New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS) If it was Pamela Anderson who raised the mercury levels in reality show "Bigg Boss 4", this season Indo-Canadian porn star Sunny Leone is set to add fuel to the controversial show by making an entry Saturday.
"Sunny is coming down especially for the show and will enter (Bigg Boss's house) on November 20," a source from the channel Colors confirmed to IANS.
The 30-year-old, whose real name is Karen Malhotra, will land in Mumbai Thursday night.
Born to a Punjabi family in Ontario, Leone has appeared in various reality shows in the US, and was named among the world's top 12 porn stars by fashion magazine Maxim in 2010.
Leone was also approached by acclaimed Bollywood director Mohit Suri for his film "Kalyug", a film about the growing pornography industry. However, the role was ultimately essayed by model Deepal Shaw.
For the ongoing, fifth season of "Bigg Boss", there was buzz that international pop star Shakira or boxer Mike Tyson might join the show. But with news of Leone's entry, the speculations seem to have been put to rest.
Whether the adult star will be a long-term participant or a guest is still not sure.
"We can't confirm whether she will stay for long or just for two-three days. All we can say is she is coming to participate in 'Bigg Boss'," the source added.
When Pamela came to the show last year, it made for a jaw dropping moment for many. But it will be interesting to see how the mixed gag bag of the aggressive and argumentative celebs like Akashdeep Saigal, Amar Upadhyay, Siddharth Bharadwaj, Pooja Missra, Shraddha Sharma and Mahek Chahal in "Bigg Boss" will react to a porn star's entry in the show.
New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) Contrary to her image, Indo-Canadian porn star Sunny Leone chose to make her entry into the "Bigg Boss" house in traditional Indian attire.
The 30-year-old, who was born as Karen Malhotra, wore a heavily embroidered lehanga-choli and accessorised it with 'mang tika'. She made her entry into the house Saturday in a "doli", carried by eight men.
She also chose to dance on an Indian track "Chaliya Chaliya" from the movie "Tashan" after stepping out from "doli".
Vida's exit from the "Bigg Boss 5" had left the contestants sad, hopefully Sunny will lift the mood of the inmates.
Sunny's entry will be shown on Colors channel Monday.
Excited to entertain India: Indo-Canadian porn star
2011/11/18 19:38:12
New Delhi, Nov 18 (IANS) She was born Karen Malhotra but is proud of her "alter ego" -- that of world-famous porn star Sunny Leone. In India to participate in "Bigg Boss 5", the Indo-Canadian says she is not just upbeat about spicing up the controversial reality show, but also about entertaining her Indian fans for the first time.
"I've been to India a few times. I was here in February and again came in May 2008... so I have been visiting the country on and off. But this is my first time here as an entertainer and I'm looking forward to a positive feedback from all my lovely fans," Leone told IANS over phone from Mumbai.
The 30-year-old, who landed in Mumbai Thursday night, will enter the "Bigg Boss 5" house Saturday night. But her entry will be shown on Colors channel Monday. Surprising, as it may seem, Leone claims she has been following this season of the show ever since it started.
"I've been seeing this show, episode by episode since Oct 2! It's really exciting, so I am more excited about meeting everybody in the house. While watching the show, it was a little hard to picture myself in there, but I think I will settle in well once I am there," she said.
Born to Punjabi parents in Ontario, the bisexual girl worked at a bakery before entering the pornography scene. She changed her name for safety.
"Sunny was one of my favourite nicknames. So I changed my name to it for safety reasons, for the fear of what I do. Not that I am scared, but this is just my alter ego and I love my alter ego," she said.
Leone was named Penthouse Pet of the Year in 2003 and she also signed a contract with adult video production company Vivid Entertainment. After featuring in several videos and adult films, she was named among 12 top porn stars in 2010 by Maxim magazine.
No wonder she is hoping to cause fireworks in "Bigg Boss 5"!
"I think the very fact that I am showing up on a show like this will make for a jaw-dropping moment for many people inside and outside the house. But I guess it would be interesting to see who knows me and who doesn't in the 'Bigg Boss' house.
"It would be fun to see how the guys react... because when most guys see me, they don't know what to do with themselves," she said nonchalantly.
Nevertheless, she admits: "I am as intimidated about their reactions as anybody would be."
Leone's family moved to the US when she was 13, but the curvaceous beauty can "speak and understand" a bit of Hindi and Punjabi in her 'pardesi' accent.
"Mujhe aati hai thodi bahut Hindi aur Punjabi! (I know a bit of Hindi and Punjabi)," she said, in her jetlagged, tired voice.
While in "Bigg Boss 5", Leone wants to do what she loves doing in India -- "eating Indian food".
She also hopes to try her hand at cooking. But even as many await to see what an internationally-known porn star has to offer Indian family audiences, one wonders what all Leone would do to spice up the already spicy show.
Mumbai, Oct 22 (IANS) Singer Raageshwari Loomba became the latest contestant Saturday to get evicted from the fifth season of reality show "Bigg Boss".
She was nominated for elimination along with Pooja Missra, Amar Upadhyay, Mahek Chahal, Juhi Parmar and Shonali Nagrani.
The singer, who was quite popular among the contestants and stayed away from controversies, was nominated by Bigg Boss after she failed to complete her secret task, where she had to spy on the other inmates.
"Bigg Boss 5", which started Oct 2, has celebrity participants locked inside an isolated house without any communication with the outside world.
New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS) The "Bigg Boss 5" house, which has mainly women inmates, might see actor Ranbir Kapoor and singer Mohit Chauhan making a special entry this week.
They will visit the sets of "Bigg Boss 5 - Aapka Farman" to promote their forthcoming movie "Rockstar". But it is still not confirmed if they will enter the house and speak to the contestants in person.
However, if sources are to be believed, Ranbir is very keen to have a conversation with the ladies, and will try and get host, Sanjay Dutt, to help him do so.
The "Rockstar" special episode will be on air on Colors Saturday.
Mumbai, Oct 15 (IANS) She came packed well with three suitcases for three months, but Kalbeliya dancer Gulabo Sapera's stay in "Bigg Boss 5" came to an end Saturday night within just two weeks of her entry in the reality show.
The Jaipur-based dancer, who came to the show with a motive to build face value, competed for votes against VJ Pooja Misrra, who has been indulging in several cat fights within the "Bigg Boss" house.
Gulabo, who stuck to her traditional ghaghra choli attire and jewellery mostly through the show, didn't open up much. She maintained a calm demeanour, and stayed away from the fights.
Afghan beauty Vida Samadzai and actress Pooja Bedi seemed upset with her eviction. But, dressed in a yellow outfit, Gulabo came out with a cheerful face.
During her stay, she also imparted some of her dancing talent to the other female participants, and even delighted viewers with her impeccable Kalbeliya moves.
"Bigg Boss 5", which started Oct 2, has celebrity participants locked inside an isolated house, without any communication with the outside world.
Sanjay Dutt is excited about his TV debut with reality show ''Bigg Boss 5'', but admits he is nervous too!
"I'm pretty nervous doing it. I've never done it, I don't know what it will be but I know one thing that it will be very different," Sanjay, who turned 52, told IANS.
The actor, who is said to be teaming up with Salman Khan for the controversial show, reveals Salman won't be with him throughout the season. Nevertheless, he promises to try to make it fun.
"Salman will introduce me in the show and will do two episodes with me and then I'll be on my own. Salman asked me to do it and I thought I should do it. It's something new for me. It's a good platform. I'm going to have fun. That is the way I am. I will not make it serious," he added.
"Bigg Boss" is a reality show where celebrity contestants stay in a single house for about three months, with no connection to the outside world. They are overseen by a mysterious person known as "Bigg Boss", whose only presence in the house is through his voice.
'Splitsvilla' winner Siddharth to enter 'Bigg Boss 5'
2011/10/15 5:14:06
New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) Former MTV "Splitsvilla" winner Siddharth Bhardwaj is quite a master at wooing girls, and that is exactly what he plans to do as he enters the "Bigg Boss 5" house in Saturday night's episode of the show.
The 24-year-old, who will be the third male contestant -- after actors Shakti Kapoor and Amar Upadhyay -- to enter the female-dominated fifth season of the controversial show, promises to add what's missing -- "flirting with the beautiful girls".
"I think women and I have some special connection! First it was 'Splitsvilla', now it is 'Bigg Boss'... there are women everywhere. I don't know about past seasons of 'Bigg Boss', but this time you are definitely going to see some serious flirting from me," Siddharth told IANS before entering the show.
The handsome young VJ already has his eyes set on Afghan beauty Vida Samadzai, actress Mahek Chahal and model Shonali Nagrani.
"There are a whole lot of good women in the house... all are beautiful, and I think I will be able to strike a good conversation with them. Raageshwari is a former VJ... so I think I will gel well with her too because she would be able to connect with what I do, and I could even learn from her," he said.
Ask him if he feels lucky to enter the "Bigg Boss" house mid-way, he said: "Yes, I am lucky in the sense that I am entering days after the show began. But I think it has a flipside too. My mid-way entry could prove unlucky because I'll be the new one in the house... disconnected with the people already living there. But let's see what's in store."
Siddharth, who feels Pooja Bedi is the strongest contender so far, says he would add a "modern day touch" to the show.
"There are a lot of people who are pretty old in the show. I think the youth will feel drawn in with my entry because I am a part of them."
"Bigg Boss" has various celebrities locked inside a secluded house, with no connect with the outside world, and they are under 24X7 camera surveillance.
New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) Women rights activist and dancer Gulabo Sapera, the latest to be evicted from "Bigg Boss 5", is disgusted with the female contestants in the reality show.
"Aurat, aurat dost hote hain. Dushman nahin (Women are friends, not enemies). Par iss show mein toh sabhi dushman hain (But on this show, everyone is an enemy)," Gulabo told IANS over telephone from Mumbai after being evicted on Saturday night's episode.
Within two weeks of the show, the "Bigg Boss" house became quite a battleground with fights among contestants Pooja Misrra, Shonali Nagrani, Juhi Parmar, Amar Upadhyay and Laxmi Narayan Tripathi among others.
"Women may be enemies in this 'Bigg Boss' house but in my house, my heart, women are friends and supporters of each other. Here, they are only hungry for fame," she said.
Gulabo, who is the seventh child of her parents, was born in the nomadic Kalbeliya community. She was buried alive by her father after birth as he couldn't afford to raise another daughter. Her aunt rescued her.
She feels her simplicity was overshadowed by the crass, "two-faced" contestants.
"I am not brought up to fight over trivial issues. I couldn't do that, couldn't add spice to the show by creating a ruckus. I didn't even gossip much and didn't maintain two faces in front of the participants.
"I was as I am in reality - I am an artist after all and I don't know how to manipulate and backbite," she said, adding that this was the reason she was voted out of "Bigg Boss 5".
Gulabo wanted to stay longer.
"I came with three boxes for three months. I had thought that I will stay for long. But I couldn't. However, it was a nice experience because I got to see a lot, I got to learn a lot.
"I learnt to be strong. Earlier I used to drink a lot of coffee and tea. Now I have learnt to live without it... or at least drink less of it. Secondly, I also learnt what games people play."
Gulabo is happy on one count.
"People knew me by name but I have to credit the show for giving me face value. Now the public will know me by face," said Gulabo, who wanted to use the "Bigg Boss" winner cash prize to build a school in her hometown Ajmer.
"I feel sad I couldn't win the amount that could have helped me build my school. But school toh banega. I want to open my Kalbeliya school where students will not just be taught dance, but also other handwork like jewellery making," she added.
2006/11/14 2:36:54 Bigg Boss is the desi version of internationally acclaimed show 'Big Brother' which is likely to be aired through Sony television channel. As per the programme chalked out by the Sony technicians, 'Bigg Boss' will rule the lives of 13 handpicked celebrities from various fields. He will get them to do things that you could never imagine and show you a side of them that you have not seen before. 'Bigg Boss' will show you the live drama as it happens.
According to information the format of the programme is as follows:
Bigg Boss has built a house on the Mumbai outskirts where he will house 13 celebrities for three months. The house is large enough for them, but small enough to ensure that they are always in each other's space. Around 30 cameras will capture each and every move of those celebrities and they do not have any privacy. Of course, they have the privacy in bathrooms. The house will not have any kind of entertainment or sources of communication with outside word, which means there won't be any television, radio, music player, books, Internet, phones.
The celebrities, who enter the house once, cannot come out of it unless they are evicted through a public vote. Those who enter the house will have to satisfy themselves that they have brought everything that are needed for a living for three months. Nothing would be provided at a later date and the celebrities have to cook, clean, sweep the floor, etc. without any help from maids or cooks. Not even a make-up artiste to help them look better and they have to fend themselves. Think of all the fun while watching them do the household chores.
Bigg Boss will give the celebrities some tasks on a weekly or a daily basis, through which they will earn their weekly budget. The group will use the budget to buy food items to survive in the house.
Each housemate nominates two celebrities for eviction, while the Bigg Boss chooses two celebrities with the maximum number of nominations to be put up for public vote. Voting lines open and the viewers vote to throw out the celebrity they hate the most from the Bigg Boss's house. The celebrity with the maximum votes is evicted from the Bigg Boss's house.
This extreme reality show has a whopping Rs 50-lakh prize money. The challenge is to survive a popularity SMS poll, while co-living for 84 days under constant camera surveillance. However, the celebrities who were handpicked by the organizers were asked to go for a HIV test to avoid any kind of embarrassment in the future as they have to stay together for three months, of course under camera surveillance. But a majority of them had refused to undergo the HIV test as it sounds like suspecting their chastity. One had to wait and watch how the programme would go on air after coming out of all such blues.
New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) Pregnant wrestler Sonika Kaliraman has made a voluntary exit from reality show "Bigg Boss 5".
She will exit the show in Monday's episode on the channel Colors, said a statement from the TV channel.
Sonika, the daughter of renowned wrestler Chandgi Ram, is six months pregnant. Her entry on the controversial reality show Oct 2 raised concerns about her health, which could have been affected by the topsy-turvy schedules.
But given the recent ups and downs and the turbulent environment in the "Bigg Boss 5" house, thanks to a war of words between VJ Pooja Misrra and other housemates, she was offered the opportunity to leave the show and return home.
Sonika was overjoyed at the prospect and announced that she was going home to live peacefully with her husband and family.
Though she was beaming with joy upon her exit, her fellow contestants bid her a tearful farewell and gave her their good wishes, said a source.
As Sonika chose to exit the show, actor Amar Upadhyay will be the new entry Monday.
"Bigg Boss 5" started with 14 contestants, locked inside a house, without any connection with the outside world.
2006/11/11 3:42:24 Salil Ankola apparently told Balaji that he was going on a holiday and took on Bigg Boss instead! Perhaps he thought Ekta Kapoor doesn't watch TV
In what could possibly be a major reversal in contractual obligations of television actors, Ekta Kapoor recently scored a victory over cricketer-turned-actor Salil Ankola. Salil has allegedly breached his contract with Eka's Balaji Telefilms to be part of the 13-week game show, Bigg Boss, on Sony TV.
But the real story here is, perhaps, more amusing than serious. Salil apparently said he was going on a holiday and went to Bigg Boss city instead! A source from Balaji said, "Salil had the audacity to pretend that he was taking a holiday when he was actually away from Balaji because of Bigg Boss. Until a day before he left for the show, Salil kept up the charade. How could he think that no one would know where he was? Did he forget that the cameras on Bigg Boss are monitoring his every move?"
On knowing the real reason behind Salil's absence, Ekta's legal department immediately fished out Salil's inflexible contract to remind him that he has to report on the sets of the daily soap Karam Apna Apna. Salil has apparently been asked to leave Bigg Boss and report to work at Balaji immediately.
"The real reason why Salil was handled legally isn't because of the lie that he told about going on a holiday. The fact is that the serial Karam Apna Apna was suffering. How can an actor simply relinquish his responsibilities to be part of a game show? Others actors working for Balaji, like Aamna Sharif, were also offered Bigg Boss but they didn't go for it like Salil," added the source.
Incidentally, Deepak Parasher, who is a part of Bigg Boss, is also under contract with Balaji Telefilms. "Although Deepak is also under contract with Balaji, his contract is more flexible," said the source from Balaji.
Explaining the matter, Sony's Sandiip Sikcand said, "This is a matter strictly between Balaji and Salil Ankola. Our legal department is looking into it. We'll go by whatever is decided. Beyond that I wouldn't like to say anything."
Excuse Me!
Some other excuses Salil Ankola could well have given • I have been selected for the World Cup. • I am doing Karan Johar's next. • I love facing the camera, especially when I am brushing my teeth. • I need to hibernate, given Mumbai's harsh winter. • I am over-worked and really need to rest. • I have never co-stared with Rakhi Sawant before. • I need a break to attend acting classes.
Nihita Biswas first to be evicted in 'Bigg Boss 5'
2011/10/8 16:23:10 Mumbai, Oct 8 (IANS) Nihita Biswas' "Bigg Boss" journey was rather short. The 23-year-old wife of "Bikini Killer" Charles Sobhraj, became the first contestant to be evicted in the fifth season of the controversial reality show Saturday.
Just six days into the show, Nihita was evicted, based on the audience's votes. She was pitted against VJ Pooja Missra, who has been quite a troublemaker on the show so far.
"I enjoyed a lot, and adjusted over the years. I am upset that I was evicted," Nihita told host, actor Sanjay Dutt after coming out of the "bigg Boss" house. He even gave her a "jaadu ki jhappi".
Before leaving the show, Nihita, who was wearing a blue dress, hugged all contestants. When she was asked to choose a contestant to put into the "Bigg Boss" jail, she picked actress Pooja Bedi.
Nihita, the "baby" of the "Bigg Boss" house, came into limelight when she married 67-year Sobhraj in 2008. Sobhraj is serving a 20-year life term in Kathmandu's Central Jail for the murder of an American backpacker in 1975.
The young girl faced a barrage of questions when she came into the show Sunday.
News anchor Mandeep Belvi, one of the participants, even went on to ask her "Did you have sex with Sobhraj?", leaving Nihita's mother, Shakuntala Thapa, a senior lawyer practising at Nepal's Supreme Court, bewildered.
While Nihita maintained a balanced temperament on the show, she also made interesting revelations that she fell in love with Sobhraj at first sight when she visited him in Kathmandu's Central Prison after she heard he was looking for a Nepali interpreter for his visiting French lawyer.
She broke down into tears upon being asked why she married the much-elder Sobhraj, but she said: "I could die in his arms".
"Bigg Boss" started with 14 contestants - 12 women, one man and one transgender, Sunday. The show features the contestants in a secluded house, away from the humdrum of their daily lives, and without any connect with the outside world. They are under 24X7 camera surveillance.
I'm in Bigg Boss, thanks to David Headley: Rahul Bhatt
2010/10/4 5:24:14
Had it not been for his publicised acquaintance with David Coleman Headley, who was charged with scouting targets for 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Rahul Bhatt, son of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, says he would have never got a call for reality show Bigg Boss 4.
"I am well aware that I'm getting an opportunity in a show like Bigg Boss thanks to my friendship with Headley, however peripheral it was. It is indeed because I made a lot of news due to Headley," Rahul, a gym trainer, told IANS over phone from Lonavala before entering the Bigg Boss house.
Rahul, 28, feels the reality show will provide him an opportunity to clear his name.
"But I am here to get the two monkeys - Headley and my dad Mahesh Bhatt - off my shoulders. I have always been known as either Mahesh Bhatt's son or the guy who knew Headley. But do people know me for what I am? I think Bigg Boss is an excellent platform for me to clear my name since the media almost painted me as a terrorist," he said.
Rahul was under the scanner for his acquaintance with Headley, who used to work out at the same gym where Rahul once trained. But Headley's connect with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack came as a shock for Rahul.
"I didn't know his real identity. For me, he was just another person who had come to my country, to my gym and I had a few cups of coffee with him, saw movies...it was well, a good old clean friendship. I liked him for what he was...he was not a moron. He was an intelligent man who made for interesting company." Rahul said.
"He didn't even ask me for any favours or ever said that he wants to meet Salman Khan or Mahesh Bhatt. I didn't know about his intentions. But when I got to know about him, it came as a rude shock. I felt betrayed," said Rahul.
All said and done, Rahul has no regrets about what happened and feels he came out as a "stronger and enriched" person after the episode. He also thinks Bigg Boss couldn't have been offered to him at a better time.
"I have been through so many obstacles and have faced so much that no amount of bickering and bad-mouthing will affect me. So definitely, there could be no better time for me to do this show."
"I won't even miss anything inside the house because I lead a monk's life. I don't smoke, I don't womanise, I don't drink...all I need is a gym and that is there inside," he added.
Rahul, who claims to have turned down a movie offer, says he did face resistance from his father for entering the show, but he followed his instinct.
"Dad was a little hesitant and told me that Bigg Boss is like a 'choron ka sammelan'...it's a show of infamy. But even I am a stubborn man. I can't be influenced and I have a mind of my own. I just listened to my heart and my instinct told me I have to do it."
Bigg Boss features 13 other celebrities and controversial people locked inside a house for three months without any communication with the outside world. The show is the Indian version of international show Big Brother.
Life remained peaceful in this Maharashtra hill station snuggling in the Western Ghats despite a Shiv Sena-sponsored shutdown against two Pakistanis participating in reality TV show "Bigg Boss", police said Monday.
Road and rail traffic on the Mumbai-Pune sector remained unaffected as the shutdown was restricted to the hill station that has a population of around 40,000, a police official from the Lonavala control room said.
Tight security was in place in the entire hill station, the main town square, Bhushi Dam, the approach-exit roads to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune highway, besides other important locations in the town whose economy is fuelled by tourism.
The Shiv Sena has called for a shutdown to protest the inclusion of two Pakistani participants in the ongoing "Bigg Boss 4" show on Colors television channel, a party official said.
Party spokesperson and legislator Neelam Gorhe said that despite demands by the party, Colors channel has not removed the two Pakistani participants - actress Veena Malik and TV show host Ali Saleem who dons the persona of Begum Nawazish Ali - from "Bigg Boss - 4".
"Even the Pune district collector has served a show cause notice to Colors channel, asking why the show should not be stopped since it is creating law and order issues in the famous hill station," Gorhe said.
Gorhe said her party workers would stage demonstrations in the town and take out a procession to the "Bigg Boss" bungalow, around 20 km on the outskirts of the hill station, later in the day.
"Bigg Boss 4" hosted by Bollywood star Salman Khan, has been at the receiving end of the ire of the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena from the Day One of its telecast.
The show involves 14 participants locked up for 91 day in a house near Lonavla that has multiple cameras installed. They have no contact with the outside world and the one to stay longest is the winner. Two contestants have already been evicted.
Besides the two Pakistanis, other prominent participants in "Big Boss 4" include model-actor Sameer Soni, actress Shweta Tiwari, Bhojpuri star Manoj Tiwari, Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul and Seema Parihar, a former dacoit who has several cases pending against her.
Amar Upadhyay to enter 'Bigg Boss 5' to raise heat
2011/10/9 5:22:52 New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) "Bigg Boss 5" is set to get its second male participant in Amar Upadhyay. The actor, who earned nationwide fame as Mihir Virani in popular show "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thhi", enters the show Monday.
He promises to raise the heat inside rather than cool things down. "It's going to be so much fun! Amar told IANS over phone from Mumbai. "I am going to heat up the scene with the right kind of heat."
He thinks the girls are going to be happy that one more male is entering the house. "Shakti (Kapoor) will also be quite relieved," he said. "The crowd is quite young and happening inside."
Twelve beauties from different walks of life entered the show along with one male, Shakti Kapoor, and one transgender, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi. Nihita Biswas, wife of "Bikini Killer" Charles Sobhraj, has already been evicted.
The "Bigg Boss 5" house is already a pot of controversies thanks to constant arguments among participants. But ask Amar if he plans to play peacemaker, he says an emphatic no!
"I can't play peacemaker and all that," he said, breaking into laughter. "In fact, I will ignite more fire if I can. I am not going there to cool things down; I am going to heat up things."
The 37-year-old has featured in shows TV shows like "Kyunki…", "Viraasat" and "Chand Ke Paar Chalo". He even had a stint on the big screen with films like "Dhund - The Fog" and "L.O.C. Kargil", but failed to make it big in Bollywood.
One wonders if he has come in "Bigg Boss" to revive his career.
"I am not here to earn name or fame," he said. "I thank God that I have both. I was offered 'Bigg Boss' in the first season itself. But I couldn't do it because I was busy with my show 'Viraasat'. Then I was also offered the fourth season, but I was busy travelling. Now the show came to me the third time… I think it is God's way of saying that I have to be on the show, so this time I agreed because I had time."
"Bigg Boss" has celebrity contestants locked inside a secluded house for three months, without any contact or communication with the outside world.
Amar, who agrees he will miss his family, says his other addictions -- mobile, friends, and parties -- will also be dearly missed.
Ravi Kishen moves from 'Bigg Boss' to Ekta's 'Sholay'
2007/2/9 1:27:09
The star of Bhojpuri films Ravi Kishen says he has come out of Sony TV's reality show 'Bigg Boss' looking lean and sexy. He has acquired this new look to play Gabbar Singh in soap queen Ekta Kapoor's version of 'Sholay'.
'I've lost 10 kg in the 'Bigg Boss' house to play Gabbar. My Bhojpuri belly is gone. Now I'm lean and sexy. People find me hot. This is a villain like never before,' Ravi told. In the film Ravi plays an ex-soldier who becomes an outlaw. 'Jeetendra-ji is Thakur. I'm aware Amitabh Bachchan is also playing Gabbar. But to compare me with him is wrong. Bachchan saab is god. My film is Gabbar's story,' Ravi told.
'We're shooting it in Bihar in the same flavour as 'Omkara'. We'll have the same characters as the original 'Sholay' and the same dialogues. But this Gabbar has nothing to do with Amjad Khan saab or Bachchan saab. Gabbar is the hero of our version of 'Sholay'.'
Ravi says he is suffering from a three-month jetlag and has eyes only for his wife. 'I don't want to lose sight of her even for a second. Inside that 'Bigg Boss', it was like living in a five-star prison. You couldn't go out and escape. If you did, you had to pay a huge penalty. We had signed a 12-page contract.'
After 'Bigg Boss' Ravi's popularity has gone up. He says he's being mobbed in the malls. 'God has turned me into a role model. My wife has also become a star. She can't get a good deal in the shops. They think she can afford to pay up any price.'
Ravi says the 'Bigg Boss' experience has changed him completely. 'I may have come across as aggressive but I was just being true to myself. Today, I'm a changed man. I'm great at domestic chores. I'm terrific at washing utensils and clothes. I can make a parallel career of domestic work.
'I'm dying to make pao-bhaji and gajar ka halwa for my wife. But she isn't allowing me to do anything that I've learnt in there except give her toe massage. 'Many times she saw me cry on TV for her. When she saw me that way, she fainted. Now, we're unable to leave each other for even a second. I worship her, and she worships me back.'
Ravi says his life in there was sex-less. 'We all lived like monks in there. We all came out better persons. It was like being put in a Shaolin Temple. While they brought in their perceptions from the concrete jungle, I was the only rustic in there. I fought against dirty thoughts and articulations.' Ravi says there wasn't any privacy in the house. 'There was no time to be alone except in one corner where I sat smoking and talking to the sky. We didn't have a watch in there.'
He describes his relationship with his housemate Carol Gracias as 'pure friendship'. 'I taught her how to speak Hindi. I used the platform to propagate Bhojpuri. I was the only known name in there. I lost because people in Bihar voted me out of there thinking they were voting me to stay.' Ravi claims he's getting calls from big time Hindi producers. 'I've gained a lot from 'Bigg Boss'... knowledge, love, wife, family, friends. I won't forget these experiences till the day I die.'
Ravi plans to invite all 'Bigg Boss' inmates for dinner. 'It'll be an experience of a lifetime. I want some of them to be my friends for the rest of my life.' Ravi hasn't connected with favourite co-star and close friend Nagma after coming out.
'But I hear she had things to say while I was away. For her information it wasn't me, it was Aryan Vaid who was bitching about her in 'Bigg Boss'. But, I wish her all the best.'
Neetu Chandra will skip entering the Bigg Boss house, as she has just landed herself a huge film down South.
Director Ameer Sultan, who has given the Tamil film industry three award-winning jubilee hits in a row, has signed the Bollywood actress in the lead for his next ambitious venture ‘Aadhi Bhagavan’ opposite Kollywood superstar Jayam Ravi.
“Though the Bigg Boss offer was lucrative and tempting, Neetu won’t be able to participate as she has to leave for Ameer Sultan’s shoot in Pattaya (Thailand) this week,” informed her publicist Dale Bhagwagar.
Ever since she began discussions for the Southern film last month, Neetu has been learning Tamil. Every day, a tutor has been giving her two hours of lessons, while she learns new words, how to construct sentences and improvise diction. Impressed with Neetu’s talent and dedication for bagging the role, the Southern director signed her last week.
2006/11/8 13:18:22 Bigg Boss contestants bitch out Ekta Kapoor's soaps. Wonder if ex-Balaji man Sandiip Sikcand has anything to say
As the contestants holed up in the Karjat house for Bigg Boss get cozy and comfortable with each other, the conversation gets more and more uninhibited and candid. On Monday night viewers and rival channels were surprised to hear pointed references and barbs aimed at small-screen bahus in long-running soaps, who're scandalously dressed and have their pallus hanging down way beyond the positions of decorum. The references to Ekta Kapoor's serials were quite obvious with special mention of Urvashi Dholakia and her outrageous dress code as a bahu. In fact a channel source from Sony reveals, "They did refer to Ekta's serials. We beeped out all references made to her. It didn't seem proper."
Ekta, on her part is quite amused at this latest development. "Did these 'celebrities' really speak about my serials? I wish them and the show all the best," she said.
Samir Nair of Star is far more forthright. "It's a free country and everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. But obviously these are people who've seen a certain level of success and would never reach the level of Ekta's serials. We at the channel aren't really bothered by what these people say."
Celebrity reality show Bigg Boss 4 has been wrapped up long back and speculation about whether actor Salman Khan, who has agreed to host another season of the reality show, will be back on 10 Ka Dum Season 3 (DKD) are rife.
Last year, Sony Entertainment had approached Sanjay Dutt to host the game show when Khan was busy with the other show.
Earlier, after Khan had taken up Bigg Boss 4, the channel had a closed door meeting with him and he had said that if approached, he’d like to return to DKD, after Bigg Boss 4 wrapped up.
But Khan is now juggling with his many films and the channel has reportedly initiated talks with other actors, including Govinda.
The humourous actor has appeared on their dance show, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 4, twice already. In the ’90s, he had also anchored the show ‘Jeeto Chappar Phaad Ke’.
Apparently, it was Khan who suggested his Partner as his replacement, should he be unable to return.
The episode featuring Govinda has high recall value.
“10 Ka Dum 3 will be back in 2011 and we are in talks with a couple of big Bollywood names,” said Ajit Thakur, executive vice president and business head, Sony Entertainment.
Winner of Sony TV's reality show 'Bigg Boss' Rahul Roy says the experience has made him stronger in his beliefs. 'I've only become stronger in my beliefs. I always had unstinted faith in god. I'm a staunch follower of Hanumanji, Shivji and Ganeshji (Hindu gods). At the age of 40, I need to feel more responsible towards myself and to those who matter to me. I think that side of me came out on 'Bigg Boss'.
'I'm incredibly grateful to god for keeping me sane through all the strange and trying situations in the house. It was very tough to do so,' Rahul told IANS.
Talking about his experience, he said: 'I feel I've just been let out of a zoo. I came out and I partied with the other housemates from 'Bigg Boss'. My brother Rohit from Delhi, who's 26 minutes my junior, was there with me. I hugged and kissed all the inmates...'
Rahul was bewildered, frazzled but triumphant after he was declared the winner of the reality game show. He recounts the experience, 'I had to lean back on every holy scripture, every word of wisdom about the quality of life that I had ever read, to survive in there. But to tell you the truth, I've come back doubly strong from the ordeal. I just behaved in character.
' 'Bigg Boss' was an amazing experience. To have won is an incredible feeling. In the last three hours, before I won, I kept praying continuously to my Hanumanji.' While the other contestants often lost their temper, Rahul became a household name for his equanimity.
'I may not be a big star. But I went in there with a certain dignity. And I needed to maintain that dignity. I lost both my parents. But to me their name remains sacrosanct. I didn't want to shame them or my other loved ones in any way.'
Ask him if he felt any ill will for any of the contestants, and Rahul protests.
'I honestly felt only good vibes for them. I'm very happy for the other two finalists Ravi Kishen and Carol Gracias. I'd have been happy to see either of them win... Being in the final three was in itself a victory for me. But winning was important, yes.'
Did conditions in the house get tougher as more and more inmates got evicted?
'Not for me. I'm basically a loner. I'm not too much a people's person. But to my surprise I could handle the people in the house. I'm proud to say I won everyone's respect in there.
'My spiritual nature forbade me from feeling any ill will against anyone in there. Everyone looked up to me in there. And I didn't want to let any of them down. I wasn't connected with the outside world. But I knew if I earned the respect of the inmates at 'Bigg Boss' I was doing the right thing.'
Talk veered to his career and Rahul confessed he had been doing the wrong kind of films in recent times.
'But now after 'Bigg Boss' I intend to be more responsible towards myself. The experience has renewed my faith in myself. No more inane films.
'To begin with I'm going to visit my wife (model Mahalaxmi) in Sydney. Only then will I think of how to carry my life forward... But I've to be sure of every step I take.
'Do you know my wife was sceptical about me being on the show? She had seen 'Big Brother'. When I called her about the offer she asked me whether I was sure I wanted to be on such an incredibly tough show. I told her to relax; I'll be out in three-four weeks. I never knew I'd survive all the way to the end!'
