Believe it or not, this time around the two will be seen together in a film, which will be written and directed by Jasleen’s father, Kesar Matharu
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; October 16, 2019)

After their stint in Bigg Boss last year, bhajan samrat Anup Jalota is all set to team up again with his student Jasleen Matharu, for a film titled Vo Meri Student Hai. It’s a take on their real life and Jalota will play a singer, while Jasleen will play his student.

Talking about it, Jalota says, “Last year, Diwali ke pehle ek dhamaaka kiya tha Bigg Boss mein participate karke. Aur ye film iss Diwali ke pehle ka dhamaaka hai. It will clear a lot of misconceptions in the minds of people about my equation with Jasleen. In the film, she comes to learn music from me and I will be seen asking her to dress up more appropriately, as I am from a traditional music background.”

That’s art imitating life! Jalota agrees, “In real life too, I keep telling her and my other students the same thing. I have no issues with anyone wearing clothes of their choice, but certain situations demand a certain kind of dressing. I, too, wear shorts in real life, but I don’t wear them to my class when I am teaching students. We have to respect the platform.”

During Bigg Boss, Jalota was romantically linked with Jasleen, which the singer clarified repeatedly. He says, “Zero per cent relationship tha, aur na ho sakta hai. We are different people. I can be with a person who is my type, like how my wife Medha was. Jasleen aur mere beech mein kuchh nahi hai and this film will showcase that. I remember, when I stepped out of Bigg Boss, my mother asked me, ‘Who is Jasleen?’ So, not many people were aware of her presence in my life. That goes to show that there was nothing between us. I have even mentioned that Jasleen ka kanyadaan uske papa aur main milke karenge.”

On her part, Jasleen says, “I knew Anup ji from earlier, but the time we spent inside the house will always be precious and important, as we got to know each other better. Till date, people wonder about our relationship and speculations don’t cease. Yeh cheez khatam hi nahi hui hai. After Bigg Boss, I told everyone that I had just played a prank on the show and we have a gurushishya equation, but people didn't believe me. People ask Anup ji, ‘Bhabiji ko nahi lekar aaye?’ and they ask me, ‘Jijaji kaise hain?’ or ‘Aapke pati kaise hain?’ There are many who have a relationship beyond the guru-shishya equation, but hamara bilkul bhi nahi hai. This film is our last hope to clear the air.”

Interestingly, Jalota will also be seen rapping in the film, a break away from his image. He says, “It’s a dream sequence when Jasleen imagines how it would be to perform with me on stage in her style. I will be rapping for the first time. Ab agar log rapping ke liye bulaayenge toh bhajan ke saath woh bhi kar denge (laughs!).”

And guess what? The film has been written and directed by Jasleen’s father, Kesar Matharu. She says, “Post Bigg Boss, even my father didn’t believe me at first and was confused when I told him that it was just a joke. But eventually, I made him understand. We discussed the idea of making a film on our equation and asked my father to write and direct it.”

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; January 1, 2019)

Dipika Kakar Ibrahim joined the list of television ‘bahus’ winning Bigg Boss, by lifting the trophy this season. While she was constantly accused of being fake and resembling her screen character (Simar of Sasural Simar Ka), the actress has always maintained that her reactions were pure and honest. Basking in the winning glory, the actress takes us through her equation with S Sreesanth, taking a stand (or not) during the show and how she wishes to spend the prize money. Excerpts…

People usually take up a show like Bigg Boss at a later stage in their career. What were your reasons for participating in it so early on?
My reason was definitely the money. Besides, it is the biggest reality show, and it could do wonders to my career. However, during the course of the show, I realised that I had to prove myself. A lot of questions were raised on the way I conducted myself inside the house.

I just want to say that whichever way I reacted, I didn’t do it with a wrong intention or to put anyone down. I must have definitely made mistakes, but I had the guts to own up to them. I was confident that the audience would make me win the show if I am right. That was my only focus throughout the show.

At what stage did you realise that you could win the show, despite having a tough competitor in Sreesanth?
I think it was after Shoaib (Ibrahim, husband) visited me inside the house. He held me and said, ‘People tell you things because they cannot reach where you are today or become like you’. That gave me the strength, because his words mean the world to me. I broke down on a many occasions, but I sailed through it all, thinking about Shoaib and my sister-in-law, Saba. I wanted to break the notion that Bigg Boss is all about fighting, putting each other down and abusing each other. That’s not true. It’s about being yourself, being good and honest. That is the only thing that kept me going.

TV bahus are always targeted for being fake or restricting themselves to the kitchen, which is often looked at a strategy to win the show...
I feel other contestants come with the agenda to put celebs down. Also, what’s wrong if I have inculcated some positive traits from a character that I have played? How can I be fake for three-and-a-half months? I can never fake and don’t need anyone’s approval on that. I was also accused of not performing tasks. I had clearly said it that I can’t get physical. I would have gone to Khatron Ke Khiladi if I had to do that. I have done tasks with whatever capabilities I had. The way I was on the show is how I am in real life — I don’t use bad language. Honestly, only bhai (Sreesanth) and I were our real selves on the show.

Many felt that you benefitted from your friendship with Sreesanth on the show...
People are free to say what they feel, because when you are shining, there is more criticism than appreciation. That makes you brighter and stronger. I took all the accusations head on. I have never planned anything in this house, including building a connect with somebody just because he was Sreesanth. It was very clear that bhai and I were very close and were there for each other throughout. I have been consistent in my behaviour on the show. I would always help everyone. Main tailor bhi bann gayi thi, main Surbhi (Rana) ke kapde alter karti thi.

What would you like to tell your detractors, who felt that you have won the trophy because of Sreesanth?
(Laughs!) I would just want to laugh it off and thank them. I feel that I have lived my journey. It has been more beautiful because bhai was there and I have some beautiful memories because I don’t have a biological brother. Itne saare viewers jinhone mujhe support kiya hai and jitaaya hai, it means mujh me hi kuchh khaas tha. Agar main unko (Sreesanth) pakad kar chal rahi hoti, toh viewers ko woh dikhaayi deta aur woh mujhe nahi, unko support karte.

Who is the one contestant you would not want to meet outside the house?
Romil Chaudhary, for sure. He would pretend to be extremely innocent at one point, and then he would show that he knows everything. I could never connect with him or like him. He wants to do things his way and is egoistic. I am allergic to such people.

What’s the plan now?
I would be visiting Ajmer Sharif with Shoaib. Woh meri mannat thi ki if I win... I want to go home and talk at length with ammi and Saba. I want to buy a home for Shoaib's parents, something that I had mentioned while entering the Bigg Boss house. It’s time to pay them back for whatever they have done for us. We have a lot of responsibilities on us and jitni jaldi hum kaafi cheezein settle kar paayenge, utni jaldi hum life mein aagey badh paayenge.

Actors arrived together on the former’s show for some song and dance
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 15, 2018)

On Friday, Shah Rukh Khan arrived in Lonavala at 4 pm to take part in Season 12 of the reality show, Bigg Boss, which Salman Khan hosts. His dost who had arrived early in the day and had already canned one episode greeted him with a jhappi and escorted him to his chalet on the sets. They were to start shooting at 7 pm but the minutes ticked away and neither Khan stepped out, so engrossed were they in ‘catching up’.

According to a source, they were to kick off the shoot with a fun act which had them travelling from Mumbai to Lonavala on a bike together.

“They would stop at Khandala for chai and banter before reaching Lonavala, where Shah Rukh joins Salman, as contestants take on each other in the akhada before getting a chance to chat up the special guest. The Khans themselves have a Q-&-A duel during which they reveal little known trivia about themselves,” informed the source, adding that the highlight of the episode were the two actors dancing to the tune of “Ishqbaazi” from SRK’s upcoming film, Zero, which has Salman making a special appearance in the song. The director, Aanand L Rai had revealed in an interview to Mirror recently that he had taken the idea of the film which revolves around a vertically challenged character to Salman first, but once the script was locked, they knew that King Khan was the right choice for Bauua Singh but bhai had sportingly agreed to do a cameo. Interestingly, neither of Shah Rukh’s leading ladies Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma accompanied him. Obviously, for Salman just having his friend back on the show was enough. 

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; December 12, 2018)

This year’s Bigg Boss (BB) has not quite lived up to everyone’s expectations. But Salman Khan’s Weekend Ka Vaar episodes have garnered the requisite TRPs for the show. There are several actors, who have already made an appearance on BB 12. Now, with the reality series in its last leg, the makers have decided to amplify the star quotient. Over the next two weeks, five big celebrities will shoot with Dabangg Khan.

1. SRK, SALMAN TOGETHER AGAIN!
It was on BB season 9 (2015) that Shah Rukh Khan and Salman made their first on-screen appearance after their much-publicised fallout and subsequent patch-up. Since then, SRK has been a regular on the show where he promotes all his films. With his ambitious venture, Zero, hitting screens on December 21, the superstars will reunite this weekend. Says a source, “Of the two episodes, one will be dedicated to Shah Rukh and Salman. It will not only have a brotherly vibe but the channel is also getting the two friends to recreate the Issaqbaazi track (in which Sallu has a cameo) from Zero. There will be several other fun segments, some of which will also include the contestants.”


2. KATRINA WILL JOIN IN TOO
While the Badshah of Bollywood will shoot the first episode all by himself, Katrina Kaif will join him and Salman on stage for the second. The source adds, “Initially, SRK was the only one who was coming for the integration. They had even cut out a promo featuring him. Now, even Katrina will be part of the promotional gig. It will be a celebratory episode since Shah Rukh, Salman and Katrina have worked with each other and share a good equation.” The Thugs Of Hindostan actress had also closed the show two years ago when she was promoting Fitoor.

However, Anushka Sharma, who’s out of the country currently, will miss it again. Earlier this year, she had skipped shooting for the show when Varun Dhawan landed up to promote Sui Dhaaga: Made In India alone.

3. DABANGG-SIMMBA FACE-OFF
After the maha episodes this weekend, the team will have two new guests next week. The source informs, “The entire Simmba gang — producer Karan Johar, Ranveer Singh, Sara Ali Khan and director Rohit Shetty — will promote their film, which releases on December 28. A fun segment has been planned between Salman and Ranveer. It will be a face-off between Chulbul Pandey and Simmba.” Sara will also join the duo and dance to Aankh Maare. Not just that, we hear that the Golmaal Again director will return for a second time again this season. The source reveals, “Rohit will draw the curtains on Bigg Boss this year. He will be one of the special guests for the Grand Finale. He will promote Khatron Ke Khiladi 9, which goes on air on weekends, right after BB12 is over. The channel is also planning to get a few more biggies to grace the occasion, but that’s work in progress for now.”

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; December 9, 2018)

Singer Jasleen Matharu has just been evicted from Bigg Boss. She entered the reality show with bhajan maestro Anup Jalota, giving everyone the impression that they were a couple. But now, she has denied all of it. In an interview with BT, she reveals why she faked a relationship with Anup in the house. Excerpts...

How was your experience in the Bigg Boss house?
It was a great journey, but it wasn’t easy being in the house. Some of the inmates were aggressive and so, there were many tough situations to handle.

Are you in a relationship with Anup Jalota? He denied it, soon after he was evicted from the house...
I will tell you what actually happened. My father has known Anup ji even before I was born. I started learning music from him as a child and we share a beautiful guru-shishya relationship. When the Bigg Boss offer came to me, I convinced him to do the show together as a guru-shishya jodi. Just before entering the house, when I was on stage, I thought of playing a prank and announced that we were in a relationship. He did not react to it. I thought he would react, but since he didn’t, we entered the house as a couple and played along.

You thought of playing a prank on national television before taking him into confidence?
Yes, I never thought it would become so serious and people would react in such a manner. I did not bother to clarify because after we entered the house, we needed to discuss many things. But nothing was pre planned. Even the channel did not know that I had planned to play such a prank on Anup ji. But woh prank mujhe bhari pad gaya.

So all those romantic moments in the house were not real?
We were just playing along.

In the house, it was also mentioned that you were in a relationship with playback singer Sukhwinder Singh. Is this true?
Sukhwinder is a family friend and Anup ji has misunderstood our equation if he said that we were in a relationship then or now. Sukhwinder has been a friend for the last six years and we will continue to be friends. These are all baseless rumours. In fact, the other day I heard that Honey Singh and I were having an affair, which is again totally false.

Rohit Suchanti and you had issues in the house ...
God bless Rohit. And even Deepak (Thakur). They were extremely rude and crossed their limits when they spoke to me. I feel Sreesanth is a good player and he should win the show.

Did you know that your father was upset with all that was happening inside the house?
Obviously, he would be. He was not aware that Anup ji and I would be entering the house like a couple. I am really scared of his reaction now that I am out of the house.

Are you planning to get married anytime soon? Would you marry a man twice your age?
I don’t want to get married now. I will never marry a man twice my age, he has to be a few years older than me.

Bigg Boss contestant Jasleen Matharu refutes relationship rumours with bhajan king Anup Jalota
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; December 8, 2018)

Jasleen Matharu is the latest contestant to be shown the door in Bigg Boss. Her eviction will be shown in tonight's episode of the Salman Khan-hosted reality show. In her three-month-long stint inside the house, Matharu hit headlines owing to her alleged romance with bhajan maestro Anup Jalota. Her revelation of dating the singer, 65, for the past three years came as a shock to her family as well as viewers.

However, having been eliminated from the controversial show, Matharu now has a different story to offer. "I am 28 and he is 65. I was shocked that it had become a national issue. I Googled all that was written about me; I saw the memes about Anup ji and me," she says.

Point out to her that she had claimed to be involved with him, on national television, and she cuts in, "Our affair is a prank gone horribly wrong. As the show's theme was jodis, I suggested that Anup ji come along; we were a guru-shishya jodi. But when Salman was introducing the housemates in the opening episode, I joked that I know Anup ji for three years and that we are together. Anup ji was taken aback and did not react. Had he reacted then, the matter would have ended there. I continued the joke inside the house, and he played along. But when he realised things were going too far, he was scared."

Their public display of affection — especially when she smothered him with kisses in an episode — did not miss anyone's notice. "I kissed him on the cheek and forehead. There was nothing romantic about it."

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; December 7, 2018)

Srishty Rode, who was evicted from Bigg Boss recently, has landed her first Hindi film just two days after her exit from the show. Srishty tells BT, “While many people were shocked to learn about my eviction, I was taken aback when the makers of the film told me that they were hoping for me to step out soon. I got a call regarding the film two days after my eviction and I have signed on the dotted line. I don’t think anyone has benefitted from Bigg Boss so fast. Apparently, the makers were considering another girl, but they changed their mind as soon as I was evicted. We shall be going on floors soon.”

About the film, she says, “It’s a sports film on kite flying. I play the heroine opposite Abhishek Dua, and the team is fantastic. Since my father is a DoP, the first question he asked me was who the DoP is in this film. When I told him that he is someone who has worked on several big films, he was happy. I have been offered TV shows as well, but I thought that this was the right project at this time.”

Ask her if she follows the reality show now, she replies, “Ab kya mann lagega? Also, I have been busy and haven’t been able to watch the show.” 

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 17, 2018)

Karanvir Bohra, one of the inmates on Salman Khan’s ongoing reality show Bigg Boss 12, has dismissed his wife Teejay Sidhu’s concerns about alleged bullying by saying that he has no complaints.

Days after several of the TV actor’s friends and viewers of the reality show noted that Karanvir is being unnecessarily bullied, especially by show host Salman, things have taken an unexpected turn.

Karanvir’s wife Teejay, who had earlier dismissed the criticism saying that Salman was like an elder brother to her actor-husband and what he was doing wasn’t bullying, wrote an open letter to the show’s team earlier this week, asking for their forgiveness if she or her husband had done something to rile them, and for an explanation for the treatment meted out to him.

Things seem to have got worse for Karanvir, if the show’s upcoming episode is any indication. Salman opens the show by informing Karanvir about the open letter and asks him if he feels bad when he jokes with him. When the 52-year-old actor told Karanvir that he will not interact with him anymore, the latter apologised, saying, “I look up to you as a mentor and I have no complaints.” Karanvir also requested the makers to let him speak with his wife and that he doesn’t want to spoil his relationship with Salman. Will the scales now tip in the TV actor’s favour? 

The actor is set to make a brief turn on a reality show’s finale; Shah Rukh Khan also likely to show up with co-stars Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 8, 2018)

Salman Khan’s reality show Bigg Boss 12, which premiered on September 16, is drawing to a close on December 30. Now, Mirror has learnt that Ranveer Singh has confirmed his presence as a guest for the show’s grand finale week.

“Ranveer will be making an appearance with Rohit (Shetty, filmmaker). The Bigg Boss team is currently planning some fun acts with Ranveer and Salman, considering his cop act of Chulbul Pandey from Dabangg is equally popular,” a source close to the development informed Mirror, adding that Rohit will also be announcing the ninth season of his own stunt-based show, Khatron Ke Khiladi, which is set to take over the primetime slot from January 5.

According to the source, the reality show’s team is also in talks with Shah Rukh Khan for a guest turn towards the year-end. The actor’s Zero hits the screens a week earlier than Ranveer and Rohit’s Simmba, on December 21. His two leading ladies, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma are expected to accompany him.

Mirror had earlier reported (Nov 3) that Ranveer and Deepika Padukone, who are tying the knot on November 14 and 15 at Lake Como in Italy, will have a sangeet ceremony on November 13. A wedding reception is set to take place will in Mumbai on December 1, after which the newlyweds will head for a brief honeymoon before Ranveer dives into the promotions of his action-comedy which also features Sara Ali Khan.

On Wednesday, Ranveer, who recently returned from his film shoot in Goa, was spotted arriving at Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Farah Khan’s residences with Deepika to drop off wedding invites.

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; October 30, 2018)

After being evicted from Bigg Boss 12 on Sunday, singer Anup Jalota, who had entered the house with Jasleen Matharu, denied that he was ever in a relationship with her. While the duo entered the reality show claiming to be in a relationship, in an exclusive interview with BT, the Padma Shri awardee said that she is “just his shishya”. He also revealed what happened behind the scenes, and stressed that he does not wish to remarry. Excerpts…

How was your experience with the show Bigg Boss?
It is not a musical show, we all know that. Of course, you will see people shouting and abusing each other, since, I did not do any of that and kept cool and calm, I guess that I was evicted early on. Other inmates in the house felt that I was image conscious, and why wouldn’t I be? I have an image in society and I have earned respect over the years for my work. Megha Dhade, Bigg Boss Marathi winner nominated me for eviction. I am not used to such drama and I can’t handle a Surbhi Rana who applies khoon in her maang. All that is way too dramatic for me. Probably, that was the reason I was voted out.

Your relationship with Jasleen Matharu came as a big shock to everyone. In an interview with BT before entering the house, you said your relationship with her was that of a ‘ guru-shishya’.Soon after,you entered the house as a couple in tune with the theme,‘ Vichitra Jodi’. Many people are also saying that the relationship was fake and it was just a means to enter the Bigg Boss house. What do you have to say about it?
Now, I will tell the whole story of what actually transpired. A few months ago, Jasleen informed me that she was offered Bigg Boss and that she had to enter the house with someone, as a pair. She requested me to join the show with her. Jasleen is my student and I even know her father well. I am a musician, so I refused to enter the show because I am quite busy with my concerts. But then, her father convinced me, and finally, I agreed to enter the house with her as a guru-shishya jodi. After that, we signed the contract and I was supposed to enter the house on September 15. Jasleen had entered the house before me. That day, I performed to Aisi Laagi Lagan and I announced my entry on the show. But, Jasleen shocked me when she said that we are in a relationship for the last three and a half years, and that we are entering the house as a couple. At that time, I wanted to maintain dignity and grace, so I did not say anything. Also, since we were inside the house I was not aware of how people were reacting to all this. In fact, if you have watched the show, you will know that I have never done anything romantic or objectionable that would suggest I am having an affair with her. I decided to clear this whole thing after I was evicted. When I came out and spoke to Jasleen’s father, he said that he was as shocked with what Jasleen had said on the show about us. In the last three years that I have known her, I have only gone to her house six times and she has come to my place around five times. We never stayed together when we travelled for concerts and we only met at airports. Now, do you call this a relationship? When I came out of the house my mother asked me, ‘Who is this Jasleen?’ Even my family does not know her. How can I be dating her then?

Were you aware that there are talks of Jasleen being in a relationship with Sukhwinder Singh?
I know that they were in a relationship. In the Bigg Boss house, when she said that my partner (referring to me) does not know that I was in a relationship with a very popular celebrity, I had to correct her and say that I was aware of it. I knew that she did many concerts with Sukhwinder and that they were in a relationship for almost a year.

Do you have grudges against Jasleen? Do you think that she benefited from being in the house with you?
Jasleen is a good singer and I had advised her to focus 70 percent on her music and keep the remaining 30 per cent on glamour. But, I think she is keen on acting and singing, so the 70 percent focus is going on being a glamorous person. She must have thought that being in a relationship in the Bigg Boss house would be a hotter topic of discussion than being a guru shishya jodi. So she preferred to announce this to the world. My image has been affected by this a bit, but now I have cleared everything. Of course, my friendship with her and the fact that I am her guru, has benefitted her, but I don’t see anything wrong with it. I have no enmity towards her and I will continue teaching music to her even after she comes out of the house. This is the entire truth and there is no shred of lie in this.

Will you ever marry again? Are you looking for a companion in life?
I will never marry again. I am happy with my friends, family and students. I have a large group of well-wishers and would love to happily enjoy my life being single. But, I don’t see anything wrong in a 65-year-old man marrying a 28-year-old woman. There have been many cases like that before.

With their fallout behind them, Chi Chi shoots Bigg Boss special episode with Sallu
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 6, 2018)

Their fallout may have been fodder for gossip mills over the past few years, but Govinda and Salman Khan showed that their friendship was for keeps as they shot together for Bigg Boss yesterday. Govinda made a special appearance on the reality show as part of promotions for his next, FryDay.

A crew member reveals, "There was no animosity between them. Before the shoot, Salman and Govinda spent a lot of time catching up with each other. The latter was also accompanied by his daughter Tina. Once the camera started rolling, the two were back to taking good-natured jibes at each other."

Given their easy camaraderie, it is not surprising when Govinda says that their spontaneity shone through during the shoot. "It was great shooting with Salman after such a long time. He is like a brother to me. I came completely unprepared for the shoot, but it went off better than we expected. We relived the good old times together," says the actor.

Khan had roped in Govinda for Partner (2007), thus giving the latter's career a major boost. However, it was then suggested that Khan had gone back on his word of launching Tina, leading to a rift between old friends. Govinda had later clarified that he is open to working with the superstar if the right script comes their way.

MUMBAI MIRROR (October 5, 2018)

A defamation case has been filed against Tanushree Dutta for her comments about Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. The case was filed by the Kaij police in Maharashtra's Beed district on Wednesday evening after MNS district unit president Sumant Dhas lodged a complaint, alleging that Dutta had defamed his party chief.

“We've registered a non cognizable offence against Dutta under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and are investigating the complaint. We've also asked the complainant to approach court,” said a police officer.

The 34-year-old actress has accused actor Nana Patekar of harassing her on the sets of the film Horn OK Pleassss in 2008. She recently said that Raj Thackeray wanted to succeed the late Bal Thackeray as the Shiv Sena chief, but couldn't. She had also alleged that the MNS was involved in vandalising her vehicle when she opted out of the film. Earlier, she was quoted as saying that she'd been getting threats from the party, and that two persons recently tried to barge into her home.

The MNS youth wing, meanwhile, handed over a letter to the makers of Bigg Boss on Wednesday, following reports of Dutta participating in the ongoing season of the TV reality show. The party workers threatened violence on the set in Lonavala if she was let in.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 27, 2018)

Mirror (September 12) had earlier reported that singercomposer-actor Bappi Lahiri has composed a jingle to welcome Mike Tyson to India. He will be in the city over the weekend and we have learnt that Salman Khan’s bodyguard Shera has been given the responsibility to look after the 52-year-old American boxing legend.

“This is Mike Tyson’s first trip to India and we are going to make sure he is comfortable. I’m personally taking care of him and will be stationed at his hotel in suburban Mumbai through the duration of his stay. We have done a recce of all the places he will be travelling too, including a mall, the location of his dinner with a select group and the after party,” informs Shera, who will be receiving Tyson at the airport early on September 28. He has earlier handled international artists like Michael Jackson, Will Smith, Jackie Chan, Paris Hilton and Justin Bieber during his maiden concert in India last year.

So, with Shera on Tyson’s duty who will be with the Dabangg actor? “I took his permission before taking this responsibility. I work exclusively for him and Bhai is always my first priority. I spoke to him and he gave me a go-ahead as he isn’t shooting for a film then and will be busy with his (reality show) Bigg Boss so it is manageable,” adds Shera.

Will Salman and Tyson meet? “Their timings are clashing as both have hectic schedules. But if something can be worked out, they will surely meet,” he says.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 21, 2018)

Varun Dhawan will be shooting for the weekend episode of Bigg Boss 12 today with host Salman Khan. Since he will be the first celebrity guest on the show, the makers have planned a number of special activities with the young actor. To begin with, he will make Salman stitch his initials ‘SK’ on a scarf. Dabangg Khan and he will also be rapping on Tamma Tamma (Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya) along with a band, which has been introduced this season.

A source says that the Judwaa 2 actor will go inside the house where he will divide the contestants into two groups and give them the task of stitching pillows. “Varun will be monitoring the chore and whoever stitches the maximum number of pillows will be declared the winner. Also, this time, since there are a few singers in the house — like Anup Jalota among the celebrities and Deepak Thakur-Urvashi Vani from commoners — there will be a lot of singing, with Varun taking the lead, crooning his hit tracks,” says the source.

Not only that, during this episode, the makers are planning to introduce a ‘khaas’ room where Jalota and his rumoured girlfriend Jasleen Matharu will be sent on a date!

The singer talks to BT about entering the Bigg Boss house with his shishya, Jasleen Matharu
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; September 16, 2018)

Given Bigg Boss’ penchant for controversies, it’s not surprising that every year, we see a mix of contestants who have been in the news. So, a lot of eyebrows raised when Anup Jalota featured in the list of participants, this season. There were many who felt that the bhajan samrat was an unusual choice.

Well, not exactly. In keeping with the show’s theme of ‘Vichitra Jodi’, BT has it that the singer will be entering the show with one of his students, Jasleen Matharu. Incidentally, their pictures together, taken at Anup Jalota’s 65th birthday bash in July this year, were doing the rounds on social media.

About agreeing to get locked up inside the house with Jasleen, the singer tells us, “This time, the theme is different. We are going inside in jodis and I have with me, Jasleen who is a good singer. I am looking forward to some music sessions with her inside the house. She’s just the perfect jodi for me.”

So, what makes this jodi a vichitra one? He replies, “Our jodi is vichitra, because she is glamorous and I am not.” Point out that there are rumours of them being more than just guru-shishya and the singer explains, “There is no affair or love. If I fall in love, I will tell you. She is my student, and we share a beautiful equation of music.”

Quiz him about his decision to be a part of a show like Bigg Boss, and he says, “Every person has to face controversies; even Gods were not spared. I was married thrice, and people can judge me and make assumptions on that. But the fact remains that, I never had three wives together. I was young enough to marry again after my previous marriages failed. My third wife (Medha Gujral, who died four years ago) was perfect for me.”

Having said that, Jalota admits that it took him a month to convince himself to sign on the dotted line. “It is believed that there is a lot of negativity inside the house, but I am going to enjoy myself. It’s the best place for people to understand themselves better. I am looking at this as a paid vacation,” he shares.

So, how did his family react to his decision? “A few people in my family were appalled. Aisa lag raha tha jaise main koi paap karne jaa raha hoon. However, my son, who is based in the US, was happy with my decision. If he is game, I am game, too,” he says, adding, “I want to be myself, and I don’t intend to hide anything. People will see me just the way I am in real life. Most people know only my serious image, but in reality, I love to crack jokes. I also mimic people at my concerts. But of course, I crack only clean jokes”.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 15, 2018)

Salman Khan, who recently admitted that his last TV turn, as the host of the gameshow Dus Ka Dum, didn’t perform as expected, is presumably upping the ante for his next.

In a new twist for the upcoming 12th season of Bigg Boss, which Salman hosts, four contestants are gearing up to enter the house even before the show goes on air. The two jodis in question are former Roadies contestants Kriti Verma and Surbhi Rana, along with commoners Roshmi Banik and Mittal Joshi. The foursome will be introduced by Salman. Even before that, the TV audience will get a glimpse of the inmates during the final episode of Madhuri Dixit’s talent hunt show, Dance Deewane.

Surbhi, a dentist-turned-reality show regular, told Mirror, “I feel like I’ve been preparing for this all my life. I’ve seen a lot of failures, but I never give up. I come from a small village in Himachal Pradesh. Later, when we moved to a town, I was bullied because of my Hindi medium background. I have had to struggle my way up.”

When prodded about her jodidar and fellow Roadies alumna Kriti, Surbhi admitted that they have had a bitter-sweet equation so far. “We used to be rivals but then we got to know each other better. She’s outspoken and honest and I like that,” she said.

Kriti, who is a GST officer by profession, agreed that she and Surbhi are a little “high pitched”. “But we’re both honest which is why we fight,” she explained, adding that Hina Khan and Shilpa Shinde are her favourite ex-Bigg Boss inmates.

Joining them are two commoners from Kolkata — 26-year-old Roshmi Banik who runs an events management business and Mittal Joshi, a makeup artist who recently moved to Mumbai.


Kolkata girls Roshmi and Mittal; reality show alums Surbhi and Kriti

After Anushka Sharma opts out of Bigg Boss 12 episode, Salman Khan changes track to focus on his bond with 'Judwaa' Varun Dhawan
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 13, 2018)

As part of their promotional blitzkrieg for Sui Dhaaga — Made In India, Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma were to join Salman Khan for a special episode of Bigg Boss 12 next week. However, those looking forward to see Khan reunite with his Sultan (2016) co-star will have to wait a while longer as Sharma has pulled out of the show.

Her exit has naturally prompted a change in the narrative of the episode. While it was to focus on Khan and Sharma's chemistry earlier, we hear, the superstar has now asked the makers to put the spotlight on his shared history with Dhawan — the youngster had stepped into Khan's shoes for Judwaa 2 (2017).

"The initial idea was to base the episode on Sultan and Arfa's [Sharma's character in Sultan] reunion. Unfortunately, Anushka's shoot for a brand campaign is clashing with the Bigg Boss shoot. Since she had committed to the brand three months ago, she could not go back on her word. She communicated her unavailability to the Bigg Boss makers yesterday. So now, Varun will make a solo appearance," says a production source from the show.

Given their deep affection for each other, fans can expect Khan and Dhawan to light up the small screen. "When Salman learnt that Varun will be joining him, he immediately told the writers to script a special segment that highlights their Judwaa bond," the source adds. The film's spokesperson confirmed the move.

Unnati Joshi (BOMBAY TIMES; September 11, 2018)

With respect to Bigg Boss, we’re currently in the period of anticipation before the high-decibel period of the actual show begins. Even though everyone knows they won’t know anything till the final list of participants is announced, it hasn’t stopped the rumours from flying around — be it about the speculated twists, or the jodi theme. The 12th year of alliances, drama, backstabbing and of course, a few love stories, is about to kick off. So, while the freshers prepare for the big day, a few BB graduates share the lessons they learnt and tips that might be crucial for inmates to sail through the three-month journey in the house. Pay close attention!

DON’T IMITATE EX-WINNERS: SAMBHAVNA SETH
A Season Two contestant, Sambhavna Seth feels that just because a certain type of person has won a show before, it doesn’t mean the makers are looking for a similar contestant again. The actress’ survival tip is to be original. “You have to be yourself. If you are shouting and doing things for the camera and TRPs, it will not work. People want to see the real you. Kuch extra mat karo, agar aap ke andar masala hai, toh woh waise bhi dikhega,” she says, adding, “Bigg Boss mein mera ek hi side show hua, but now that I have a YouTube channel, people get to see all shades of my personality and they love me. So, it’s very important to be who you are. You can ape a former contestant for a day or two, but you’ll get tired eventually. And once you are tired, you will be out. People with dual personalities do not work.”

WHAT TO PACK: Lots of night suits, because jhagda raat ko bhi ho sakta hai


BE LOUD, MAKE NOISE: DELNAAZ IRANI
Delnaaz Irani, one of the top contestants of Bigg Boss Season 6, regrets being subdued on the show. Her survival tip is to be patient. She tells us, “My favourite contestant so far has been Shilpa Shinde. She fought, took a stand for herself, but she did all of this while entertaining the audience. I seriously feel that if she was in a season before mine, I would have learnt from her. And rather than being quiet and subdued, I would have done a few things that she did.” Having a thick skin and patience are the only ways one can survive, says Delnaaz. “If a contestant really wants to be a lambi race ka ghoda, they need to put their blinkers on. The key is to be patient and do your job to the best of your ability. People now know that if you make noise, you will last longer.”

WHAT TO PACK: Family photographs, they help during the difficult time


SALMAN KE SAATH BADTAMEEZI MAT KARNA: RAKHI SAWANT
Season One star Rakhi Sawant is still remembered for being loud and in-yourface. She says Bigg Boss should be taken as a life-changing opportunity, but come what may, never go against Salman Khan. “Ladai karo, jhagda karo,but be happy. Take this opportunity to make yourself and your life better, apni barbaadi mat karne jaao. Try to stay calm and never start a fight for the sake of fighting, par agar koi tumse jhagda kare, toh phir uska band baja do. I would also advise people to not misbehave with Salman Khan. Kyunki agar tumne Salman Khan ke sath badtameezi kari, aapko show se bhi nikaal diya jaayega aur film industry mein bhi no one will take a stand for you,” advises Rakhi.

WHAT TO PACK: A lot of swimming costumes


BE LOYAL TO YOUR FRIENDS: ARSHI KHAN
Apart from her sizzling nightgowns and noteworthy hairstyles, Arshi Khan (Season 11) was known as a loyal friend in the house. Her exit made almost every inmate cry. Ask her for a tip and she says, “You will have to be loyal and have loyal friends. The more loyal you are, the more people will love you. It’s also important to be active. Ab aap khud ko camera pe dikhane ke liye kya kya kar sakte hain, woh aap ke apne tareeke hain. Some fight, while others dance and enjoy, but at the end of the day, it’s all about being entertaining. Camera mein dikhna bhi zaroori hai. Ek jagah chup ho ke baithne wale toh nahi chal paayenge.”

And to commoners, her advice is, “Kabhi celebrity se conscious mat hona, jab aap ek baar ghar mein jaate hain, toh celebrity bann jaate hain. Salman bhi yahi hi kehte the.”

WHAT TO PACK: Hair straightener and dryer. Camera mein dikhna kaafi nahi hai, you have to also look good

LEARN TO COOK: PRINCE NARULA
Season Ten winner Prince Narula knows the trick of the trade. If his advice is something to go by, then having a personality of your own is a must to emerge victorious on the show. “Always take a stand and make sure that people are listening to you. You can get louder if needed, but being loud and shouting aren’t really important. Just be who you are. Make friends, have fun, perform and prove yourself. I had a lot of friends and I am friends with most of them even now. But that’s my personality. If you want to be with two-three people, that’s fine, too. Just have fun.”

He adds, “It’s also important to know basic cooking. Learn it before you enter the house. The kitchen is the place you will run to after every task because a lot of energy goes in them.”

WHAT TO PACK: Sportswear and perfume. You will need both when you perform tasks

DON’T BE LOUD UNNECESSARILY: VIKAS GUPTA
The ‘mastermind’ of Season 11, Vikas Gupta tells us that resilience is the key, and contrary to Delnaaz, feels that one does not have to be loud to be heard.

Warning the contestants, he says, “Don’t overdo it. Don’t try to do things so that you can be in front of the camera all the time. It’s not important to fight unnecessarily. There are hundreds of cameras recording everything, 24x7. Don’t be fake in the house,yeh work nahi karta hai wahan par. Ek, do, teen din kar loge, but after that, you won’t be able to keep up the act. I would suggest that people be positive — you will need a lot of positivity in the house. Be prepared to take knocks, but get up stronger.”

WHAT TO PACK: Warm clothes. It gets cold at times

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 6, 2018)

The finale of Dus Ka Dum 3 is yet to be aired, but Salman Khan has already moved on to his other TV show, Bigg Boss. The superstar will host the 12th season of the reality show, which was launched in Goa. Ask him if it was because he was shooting for his film in the sun-kissed beach city that the show was unveiled there and he says he is only chilling there! “Every time the show is launched either in a studio or at a hangar, so this time we wanted it to be different,” he shares. Here, he talks about what brings him back to the show, what went wrong with Dus Ka Dum, and Priyanka Chopra not doing Bharat.

What brings you back to host Bigg Boss consecutively for nine years?
I find it interesting to watch people’s behaviour in the house, and when I see something going wrong, I get involved in it, unlike the other hosts who play it right. Earlier in my life, a lot of things have gone wrong, takleef toh hoti hai. Not only for the person, but even the parents go through a lot of trouble and pain. That’s the reason, when things go wrong in the Bigg Boss house, I tell them to not get into that space. But, honestly, this is where our country is going. If they do something that is not in our culture or go overboard then I step in for their sake. If those under the cameras inside the house are okay with behaving like that (badly) and people are watching them making it one of the highest-rated shows, obviously everyone is enjoying it.

Has the show been advanced this year because you will get busy with your film shoots later?
It has nothing to do with my film schedules or dates. The channel wanted the show to get over before December so that the contestants can be free to celebrate the New Year.

This time the theme is jodis. Will we see anyone co-hosting with you later?
No. But when Katrina (Kaif) got to know that the show will have jodis, she said she wanted to host with me! But she said that in jest.

You returned as the host of Dus Ka Dum after nine years, but it did not live up to the expectations. What went wrong?
What happened was we slotted the show on Monday-Tuesday, but nobody knew that it was being telecast. Wahan thodasa maar kha gaye. Even I had thought it was a brilliant idea to slot it on those days because on weekends people have several things to do. I thought ki log ghar baithke dekh sakte hain at the beginning of the week. Lekin that didn’t happen because the awareness was not there. Even Atul’s (Agnihotri) mother did not know about it. When the show was in its fourth week, she asked me when was it starting. Only when I told her (Atul Agnihotri’s mother) it had already begun that she started watching it... in the fourth week. The makers got to know something was amiss in the second or third week and they started checking. They decided to shift it to Saturday-Sunday, which was much riskier. But they got their promotions correct this time, even I created awareness about it in the show and it started rating 1.7-1.8.

Will you be hosting the next season?
Yes, why not?

Earlier at the press conference, you joked that one person who will not go into the Bigg Boss house will be Priyanka (Chopra). Has it got something with her not doing Bharat?
(Laughs) We were destroyed that she is not doing Bharat, we were devastated (he says placing his hand on his heart with a impish smile), but we had to handle it, and we did. (On a serious note) No, she had a genuine problem at that point of time, but it’s just that we should have known it slightly earlier. But I am sure it’s okay, hope that film (with Chirs Pratt) works out for her. She has got engaged and I am really happy. Arpita (Khan Sharma, his sister) had gone for the engagement. Now, we have Katrina in Bharat, she is looking beautiful and is working hard. But main waise dalte rehta hoon (about Priyanka), nahi toh boring ho jaata hai (smiles).