Shivangi Joshi's sister defends her amid 'fake story' row on Lock Upp

Shivangi Joshi has found herself at the centre of an online debate after opening up about her family's financial struggles on Lock Upp: Sach Ya Saza. As social media users accused the actor of fabricating her story for sympathy, her sister, Sheetal Joshi, and her team have issued detailed clarifications, insisting that her account has been misunderstood.On Thursday, Sheetal shared a video on Instagram addressing the controversy. She said many people had been linking Shivangi's secret on the show to an old interview without knowing the complete story."A secret is something people don't already know," Sheetal said, adding that Shivangi never claimed her family was born poor. According to her, the actor had only spoken about a difficult phase when their father suffered a major business loss, leaving the family in severe financial distress.She also responded to comments about their father's army background and the family's house. Referring to posts suggesting that their father had served in the army and that the family owned a large home, Sheetal said hardships do not depend on the size of a house. "The house people are talking about was built by our grandfather in 1980, not by our father," she said. Clarifying another point of criticism, she explained that when Shivangi said the family had "come out on the streets", she did not mean they were homeless. "We had a house, but it wasn't earning us anything," she said.Sheetal added that watching people dismiss Shivangi's story as an attempt to gain sympathy had been painful for the family. "We cried when Shivangi revealed that secret because we have lived through it," she said. She further noted that the house people now refer to as a bungalow is the result of Shivangi's hard work. "If people call it a bungalow today, it's because of Shivangi. Whatever facilities the house has today are because of her," she added, urging people not to label her sister a liar.Watch the video here:During the task on Lock Upp, Shivangi had recalled how her parents struggled to support the family after the financial setback. She said they worked at a canteen, stitched clothes and even washed utensils to make ends meet."They always felt ashamed about not being able to provide food to the family. I am the only one who earns in my family, and I take care of everybody. After going through that phase, I decided never to go through it again," she said.The controversy escalated after internet users resurfaced an old interview in which Shivangi had said her father served in the army. Many claimed this contradicted her statement on the show.Responding to the criticism, Shivangi's team released a statement clarifying that there was no contradiction."Rest assured, Shivangi remembers exactly what she's said in her interviews. What seems to have slipped past you is simpler: a person is allowed more than one chapter. Her father served, took voluntary retirement, then went into business. Army first, business later. Both true. That's not a lie. That's just a life you only knew half of. #TeamShivangi," the statement read.Shivangi has secured her place in the finale week of Lock Upp 2. Harshad Chopda, Shreya Kalra, Shilpa Shinde, Ram Kapoor, Varun Yadav, Pamala Serena, Akanksha Chamola, Akanksha Choudhary and Yogesh Rawat are also in the race for the title. The reality show is streaming on Netflix.- EndsPublished On: Jul 31, 2026 11:51 IST