Yogesh Rawat is the reality television contestant who finished runner-up on MTV Splitsvilla X6 in May 2026 and then placed second runner-up on Netflix’s Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa in August 2026.
Yogesh Rawat
He is not the cricketer of the same name. If you came here looking for the Uttarakhand-born batsman who plays for Madhya Pradesh, that is a different person there is a note on the name lower down this page.
In the space of eight months Yogesh went from an unknown villa contestant to one of the most-discussed names in Indian reality TV, finishing in the top three of two major shows back to back.
Yogesh Rawat quick facts
| Known for | MTV Splitsvilla X6 (Season 16), Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa (Season 2) |
| Splitsvilla 16 result | Runner-up, with partner Ruru Thakur |
| Lock Upp 2 result | Second runner-up (third place) |
| Splitsvilla partner | Ruru Thakur |
| Age | Not publicly confirmed see below |
| Profession | Reality television personality and content creator |
| Not to be confused with | Yogesh Rawat, the Madhya Pradesh cricketer |
Lock Upp 2: how far he got
Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, the second season of the show, streamed on Netflix from 27 June 2026 and ended with its grand finale on 5 August 2026. Riteish Deshmukh and Farah Khan fronted the season.
Yogesh entered alongside his Splitsvilla co-star Akanksha Choudhary, with Munawar Faruqui winner of the original Lock Upp revealing their casting in a video announcement. Other contestants included Shivangi Joshi, Ram Kapoor, Shilpa Shinde and Pamala Serena.
Yogesh Rawat (Splitsvilla 16)
Announcing his entry, Yogesh said viewers would get to see the candid side of him that audiences had connected with.
The finale result
| Position | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Winner | Shreya Kalra — ₹1 crore prize |
| First runner-up | Shivangi Joshi |
| Second runner-up | Yogesh Rawat |
| Fourth | Shilpa Shinde |
| Fifth | Ram Kapoor |
The winner was decided by votes from former contestants, the jailers and a jury of media professionals and actors, with Ekta Kapoor announcing the result. Yogesh was eliminated after the jury vote, finishing third overall.
Reaching the final three of a Netflix show months after a runner-up finish on MTV made him one of the few contestants of 2026 to convert one reality TV season into another.
Kangana Ranaut’s questioning
Kangana Ranaut, who hosted the original Lock Upp, returned during the second season and questioned Yogesh directly about the controversy that had followed him out of the Splitsvilla villa. She said she was disgusted by men who break women’s hearts. Yogesh broke down during the exchange.
Speaking about it afterwards, he said the six months since Splitsvilla had been traumatic, and that the label he had been given had reached his family: “My mother was ashamed to put my story on her social media.” He also said that leaving Akanksha Choudhary had been a mistake.
Splitsvilla X6: the runner-up finish
Splitsvilla 16 ran from 9 January to 16 May 2026, filmed in Mahabalipuram and hosted by Karan Kundrra, with Nia Sharma and Uorfi Javed as Mischief Makers. Sunny Leone co-hosted the grand finale.
The season’s theme was Pyaar Ya Paisa love or money. Contestants were split between a Pyaar Villa and a Paisa Villa and were repeatedly pushed to choose between a connection and the prize money.
Yogesh reached the final with Ruru Thakur and the pair finished second.
Grand finale standings
| Result | Couple |
|---|---|
| Winners | Kushal Tanwar (Gullu) and Kaira Anu |
| Runners-up | Yogesh Rawat and Ruru Thakur |
| Third place | Sorab Bedi and Niharika Tiwari |
| Fourth place | Tayne De Villiers and Soundharya |
Gullu and Kaira took the ₹20 lakh prize. For Gullu it was a second MTV title after Roadies XX: Double Cross, and he went on to enter the Bigg Boss 20 house in September 2026.
The Akanksha and Ruru storyline
This is the part of the season Yogesh is most searched for, and it is worth being precise about what is actually established.
Inside the villa, Yogesh and Akanksha Choudhary formed a connection and decided to be together. Ruru Thakur, who he had known before the show, entered later as a new contestant. By the finale he was paired with Ruru, and the two finished as runners-up.
After the season ended, viewers accused him of having mistreated one or both of them, and the “cheater” tag followed him onto his next show. Ruru later released WhatsApp messages amid allegations that her entry into the villa had been pre-planned. Yogesh and Ruru confirmed their breakup on an Instagram Live.
Yogesh has described his connection with Ruru as a “situationship” rather than a relationship, and has said publicly that leaving Akanksha was a mistake.
What he has said about the fallout
Rather than a verdict on anyone’s private conduct, the clearest record here is what Yogesh himself has posted.
He wrote that the situation had moved beyond television: “This is not about the show anymore, it’s about what I am facing in my real life.”
He also asked his own followers to stop targeting the two women. Saying he had seen “nasty stuff” circulating on social media about people connected to him, he wrote: “Nobody has right to say who is good for me and who is bad for me.”
Everything else about these relationships has been claimed by one party or another and is not independently established. We do not treat accusations between former contestants as confirmed fact.
Yogesh Rawat (Splitsvilla 16)
How old is Yogesh Rawat?
His age has not been publicly confirmed. He has not shared his date of birth, and no reliable outlet has published a verified age for him.
A number of websites list specific ages and birthdays for him. Those figures are estimates, and several of them appear to have been taken from the cricketer who shares his name. We would rather leave this blank than publish a number we cannot stand behind, and we will update this page if he confirms it himself.
The same applies to his hometown and education, which have not been confirmed by any credible source. A Hindi-language report has described his path as running from MTV Roadies through Splitsvilla to Lock Upp 2, but we have not been able to confirm a Roadies season for him independently, so we are not listing one.
A note on the name
Searching “Yogesh Rawat” returns results for an Indian first-class cricketer of the same name. He was born on 28 December 1992 in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, is a right-handed batsman and right-arm medium-pace bowler, and plays for Madhya Pradesh. He made his List A debut on 27 February 2014 in the 2013–14 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
They are two completely different people. The cricketer has no connection to Splitsvilla, Lock Upp or any reality show, and the reality contestant has no cricket career. Because the cricketer has a long-standing Wikipedia entry, search results for the bare name often lead to him first — so if you are looking for the Splitsvilla contestant, searching “Yogesh Rawat Splitsvilla” will get you there faster.
Several biography websites have mixed details from the two men together. Any page that gives the reality contestant a 1992 birth date in Pauri Garhwal has almost certainly copied the cricketer’s details.
What’s next for him
As of late October 2026, Yogesh has not announced a new show since the Lock Upp 2 finale in August. With two top-three reality finishes in one year he is an obvious candidate for future seasons, and we will update this page when anything is confirmed rather than when it is rumoured.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Yogesh Rawat?
He is an Indian reality television contestant who finished runner-up on MTV Splitsvilla X6 in May 2026 with partner Ruru Thakur, then finished second runner-up on Netflix’s Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa in August 2026. He is not the cricketer of the same name.
Did Yogesh Rawat win Splitsvilla 16?
No. He and Ruru Thakur were the runners-up. The season was won by Kushal Tanwar (Gullu) and Kaira Anu in the finale on 16 May 2026, who shared the ₹20 lakh prize.
What was Yogesh Rawat’s Lock Upp 2 result?
He was the second runner-up, finishing third. Shreya Kalra won the season and the ₹1 crore prize, with Shivangi Joshi as first runner-up.
What is Yogesh Rawat’s age?
It has not been publicly confirmed. He has not shared his date of birth and no credible outlet has published a verified figure. Ages listed on other sites are estimates, and some appear to have been copied from the cricketer who shares his name.
Is Yogesh Rawat the cricketer?
No. The cricketer Yogesh Rawat was born on 28 December 1992 in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, and plays for Madhya Pradesh. He has no connection to reality television. They are two different people with the same name.
Are Yogesh Rawat and Ruru Thakur still together?
No. The two confirmed their breakup on an Instagram Live after Splitsvilla 16 ended. Yogesh has since described the connection as a “situationship.”
Why was Yogesh Rawat called a cheater?
After Splitsvilla 16, viewers accused him over how his connections with Akanksha Choudhary and Ruru Thakur overlapped during the season. He has said the label made the following six months traumatic, that it affected his family, and that leaving Akanksha was a mistake. He has also publicly asked fans to stop directing hate at either woman.
What shows has Yogesh Rawat been on?
MTV Splitsvilla X6 (Season 16) and Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa (Season 2) are his confirmed credits.
Who hosted Lock Upp 2?
Riteish Deshmukh and Farah Khan fronted the season, which streamed on Netflix from 27 June 2026. Kangana Ranaut, who hosted the first season, returned during the season.
