Mumbai, July 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Television actor Harshad Chopda has shared a deeply personal account of childhood sexual assault, revealing that he remained silent about the traumatic experience for years because he was frightened and did not fully understand what had happened.
The actor made the disclosure during the latest episode of Lock Upp 2, where contestants were asked to reveal a secret linked to the theme of “childhood.”
Recalling the incident, Harshad said he was around nine or 10 years old when his parents left him in the care of people they trusted. According to the actor, the individuals were respected not only by his family but also by the wider community.
Harshad said he was a quiet and submissive child and described waking up during the night to find someone rubbing against him while he was fully clothed. He said he did not understand what was happening and pretended to be asleep because he was scared.
The actor also recalled another incident involving the same person, who allegedly called him to a balcony and repeatedly lifted him while engaging in behaviour that left him confused and frightened. Harshad said he never discussed the incidents with anyone because he lacked the words to explain what he had experienced.
Speaking emotionally on the show, Harshad urged parents to maintain open communication with their children and encourage them to speak up if they ever feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
He said survivors should not suppress such experiences and stressed the need to expose perpetrators so they cannot continue harming others. Harshad also acknowledged that the trauma had left him with lingering fear around some men, while clarifying that he does not harbour hatred toward gay men but associates certain situations with his childhood experience.
Lock Upp 2 is hosted by Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh on Netflix. The current season features contestants including Pamala Serena, Akanksha Chamola, Shilpa Shinde, Akanksha Chaudhary, Ram Kapoor, Yogesh Rawat, Shreya Kalra, Shivangi Joshi, Harshad Chopda and Varun Yadav, popularly known as Laila.
The inaugural season of Lock Upp, hosted by Kangana Ranaut in 2022, concluded with Munawar Faruqui emerging as the winner, while Karan Kundrra served as the jailor throughout the season.
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