Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; January 16, 2018)

After three months of struggle, fights, drama and emotions, Bigg Boss 11 has found its winner. TV actress Shilpa Shinde has won the trophy this year. The actress, who also received an amount of Rs 44 lakh, talks to us about winning the show, her future plans, and why it doesn’t involve daily soaps at all.

Weren’t you expecting to win the show?
(Smiles) Yes, I won’t say that I wasn’t expecting it. In Weekend Ka Vaar episodes with Salman ji he used to tell us how we were faring and that gave me confidence. I’m happy that I was shown the way I am. I was aware that this game was about strategies, which is why I was never fond of Bigg Boss in the first place. I said ‘No’ so many times. It took the people from the channel seven hours to convince me. After I entered the show, I was just being myself.

Being a TV star, you had the baggage of an image, which could’ve been destroyed once you came on Bigg Boss. Was that always playing on your mind?
See, Hiten (Tejwani) and I are like this in real life, too. Whatever you have seen on the show is how we are. There were times when I used to ask Hiten to react and not be cold. I’m aggressive at times and there are also situations where I get very angry. But I also let it go after a point. Even when I got out of Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai, I did the same. Nothing is permanent. So, yes, I was aware that viewers have seen me in a particular way but then, nobody can act for three-and-a-half months.

Do you see this as redemption?
Yes. I’m happy that I have won a show where there was public voting and my fans made sure I got the trophy. I always wanted to give an answer to whatever was being said about me, but I waited for the right time.

There were a record number of tweets for you...
I haven’t completely heard about it but when I was at the mall (for the live voting), there were posters which said ‘Record break on Twitter’ so mujhe thoda andaza toh ho chuka tha. There were people who came and told me that they are watching the show only for two people — Salmanji and me. Then, there were people who came and asked me not to trust Puneesh (Sharma). The craze was overwhelming. But staying in that house is no joke. It was a horrible experience because of the conditions that we are put in. I’m happy I won because of my willpower but it’s crazy inside.

How have you changed post Bigg Boss?
Whatever I have gone through outside, it helped me to withstand whatever happened to me inside the house. Otherwise, I would have gone mad. It gave me the power and energy to face difficult people. Logon se zyada bhayankar kuch nahi hai life mein. From the first day, people started calling me aggressive.

It’s between Vikas (Gupta) and me and it’s up to me how I’m handling it. So my whole experience has helped me understand how to deal with everyone better.

You and Vikas had your share of nok-jhonk. Would you be friends with him?
We never became friends inside the show. In the whole incident that happened to me (referring to her decision to quit Bhabi ji Ghar Par Hai), Vikas was the root cause. He just disappeared and whenever I would take his name in the media, it would be beeped. I got to know on the day of Bigg Boss’ premiere that he was also coming on the show. I knew that iske peechhe zaroor koi raaz hai. Because aaj tak, no producer has come inside the house. So I took it as my chance to take revenge and maine haste haste apna badla liya.

But what’s the status between you two now?
Abhi, it’s okay. Khatas mit gayi! By heart, he’s not a bad person and you can see that when you watch him on this show. But when you are at a particular position, everyone wants to dictate terms to you. I had told him that he got the wrong picture of me and he should have given me a little more time. I was asked to do Code Red, which I had refused because I didn’t want to juggle two shows. When he knew all this, he shouldn’t have reacted. Nobody knows exactly how things happened but I know that he was the main culprit.

But he wants to work with you...
Yes, I’ve promised that I will work with him and I will maintain that. I told him clearly that I won’t do a daily soap ever again. So he has offered me a web series and I’ll do it. Story bhi suna chuke hain woh mujhe! He’s like now, ‘I’ve told you, bahar jaake palto mat’(laughs). So, I’ll definitely do it. But I don’t have the capacity to do any daily soaps.

Do you look forward to doing more reality shows then?
As a TV contestant or celebrity, I would not participate in any reality show. I don’t have the stature to be a judge yet, so obviously, I can’t take up that role either. But I want to host TV shows. I’m very interested in that.

And there are talks of a film as well...
Yes, you are right. There are one or two offers. I was supposed to start in November-December but I participated in Bigg Boss without informing the makers. So now, I don’t know what’s the scenario. But there were a couple of films, so let’s see.