behave like the spoilt brat that the left wing makes her out to be. Her sensible approach to issues, empathy with her kaidis and the secrets they shared, the way she handled things sensitively – all of it was eye-opening for viewers who had no clue about the real personality behind the confident veneer. Let’s just say, Kangana Ranaut has managed to convert quite a few of her detractors into smitten fans.
4. Munawar Faruqui –
A few months ago, Munawar Faruqui was one of the most misunderstood stand-up comics in the Indian comedy space. It would be no exaggeration to say that he was also one of the most-hated by the Hindutva brigade. His alleged controversial stand-up acts had made him persona non grata in most comedy circles. Cut to today, after Lock Upp happened – even his most ardent haters have fallen for the boyish charm and naive innocence of Munawar Faruqui. Most have revisited previously written articles on him, and realised that the accusations against him seem to be trumped up and not entirely true. Munawar Faruqui’s participation in ALT Balaji’s Lock Upp has converted most social media and OTT users into his die-hard fans. Most importantly, he’s regained the respect that seemed to have slipped out of his grasp in the unhappy events of the last year. And that’s Munawar Faruqui’s biggest gain on Lock Upp – not the cash reward, not the car – but the love and respect he truly deserves!
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