Mumbai, August 6 — Actress Akanksha Chamola has addressed the remark that drew attention during her time on Lock Upp 2, explaining that she sought the presence of her dog rather than her estranged husband Gaurav Khanna as a visitor because it represented her true comfort zone.

In interactions with the media after the show, Chamola said she had been craving familiarity and emotional support while inside the house. She made clear that her ongoing separation from Khanna meant his arrival would not have provided the reassurance she needed.

“I really wanted to have my comfort zone. Obviously, I am getting separated from Gaurav. I would not find him coming to the show to be a comforting thing for me,” she stated.

Chamola added that while Khanna may have chosen to visit of his own accord, it did not align with her emotional needs at the time. “He must have come as per his own wish, but for me, it was not a comfort zone. I wanted someone close to me. I wanted my parents and, yes, I wanted my dog.”

The actress had disclosed upon entering the Netflix reality series in July that she and Khanna had been living separately for a year and were moving toward divorce. Later in the show, she also revealed that she is bisexual and that her husband was aware of her sexuality.

Lock Upp 2 was hosted by Riteish Deshmukh and Farah Khan. The season featured a mix of well-known personalities, including Shilpa Shinde, Shreya Kalra, Akanksha Chaudhary, Yogesh Rawat, Sunita Ahuja, Ram Kapoor, Shivangi Joshi, Harshad Chopra, Sufi Motiwala, Dheeraj Dhoopar, Madhuri Jain Grover, Riyaz Aly and Varun Yadav, also known as Laila.

The format involved 14 inmates, two jailers and one lock-up space over six weeks. Contestants completed tasks to earn in-game currency needed for basic necessities such as food, supplies and privileges.

Shreya Kalra ultimately lifted the trophy and the Rs 1 crore prize after emerging ahead of Shivangi Joshi and Yogesh Rawat in the top-three contest.

Chamola’s clarification provided context for a comment that had circulated widely after the episode. By distinguishing between personal closeness and the realities of an ongoing separation, she framed her preference for family and her pet as a straightforward desire for emotional grounding during the high-pressure environment of the show.

The statement also revisited her earlier disclosures about living apart from Khanna and about her bisexuality, subjects she had addressed openly while inside the house. Her remarks after the finale maintained a direct and transparent tone, focusing on her own experience rather than engaging in broader commentary on the other contestants or the outcome of the competition.

Reality formats such as Lock Upp often place participants under sustained scrutiny, both from fellow inmates and from viewers. Chamola’s post-show comments illustrated how personal circumstances can intersect with the demands of the game, and how contestants may later reassess moments that unfolded under those conditions.

By returning to the specific remark about wanting her dog as a visitor, she clarified that the comment stemmed from a need for familiarity rather than any intent to diminish others. The explanation aligned with the disclosures she had already made on the show about her marital situation and personal identity.

As the season concluded with Kalra’s victory, Chamola’s reflections offered a measured account of her time in the house and the factors that shaped her responses during the competition.