Shivangi Joshi's sister defends her amid 'fake story' controversy on Lock Upp
Mumbai, July 31
Shivangi Joshi's family has come out in her support after the actor faced criticism online over her recent comments about her family's financial struggles on 'Lock Upp: Sach Ya Saza.'
The debate began after some social media users questioned Shivangi's statements, following which her sister, Sheetal Joshi, and her team shared detailed clarifications, saying her words had been misunderstood.
Sheetal posted a video on Instagram saying how many people were comparing Shivangi's statement on the show with an old interview without knowing the full story. She said Shivangi never claimed that her family was born poor. According to Sheetal, the actor was only talking about a difficult period in their lives after their father suffered a major business loss.
Sheetal also responded to posts about their father's army background and the family's house. She said people should not judge someone's struggles by looking at the size of their home.
"A secret is something people don't already know," Sheetal said. She added that the house people are referring to was built by their grandfather in 1980 and not by their father. "The house people are talking about was built by our grandfather in 1980, not by our father... 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.
She also explained what Shivangi meant when she said her family had "come out on the streets." According to Sheetal, the family was not homeless but had no stable source of income at the time.
Recalling how emotional the family felt after Shivangi shared her story on the show, Sheetal said, "We cried when Shivangi revealed that secret because we have lived through it." She further added, "If people call it a bungalow today, it's because of Shivangi. Whatever facilities the house has today are because of her," while asking people not to call her sister a liar.
During a task on 'Lock Upp: Sach Ya Saza,' Shivangi had spoken about her parents' struggles after the family's financial setback. She said they worked at a canteen, stitched clothes and even washed utensils to support the family.
Talking about those difficult days, Shivangi had said, "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."
Soon the backlash grew after social media users brought back an old interview in which Shivangi had spoken about her father serving in the army. Some claimed it did not match what she said on the reality show.
Meanwhile, Shivangi has secured a 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 competing for the title. The reality show is streaming on Netflix.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The way social media twists everything is crazy. A family can have a house but still struggle financially - that's not hard to understand. The father's business loss would have affected their lifestyle completely. Shivangi's hard work to support her family is actually inspiring, not something to mock.
I feel bad for Shivangi. She opened up about something deeply personal and instead of supporting her, people are questioning her truth. In India, many families go through tough phases where they have assets but no liquidity. Being from an army family doesn't mean you can't face financial hardships. Her sister's video was very emotional and genuine.
As someone outside India, it's interesting to see this discourse. It seems like a classic case of people misinterpreting someone's words to create controversy. The sister's explanation about the house being built by the grandfather makes sense - having a family home doesn't mean you have money. Respect to Shivangi for working hard to change their situation.
Why do we always tear down people who share their struggles? The "bungalow" they have today is because Shivangi worked for it. That's exactly what her sister said. People who have never faced such situations will never understand the shame and pressure of not being able to provide for your family. So proud of her for being so open. ❤️
There's always some controversy in reality shows, but this one seems manufactured. If you look at the timeline, it's clear she wasn't claiming to be born poor - she was talking about a specific difficult period. Her family worked through it, including her parents doing odd jobs. That's a story of
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.