Fresh off her Lock Upp Season 2 victory, digital creator Shreya Kalra is setting her sights on Bollywood. The influencer-turned-actor says she understands why producers may hesitate to trust content creators with major acting roles, but insists she has no plans to give up on her dream.
Shreya Kalra is looking beyond reality television after emerging as the winner of ** Lock Upp Season 2 **.
Following her victory, the digital creator and aspiring actor is now focused on building a career in mainstream entertainment. In an exclusive conversation with Zoom, Shreya discussed the pressure that comes with her post-reality-show visibility, the challenge of being taken seriously as an actor and her ambition to eventually see herself on Bollywood billboards.
Rather than treating her Lock Upp win as the destination, Shreya sees it as another step toward the acting career she has been working towards.
Shreya Kalra on Proving Herself as an Actor
One of Shreya’s biggest challenges is moving from the world of digital content into mainstream acting.
Influencers entering films and television often face questions about whether their popularity online can translate into acting ability. Shreya said she understands why producers and casting professionals may take time before placing their trust in a content creator.
“I get it that trust is hard to build, whether a content creator can actually act or host,” she told Zoom.
She also acknowledged the commercial considerations involved in casting decisions. According to Shreya, filmmakers ultimately have to believe that an actor can help bring audiences to a project.
“It’s a business at the end of the day; you have to sell the movie that I am a part of,” she said.
For her, receiving that initial opportunity would itself represent an important vote of confidence.
“But if someone shows that faith in you, that itself is a huge thing, but slowly I think it will happen,” Shreya added.
‘I’m Not Gonna Give Up’
Shreya also made it clear that acting is not something she is pursuing simply because it is the next logical step after reality television.
She recalled her earlier professional background and jokingly dismissed the possibility of returning to accounting, saying entertainment is now where her interests and ambitions lie.
“I cannot go back to accounting. So this is the only thing that I know, this is the only thing I love, and this is the only thing that I am very passionate about, so I am not gonna give up,” she said.
Her comments underline the distinction she makes between being an internet personality and building a long-term career in acting.
The Lock Upp victory may have increased her visibility, but Shreya wants to use that attention to create opportunities beyond the digital-content space.
Shreya Kalra on Social-Media Doubts: ‘It’s Okay’
The actor is also aware that her ambitions have attracted scepticism online.
Shreya said she has seen comments questioning whether she will actually secure acting opportunities or establish herself in mainstream entertainment.
“There are a lot of people saying a lot of things on the internet as well that ‘she’s not gonna get it,’ ‘she’s not getting work,’ or ‘she won’t be able to do it,’” she said.
Rather than allowing those comments to change her plans, Shreya said she remains convinced that she will eventually get her opportunity.
“It’s okay… Today or tomorrow, it’s definitely gonna happen,” she added.
Her response reflects the confidence she has maintained despite the uncertainty surrounding her transition from digital creator to actor.
‘When I Look at Billboards, I Picture Myself There’
For Shreya, the ambition is not abstract.
She said she can already visualise herself occupying the kind of mainstream visibility associated with established film actors.
“It’s written in my destiny. I know, I can see it. When I look at billboards, I picture myself there,” she said.
The statement captures the scale of her aspirations following her reality-show success. Rather than limiting her ambitions to social media or reality television, Shreya wants to build a presence in mainstream cinema.
The next step, however, will be converting that ambition into acting opportunities and demonstrating her abilities in front of an audience.
What’s Next for Shreya Kalra After Lock Upp?
Winning Lock Upp Season 2 has given Shreya another major platform, but her stated goal now extends beyond reality television.
Her transition will involve navigating an industry where established film credentials, acting experience and commercial considerations can influence casting decisions. Shreya herself acknowledges that building trust with producers and casting directors will take time.
For now, she remains focused on the process rather than the online doubts surrounding it.
Her message is straightforward: the Lock Upp trophy is part of her journey, not the end of it. With acting as her stated long-term goal, Shreya Kalra is looking to turn her digital following and reality-show visibility into a more established career in mainstream entertainment.
