Mumbai: Gaurav Khanna’s wife Akanksha Chamola opened up about her sexual orientation and past relationships on ‘Lock Upp’ season 2.
During a conversation with hosts Riteish Deshmukh and Farah Khan, Akanksha confessed that she is bisexual and revealed that she had been in relationships with a few women before getting married to Gaurav.
Confirming her ‘bisexual’ secret, which Shreya Kalra revealed on ‘Lock Upp 2’, Akanksha said: “Toh main shaadi se pehle bisexual thi. Mere relations rahe hain kuch ladkiyon ke saath. Bohot zyada intimate relations nahi rahe hain, but I have been in relations with a few females. And, bas, vohi hai, mujhe ladkiya pasand hain (Before I got married, I identified as bisexual. I was in relationships with a few women. They weren’t deeply intimate, but I did date a few women. That’s simply who I am — I like women.)”
She added, “Main admire karti hoon. Main attract hoti hoon unki taraf. Bas, I think, mera voh safe space hai. Growing up, mujhe aisa lagta ki it’s a very male-dominated world aur hamesha se aap mummy ki taraf jaate ho, bheno ki taraf jaate ho toh kahin na kahin voh ek comfort zone jo unse milta hai, I love that comfort. (I admire women. I’m attracted to them. I think they’re my safe space. Growing up, I always felt that the world was very male-dominated, and you naturally turn to your mother or your sisters for comfort. Somewhere along the way, that sense of safety and comfort I found in women is something I truly love.)”
“I love that feminine energy. I think I thrive in that. Jahan pe aise society main rehte hain na, log bolte hain 2 ladkiya kabhi dost nahi ho sakti, unke beech main hamesha koi na koi jealousy hota hai ya competition hota hai, mere main voh feeling hi nahi aati. Main hamesha, like, for me, all females are beautiful. Bas mere liye voh pyaar hi hai, ab aap usko jo bhi tag… It’s a tag which society has given. For me, it’s pure love (We live in a society where people often say that two women can never truly be friends—that there’s always some jealousy or competition between them. But I’ve never felt that way. For me, every woman is beautiful. What I feel is simply love. You can give it whatever label you want—that’s a tag society has created. To me, it’s just pure love),” she remarked.
Akanksha’s revelation left her fellow-contestants visibly emotional, while the hosts praised her for embracing truth with courage.
Overwhelmed by the moment, Akanksha broke down in tears as Farah hugged her, and commended her for speaking so honestly.
Reflecting on her journey in the show, Akanksha admitted that she had started to feel joining the reality series was a mistake because one personal truth after another had come to light since the first day.
She was referring to her earlier revelation that she and Gaurav are living separately, and are in the process of getting a divorce.
