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'Now that I have won Rs 25 lakh...'

August 16, 2023 09:16 IST

'Bigg Boss is not only about fighting with people, it's survival of the fittest.'

Photograph: Kind courtesy Elvish Yadav/ Instagram

YouTuber Elvish Yadav has made history by becoming the first wild card entrant in Bigg Boss history to win the popular reality show.

He defeated fellow YouTuber Abhishek Malhan and walked away with the trophy and prize money of Rs 25 lakh (Rs 2.5 million) in the grand finale.

Brimming with excitement, Elvish tells Rediff.com Contributor Mohnish Singh, "My heart was racing and I took Salman sir's hand and placed it on my chest. I was checking whether my heart was normal or if it would fail."

How do you feel?

This is quite an unreal feeling for me. It was totally unexpected.

I have created history.

I am extremely grateful to the public that they showered me with so much love and support.

What was going on in your head when Salman Khan was about to announce the winner?

My heart was racing and I took Salman sir's hand and placed it on my chest.

I was checking whether my heart was normal or if it would fail.

Somewhere down the line, I felt something exciting was going to happen.

In one of the episodes, Abhishek had said 'A wild card entrant can never win the show'. What is your message to him now?

I said 'I love you' to him then and I say 'I love you' to him now.

No hate to anybody. He is my brother.

Our bond will stay strong and unbreakable just like before.

Abhishek and you were standing next to Salman Khan when the latter, to build suspense, declared him as the winner, and you were taken aback.

I got a bit anxious.

I was like, 'What just happened?'

The moment was a tough to handle. I cannot express it in words.

Earlier, I would think that you get to predict the winner over the course of time.

But no, you get to know about it at the nick of time.

In one of your earlier videos, you had roasted Salman Khan. How was it meeting him for the first time?

Yes. I had seen him only in the movies. But when I met him for the first time, it felt unreal.

He made sure I did not feel uncomfortable.

He was like just chill and he hugged me.

What did you miss most inside the house?

I was missing my mother a lot.

I felt homesick.

There are three members in my team, younger than me, who have worked tirelessly for over a month. I am extremely thankful to them.

Now that I have won Rs 25 lakh, I will surely pay them.

You had earlier mentioned that your language is crude. Now that you have come out of the house, do you plan to change that?

This is not my language, this is my slang. This is something we use on an everyday basis.

It will not change overnight.

Having said that, I used to swear a lot. I surely will work on that and will try and control it.

How are you planning your career ahead?

There is no such planning at the moment. I will accept whatever interesting comes my way.

What do you have to say about the soap water incident that took place inside the house?

It's in our values that if someone asks for water, we offer it with respect. In case, we don't want to, we simply say 'no'.

Pani pilana to dharm ka kaam hai.

The soap water which Jiya (Shankar) offered me to drink was wrong on her part.

I would have fallen sick.

<pIt's not like that I had asked her rudely. I had asked her politely.

This was pointed out by Salman Sir also. He blasted her.

What do you have to say about Manisha Rani and Abhishek Malhan?

I felt she has a clean heart and when I speak to a person, I always make sure to check whether they are in tune with my vibe or not.

She used to crack jokes and I used to like that a lot. So she is a good friend of mine.

Abhishek is my brother. We had a good time inside the house.

Initially, you were not on good terms with Avinash Sachdev, but eventually, you mended your ways with him.

I did not have any strategy and did not want to take revenge.

According to me, Bigg Boss is not only about fighting with people, it's survival of the fittest.

Now when I think about it, I feel he is my big brother. He taught me a lot of things about life.

He asked me to control my language.

Now that you have won Bigg Boss OTT 2, are you planning to enter Bigg Boss 17?

Bigg Boss is huge. I think I am not prepared for it.

But if I get a chance, I will.

MOHNISH SINGH