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Four years after Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Dheeraj Dhoopar , best known for playing Karan Luthra in Kundali Bhagya , has returned to the non-fiction space with the captive reality show Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa . Having earlier turned down offers for Bigg Boss , Dheeraj admits that stepping into this format was not an easy decision.

Ahead of entering the show, in a chat with us, he shared, “I have stayed away from reality shows for a long time, especially captive formats. When Lock Upp was first offered, my answer was a straight no. However, the streaming platform and Ekta Kapoor were two strong reasons that convinced me to take it up. Another factor was the shorter duration, around 35 to 40 days, unlike Bigg Boss, which runs for over two months and sometimes even longer with extensions.”

One of his biggest challenges will be staying away from his family, especially his son. He said, “That is one of the hardest parts. I have always been around my family, and being away from my son is something I had been preparing myself for. It was not easy.”

While he is not overly worried about being judged, he admitted that exposing different layers of his personality came with its own hesitation. He said, “As actors, we are judged anyway, so that does not bother me. But showing every side of who I am is different. People know me through my characters, and now they will see the real me. I hope they also like me.”

As viewers get to see different sides of his personality, there is one trait he believes could work against him inside the house: his tendency to trust people easily. He shared, “I tend to trust people easily and take them at face value, which may not work in a format where everyone is playing a game. But I hope I come out of it stronger, more aware, and sharper at reading people.”