Manveer Gurjar proved the power of the common man when he defeated celebrity contestants Bani Judge and Lopamudra Raut to win Bigg Boss Season 10. Soon after lifting the trophy, the 29-year-old from Noida (Uttar Pradesh), who won fans over with his honesty and candour, chatted with BT about victory, his overnight celebrity status and matters of the heart...

You have lost a lot of weight...
Weight lose kiya hai, daadhi bhi chaar-paanch kilo lose kee hai. I am going to eat less to maintain this body. I used to hate eating rice, but I have had so much of it inside the house, I think I can live on it now.

You are a star now. Has the reality sunk in yet?
Now that you guys are calling me that, I have started to feel like one. But at heart, I'm an India wala.

Your friend and fellow contestant Manu Punjabi claimed that he had sacrificed captaincy on several occasions to make you the house captain...
While Priyanka Jagga and Manu opened up very soon, I was a little subdued, which may have made people assume that I was arrogant and crude. It won't be right of me to point fingers at a friend. When it came to captaincy tasks, I never depended on anyone for winning. I don't want to say anything more.

Does it feel bad to know that he had said so?
There's no question of feeling bad or good. If he thinks he's helped me a lot, then that must be so and I thank him for it.

So, you are saying that he is responsible for your win?
He has definitely contributed to my journey in Bigg Boss. He's my brother. While I won individual tasks on my own, he definitely supported me during team tasks.

You said you didn't open up very soon. Was it a strategy to hold your cards close to the chest?
Firstly, the commoners were fighting among themselves and kept shifting loyalties. Hamari toh khud ki ladai khatam nahi ho rahi thi. They maintained a distance during the first week probably because of my looks. I got my act together only after Salman Khan pulled me up in the second week. Some inmates spoke ill about my community as well. But once I got the hang of it, I was on my own. I haven't supported anyone beyond a point, nor am I standing here because of anyone's support. I was my real self on the show. I was all heart, I would have been eliminated if I had played with my brains.

Did you fear Bani would win the show, given her fan following?
I think Bani was repetitive on the show, while I had something new to offer everyday and was more involved in the tasks. There were days when I hadn't even taken a bath. I would have voted for Bani if I were a viewer, but since I was inside the house, I wanted people to vote for me. We don't have many girls like Bani in India, who have abs and tattoos. She is an inspiration to many.

Fellow inmate Nitibha (Kaul) has said that there is a spark between the two of you and that you like her...
It's only friendship. She is scatter-brained. She would react to anything after two days. She wanted to be praised and I did so whenever it was needed. However, if she had wanted me to count her among the top 5, I wouldn't have been able to lie. So yes, beyond fondness and liking for her, I can't say if there's anything more.

So, you are not attracted to her?
How can I say that so soon? We haven't even met casually outside. Let us sit, eat and hang out. That house is such that if you are made to stay for long, a man can fall in love with another man. I hope she is different outside the house; I am just the same as I was inside it. I will pull her up if she does wrong and will appreciate when she is right.

Has your stay in the house taught you to control your temper?
I have mellowed down to a great extent, but I still get irritated at times. I was angry when they cut my hair for the finale episode. That's in my blood, I guess. But, yes, I have learnt how to control it; hit the gym, take a dip in the pool or do dishes.

Does that mean that you'll be spending more time in the kitchen at home, doing dishes?
Yes, I can do it, but why at home? Main kahiin aisi jagah jaunga jahaan bhandaara wagerah ho raha ho kyunki wahaan zyada (help) lagega.

What next?
I have not thought anything yet, I'm just fresh out of the show. I'll see if I get any offers. Work wise, I'm not too good with scripts. If anyone gives me a script, I'll fumble while reading it. So, fiction may be out of my league. But I am game for another reality show. But again, after this experience, where I lost so much weight, I don't know how another one will go. I'll only do stuff that is interesting. I won't run around for work.