Shilpa Shinde in Lock Upp Season 2: Actress joins other celebrities after false sexual harassment claim

Actor Shilpa Shinde’s admission that a sexual harassment complaint she filed against television producer Sanjay Kohli nearly a decade ago was false has reignited a debate in India over accountability when harassment allegations turn out to be fabricated.

Shinde, who won Bigg Boss 11 and remains widely recognised for playing Angoori Bhabhi in Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!, had accused Kohli of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct back in 2016 after her exit from the show, allegations he denied at the time. The dispute had expanded into a broader public fight over contracts and payments between the two.

The controversy resurfaced in June 2026 when Shinde admitted during a podcast appearance with Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa that the harassment allegation was not genuine. She said she had felt cornered during a payment and contract dispute with the show’s makers and believed filing the complaint was her only option at the time. She also said she had carried guilt over the claim for years and described her emotional state during that period as severe, including struggling with suicidal thoughts. She apologised to Kohli, saying an apology felt insufficient given what had happened.

The admission triggered fresh backlash rather than resolving the matter. Commentators and social media users questioned whether admitting to a false complaint should carry legal consequences, with critics arguing that such cases risk damaging reputations and undermining trust in genuine survivors. Actor Pooja Bedi said misuse of protective laws was unacceptable, while Hina Khan called the episode shameful and described Kohli as the real victim in the matter. Actor Bebika Dhurve took a different view, saying it took courage for Shinde to admit the truth after nearly a decade. Shinde herself has said she is unbothered by the criticism and stands by her decision to come clean.

The renewed controversy comes just as Shinde entered Lock Upp Season 2 as the season’s first wildcard contestant. The show’s format is built around contestants entering with a public “tag” or reputation from the outside world, with the game structured around them working to shed that tag and emerge as better versions of themselves over the course of the season. Her decade-old controversy resurfacing right before her entry adds another layer to how her journey on the show is likely to be watched.

Whether the matter leads to any legal action against Shinde remains unclear at this stage.