Actor and former reality TV star Ashutosh Kaushik, who won Roadies 5 in 2007 and Bigg Boss season 2 in 2008 filed a plea in the Delhi High Court on Thursday invoking the right to be forgotten. He has asked for removal of videos, photos and articles related to his drunk driving case in 2009 from various online platforms.

Talking about the plea, Kaushik explains, “I had been thinking about filing the petition for a while and had been working on it since last year. My petition says that my drunk driving case, which was years ago, and was highlighted and splashed all over the internet, be removed. I had paid the fine and done my duty to society. The case is over but even after 10 years, the video is available. When anyone searches my name on the internet, they see the video and form an opinion of me. Dus saal mein duniya badal jaati hai. I have got the punishment for my crime, so why am I being punished even now?”

Kaushik admits that this has severely affected his personal life as well. He says, “Family members see it, tomorrow my kids will see it. That’s why I went to court. Beizzati si feel hoti hai. Rishtey bhi aaye toh videos dekh kar kaha ke, ‘Ashutosh pee kar drame karta hai’. I don’t want to this to continue.”

Kaushik admits that he had approached news channels who have the said articles and videos, and requested them to remove them from their websites but they didn’t agree. That left him with no choice but to go to court. “Maine kaha, ‘bhai kama liya in videos se, ab hata do’, par woh nahi maane,” says the 41-year-old.

After filing the petition on July 22, he got a hearing, where the court gave Google and other channels, a month’s time to respond.

“The court felt the videos did violate my right to privacy at some level. There are many people like me who are paying the price of some incident that happened years ago. We have submitted examples of such cases abroad that got the links removed,” he explains.

The petition will next come up for hearing on December 1.

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; April 30, 2020)

Actor Ashutosh Kaushik, who won the second season of Bigg Boss, got married on April 26. He tied the knot with Arpita Tiwari, whom he had met through a common friend two years ago. The ceremony, which was held on the terrace of the bride’s Noida residence, was attended by only a few, including Ashutosh’s mother, sister and brother, and Aprita’s mother and brother. Others attended the wedding virtually.

Ashutosh tells us, “We had finalised the date in February, as Akshaya Tritiya is believed to be an auspicious day for new beginnings. So, despite the Coronavirus lockdown, we decided to keep the date. We left for Arpita’s residence in a car with just four people, including me. We even requested the panditji to wear gloves and a mask.”

The actor has donated the money that he had intended to spend on the wedding, to those in dire need. He says, “I think this should become the norm now. Shaadi personal maamla hota hai. Why spend an insane amount of money on it? Rather, we should give it to the needy. I asked Arpita’s parents, too, to donate the money they had kept aside for the wedding.”

As makers prepare to bring together ex-winners in the next season of Bigg Boss, here is what the champs have been doing since
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 5, 2015)

Bigg Boss Season 8 winner, Gautam Gulati, is still celebrating after picking up the trophy on Saturday. But the title and the pay cheque is not all that attracts 'almost famous' names to the reality show. The promise of national fame is a bigger pull and with dedicated fan clubs like 'Gauti Rulez' and 'We love Gautam', it looks like the TV actor is on the right track. And the Diya Aur Baati Hum star who doesn't want to do TV anymore, may be back in the house next season. The channel is planning to bring back all the previous winners for an all-stars version in Season 9.

Most of these faces will reappear on TV after a long absence because while Bigg Boss does promise instant fame, it is often short-lived. A good example is Bigg Boss Season 2 winner Ashutosh Kaushik who seems to have vanished from B-town. His former spokesperson says, "He's nowhere to be found." The 35-year-old actor who was last seen in bit parts in Zila Ghaziabad and Shortcut Romeo in 2013 has since gone MIA. Will he reappear for the Bigg Boss reunion later this year? Only time will tell. But here's what the other contestants who took home the trophy have to say about returning to the house.

GAUAHAR KHAN
Season 7: 'There Is No Novelty Left'
Days in the house: 104
Prize: Rs 50 lakh
Status: Awaiting release of Fever oposite Rajeev Khandelwal

I would be lying if I said that the show did not give me love, fame and make me seem like a 'bahut accha insaan'. It also got me a film offer. But I went on to do more television shows like India's Raw Stars on my own merit. And I am not going back to the house because there is no novelty left in it for me anymore.

VINDOO DARA SINGH
Season 3: 'I'll be back for the all-star season'
Days in the house: 84
Prize: Rs 1 crore, a Chevrolet Cruze
Status: No acting gigs but has admitted to betting on IPL matches and is throwing a Bigg Boss get-together tomorrow

I am addicted to the show. But I hated the Halla Bol format which allowed former contestants to come back into the house. I would never go back as a participant. I am already a winner. But I'll be back for the season of all the winners, next year. I have given my thumbs up to it because having all the winners in the house will be exciting. We'll break the TRPs.

RAHUL ROY
Season 1: 'The host has to be a superstar like Salman Khan'
Days in the house: 90
Prize: Rs 1 crore
Status: Awaiting the release of 2B Or Not 2B and filming 100 Crores

I will go back to the house for the ninth season only if the makers agree to not make the show so predictable. I knew Gautam would win two weeks before he did. Also, people watch the show for the host, who should be a superstar like Salman Khan.None of the contestants can entertain viewers for three straight months. I was the first to survive the house and it felt like a battle won; now it's too trite.

URVASHI DHOLAKIA
Season 6: 'The show was my last on-screen appearance'
Days in the house: 104
Prize: Rs 50 lakh
Status: Owns media company in Dubai

I refused Halla Bol because I thought it was unfair to the other participants. But I'll be back next season. I had turned down the show for four years before I finally gave in. I wasn't disappointed that the prize money was reduced by half. I didn't care. Before I entered the house, I was shooting round-theclock. Being in the house made me feel like I was back to boarding school. After coming out, I didn't want to work and quit the industry.

SHWETA TIWARI
Season 4: 'Bigg Boss is celebrity rehab'
Days in the house: 100
Prize: Rs. 1 crore
Status: Moved to Delhi

I was always popular. The show made me famous but it didn't do anything for my career. My remuneration didn't go down but my weight did. It is like vipasana or celebrity rehab.

There's no liquor, no chicken, no fattening food in the house and you learn to save water. It's a priceless experience!

JUHI PARMAR
Season 5: 'My career ended after I left the house'
Days in the house: 99
Prize: Rs 1 crore
Status: Being mummy

I was signed in July and the show began in October. But in those three months, I turned down lots of TV shows with feeble excuses. Three months after wining Bigg Boss, I got married. Now my three-year old daughter is my life. I haven't been approached for the all-winners season. But even if I were I wouldn't leave my baby.