Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

'Surviving Bigg Boss is really tough'

August 18, 2023 13:45 IST

'You live there for 60 days and then when you see people rejecting you, nominating you, and you are like, "I just want to go home; I don't want to be here".'

Photograph: Kind courtesy Manisha Rani/Instagram

Manisha Rani may not have won Bigg Boss OTT 2, but she won audiences over with her no-filter personality.

Manisha tells Rediff.com Contributor Mohnish Singh, "You cannot reach the top three if you don't have that zeal or charisma. I feel I am amazing and don't need anyone to make sure I am heard."

Many felt that you used Elvish Yadav and Abhishek Malhan to stick in there for a longer time.

It's not true. I feel that when you are not deserving, no one can help you reach till the end of the game.

You cannot reach the top three if you don't have that zeal or the charisma.

I feel I am amazing and don't need anyone to make sure I am heard.

Abhishek and Elvish are strong personalities but I really connected to them and that's why the three of us could reach here.

That doesn't mean that I have used them.

Do you feel Pooja Bhatt, Salman Khan and Bigg Boss were biased towards Bebika Dhruve? There was a time when she pushed you and no one punished her.

No, there was no such thing as bias because somewhere down the line, Salman sir did scold her by saying that she cannot get physical with anyone.

But when it comes to Pooja Bhatt, I feel no one told her anything in the whole season, even when she was wrong.

She did make some petty mistakes, but she wasn't questioned about it.

 

IMAGE: Manisha Rani with Elvish Yadav in the Bigg Boss House.

At first, you were friends with Bebika and Jad. But towards the end of the show, their behaviour started to change and your friendship took a turn for the worse. Did you feel bad about it?

Bebika was a good friend of mine during the first week.

When we fought, I didn't feel bad because when you are really sincere about your friendship, one never goes apart from each other.

Jad is a good human being altogether, but he has a problem with language. I feel his group members were trying to instigate him towards me and that's why I didn't feel bad because I know that once he gets out of the house and gets to know me, he will understand that I am a genuine girl at heart.

There were times when people questioned your character because you were seen flirting with a few contestants, but you did not hit back at them.

I always looked at Abhishek as an elder brother.

I love everyone wholeheartedly and feel that it was a game and a reality show. I connected to it for real.

Also, if you observe, I served Elvish food all the time. I love taking care of people I love.

IMAGE: Manisha Rani with Abhishek Malhan in the Bigg Boss house.

You made some great friends during your stay in the Bigg Boss house. 

Yes, I have made two great friends: Elvish and Abhishek.

I feel they will stick by my side forever.

Elvish was a wild card entry and Abhishek was there right from the start. Do you think Elvish winning the show was fair?

Elvish is a very strong personality and no doubt, Abhishek is a strong contender too.

But I feel surviving Bigg Boss day after day is commendable in itself.

If you compare the two, I feel Abhishek had to struggle a lot, but when Elvish won, I felt that he was deserving because somewhere down the line, the audience loves him.

Having said that, I feel wild card entrants need to struggle a bit lesser than the other contestants.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Manisha Rani/Instagram

You had once said that Elvish is not deserving.

Abhishek is a great friend of mine, but when we play a game, it's just about that. It's about playing a fair game.

You live there for 60 days and then when you see people rejecting you, nominating you, and you are like, 'I just want to go home; I don't want to be here.'

Surviving there is really tough.

Abhishek was struggling to fit in right from the start.

When it's about Elvish, I feel that when one starts living with him, you enjoy his company because he is quite entertaining.

We are really happy that he has won the trophy.

He has broken the record as no wild card entrant has ever won Bigg Boss in the last 17 years.

I am really happy that a good friend of mine has won the show.

Do you feel Bebika deserved to be in the top four?

Yes. I feel that even if someone insults me or is mean to me, I see them as contestants.

She had nominated me a lot of times, but I never nominated her.

I feel that when it's about the game, I like to play it fair.

If the person is deserving, I will never nominate them because that person has fought for the show and has done a lot to reach here.

What did you learn from your journey in Bigg Boss OTT 2?

Listen more and talk less.

Also, you need to have great deal of patience.

MOHNISH SINGH