Pavitra Punia who recently got engaged to a US based businessman, regrets past sacrifices for love. “I’ve learnt that when you start saying no to yourself, you lose opportunities that could have shaped you, she says.

The 39-year-old shares: “I was in a relationship back then, and the other person (my ex) wasn’t comfortable with the kind of project I was being offered. I forgot that my personal and professional lives are separate. Being in the same field, he should have understood that, instead of holding me back,” Pavitra who was earlier dating actor Eijaz Khan further admits saying no to big production houses and OTT platforms 

“It is something I don’t want to repeat. I should never have been pressured into saying no to work or worried about what he would think. Everyone knows how this industry functions. I had to break that chain, and now I’ve crossed that phase of my life.”

The experience, she says, was a wake-up call. “I realized that the only person who should decide for me is me. I don’t want to say no to something that could help me grow just because I’m worried about someone else’s opinion. I’ve learnt not to say no to myself anymore.”

The actor, who gained fame through TV dramas and her presence on reality shows, says that her journey has been one of unlearning and evolving. “Reality shows aren’t easy, they test endurance, survival, and mental strength. You’re stripped of comfort, appearances, everything that makes you feel secure,” shares Pavitra, who was last seen in Reality Rani Season 2.

Despite this evolution, TV remains close to her heart. “No matter how many OTT or film projects come my way, I’ll always return to television if time allows. It’s where I started, it’s my foundation. And reality shows: I can never say no to them. They made me who I am. Growth is a choice and this time, I’m choosing myself.”

Actor Eijaz Khan, who broke up with actor Pavitra Punia last year after a three-year relationship, doesn’t need generic affirmations to stay positive. “No bulls**t about being happily single and no statements like ‘I am having the best time of my life’, for me. I would just say that I’m growing and understanding myself more than ever before,” he stresses.

Thankful that “God has been kind” amid what could have been a phase of upheaval for him, the actor says that work kept him focussed.

“At a very crucial time in life, the universe made sure I was busy and working. If I was sitting at home, I don’t think I would be alive by now. I believe that one can overcome any adversity and dark phase in life by aligning it to a better purpose,” explains Khan.

The zeal for growth could be seen in the 48-year-old’s refusal to limit himself to being a TV actor. “That’s the thought I am fighting — breaking the TV image. I did the show Moh Moh Ke Dhaage in 2015, three successful seasons of the web series City Of Dreams. Then I did a cameo in Jawan (2023). Where does a transition in my body of work appear in the audience’s mind?” he says.

Khan is now looking forward to his upcoming film Dhoom Dhaam with Yami Gautam and Pratik Gandhi and will start filming another project “with a top actor” soon.

“These big actors (cast members) call me sir. They don’t have any recollection of me from television. They know me from City of Dreams. They know me from the Tanu Weds Manu franchise. Honestly, it can prove to be a game-changer in my life,” he signs off.

As a part of a task, actors Akanksha Puri and Jad Hadid locking lips on last week’s Bigg Boss OTT 2 episode did not go well with the viewers. As the clip went viral, host, actor Salman Khan apologized to the audience, slammed the contestants and even threatened to quit if it happened again. Puri, who has been evicted from the house since, told a portal in an interview: “I did it and I am happy I kissed and I won [the task].”

Now, some former inmates of the Bigg Boss house are calling out the makers for not removing the scene from the final cut.

Actor Arshi Khan, who has appeared on multiple seasons of the reality show, feels: “There should be a limit to everything”. “Earlier, when I teased (actor) Hitten Ttejwani, without making it obscene, the audience loved it. Later, (actor) Rakhi Sawant did the same with (actor) Abhinav Shukla and went overboard.”

Singer Neha Bhasin, a contestant on Bigg Boss 15 and its OTT version, points out that makers should have controlled the live feed. “The makers had the choice to not show something they were later going to shame the contestants for. Instead, they packaged it... To first promote it and then condemn is a great strategy [to grab attention],” she shares.

Actor Pavitra Punia, who found love during her stint in Bigg Boss 14, blames the makers for minting mileage from the “drama”. She feels that makers should have acted responsibly: “They show one hour from a total footage of 24 hours. Why highlight the kiss? Why not edit it out?”

For actor Nishant Singh Malkani, who was seen in Bigg Boss 14, this gimmick reflected desperation for “15 minutes of fame”. “It’s making them cross the moral lines,” he says, adding, “The makers could put the kiss in the final cut because it is being streamed on OTT, otherwise TV pe toh nahin dikha paate.”

Actor Zeeshan Khan, who was seen in the first season of Bigg Boss OTT, shares, “Nowadays, the concept of entertainment for people is a little twisted. Rebel banne ke chakkar mein, they go against values. Earlier, it was entertainment for everyone, now, it’s becoming unfit for family viewing.”

Pavitra Punia, who is currently seen in shq Ki Dastaan Naagmani, has been in a relationship with Eijaz Khan since the time the two met on Bigg Boss 14, couple of years ago. Sometime back, the actress posted a picture of Eijaz proposing to her and ever since people have been asking her about their wedding plans.

When we spoke to her recently, she said, “Our wedding will be sudden, just like the ring pictures that you saw in October. Shaadi kabhi bhi ho sakti hai, we don’t really want to plan. It will happen when it has to, and at that time, I will announce it to the world. I would not like to say anything before that.”

The actress, who has been in a live-in relationship for the past few months, shared how everything is going well in her relationship, but it takes effort from both sides. She said, “We are in a good space. We are a normal couple, just like any other couple. I have seen my parents and they too have their share of fights after which they are back to sharing and showing their love for each other. Similarly, Eijaz and I as a couple also have our ups and downs. I do feel that no relationship is a cakewalk and if you want it to be smooth, you have to work on it. Both individuals have to put in a lot of effort to make it work.”

On the career front, Pavitra is enjoying her stint on Naagmani. She says, “It’s a good role. I like playing negative roles because they give you scope to perform.”

After taking a “deliberate” break from TV for a year, Pavitra Punia returned to the small screen with Ishq Ki Dastaan Naagmani, making this her second outing in the fantasy genre after Baalveer Returns. In a chat with us, Pavitra spoke about her fascination with fantasy shows, playing the villain on screen and answers the question everyone is asking her these days — when will she marry her boyfriend Eijaz Khan (Bigg Boss 14 co-contestant).

Since last year, I have been flooded with offers for Punjabi music videos. Especially since so many Bigg Boss couples have featured in them, Eijaz and I also got approached. But somehow it hasn’t clicked yet. Besides, as a couple we are very clear about what we want to do and not sign something just because others have done it.

Everyone is always asking us about our wedding, but honestly, we are as good as married. When you have lived with someone for long, you stop looking at each other as boyfriend, girlfriend. But when we will officially announce ourselves as husband and wife in a ceremony, is not in our hands. We have been planning since last year that we will do it this year and this year also we are planning the same. Our wedding will be very instant because we have such packed lives. We are trying hard to figure out where to fit our wedding in our schedule!

Marriage is a very big thing for both of us. We don’t want to get married by taking three days off and then resuming work. We want to enjoy the phase where we can indulge and feel the butterflies in our stomach that, oh my God! We did it! As a couple we are featuring in a project together. Although we get many offers, we don’t like many of them. We have a lot of professional integrity and want to work where we give each other equal respect.

This new show is very different from the Naagin series (Pavitra has also featured in Naagin 3). If the producer is writing any show, it’s because the audience wants to see it. One thing though is for sure that saas-bahu shows are not going anywhere. Even fantasy genre has a touch of saas-bahu. Fantasy for me is very Hollywood, very English. It’s like doing a Game Of Thrones kind of show in India (laughs).

I am doing two Bollywood films, besides web projects and TV. I took one and half years off from television shows, sitting at home to deliberately break my image of being a ‘TV actress only’. If not a main heroine, I would like to be a parallel lead in Bollywood, but in web films I have to be the main lead.

Fans can’t get enough of lovebirds Eijaz Khan and Pavitra Punia, who don’t shy away from sharing their romance with them. The actors have been busy shooting for their respective projects. In fact, they also worked together on a short recently.

Ask him about their future and Khan replies, “More or less, in life, I have been alone, at least in my head. But right now, I am in a beautiful, committed relationship. We see a future together. I am looking at marriage and children.”

Having said that, he adds that he also wants to give his family “everything”. “None of us are low maintenance (laughs). I don’t think I have the liberty that I used to exercise and take a break. I don’t want to do that anymore either. I want to give my family the best in life. I want to work hard and don’t want to waste a single day. I want to work, but not compromise on the quality of work,” says the actor.

Khan reveals that last year, they were supposed to be part of a dance reality show, and another project which got delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. He is happy that recently, he shot for a film in Gujarat.

On the work front, after being part of a reality TV show, he admits that television provides “security and stability” to actors. “I have been part of many daily soaps and when you work in one, you can plan your near future. You know you will be working for at least for the next six months. It is tempting for me, at this stage in my life. But I guess I will do TV shows if the kind of offers I am getting on OTT platforms are not to my liking. But God is kind that I am getting a vast range of characters and I am busy with them for now,” he ends.

Pavitra Punia is not feeling well. She says she has not been able to come to terms with the sudden death of her good friend and co-star Sidharth Shukla. The actor was proud of his achievements and knew how ambitious he was.

She adds that he loved superbikes and cars and would often bring his superbike on set to “show off”. Punia says, “In the next two years, he would have reached greater heights.”

The actor says her heart goes out to his family and friend Shehnaaz Gill. Talking about Gill, Punia says, “Aaj main jab Shehnaaz ko dekhti hoon, toh rooh kaanp jaati hai. People dream of having a pure bond like they had. I wouldn’t say it was dosti or boyfriend-girlfriend. Yeh rishta pati-patni se kam nahin tha. Their fans are crazy about them. I hope she manages, stays strong.”

Recalling her rapport with him, she shares, “We had a Tom and Jerry like bond! I worked with him in Love U Zindagi in 2011, my first show as a lead. I didn’t know the ways of the industry, yet, I had an attitude. I was called a youth icon and a reality star due to Splitsvilla. Sidharth was reserved, composed. He was my senior, but we had issues. I’d think hoga hero apne ghar ka. The show lasted for six months. But we bonded when we went to Macau for an awards show. That’s where we broke the ice. He was such a gentleman. Later, when we met on Bigg Boss, he asked me, ‘Dus saal pehle wali Pavtira kahan hai?’. He wanted the rowdy Pavitra. Had he not helped me realise the original Pavitra, I wouldn’t have lasted for a week.”

Birthdays are special, more so when you can spend it with your loved ones. For actor Eijaz Khan, who turns 46 today, this year’s celebration promises to be memorable as it will be the first one with his lady love Pavitra Punia.

Khan, who looks forward to spending the day with Punia, says, “This birthday is extra special because this is the first time I’ll be spending it with my beloved. Even if she just cooks me a meal, I’ll feel like the king of the world.” And ask him if the wedding bells will ring this year for the couple and he says, “Inshallah, we’ll announce that soon.”

On his birthday, he urges everyone to come forward and support underprivileged children to help them study. “I used to spend my birthdays with kids who aren’t as privileged as most of us. If each one of us supports a child and their education, it would be the best birthday gift for me,” says the actor who was recently seen in City Of Dreams Season 2.

Talking of privileges and prejudices, he feels television stars are often discriminated against due to the perception that TV actors are ‘over-the-top’. “People think web shows need realistic acting. But TV actors ‘underline’ every emotion, so makers of web shows or films don’t want them. I believe it depends on the actor’s calibre,” he shares.

The difference between TV and the web, Khan feels, is the way which the audience views both. “When I do TV, I understand people are watching us while having dinner and walking in and out of the kitchen. Hence, I need to underline every emotion and repeat myself. But people watch a web show in their personal space, hence, they put in their attention,” Khan adds.

While Eijaz Khan and Pavitra Punia were alone during the lockdown last year, they had each other’s company this time around. The couple admits that having a partner made a huge difference amid the pandemic. “We found love where we didn’t expect,” says Khan, referring to how the duo met on Bigg Boss 14 last year. He adds, “We are still discovering each other. With work on hold, having someone to share your thoughts helps.”

Punia agrees that the support a relationship gives is unmatched. She says, “We were together through the lockdown so there was someone to talk to. There was no boredom.”

The lovebirds often post cosy and even hilarious videos and photos on social media. Punia doesn’t mind the attention their relationship gets from their fans and has gratitude for their love. “The attention feels good and the support from my fans matters. Our PDA pics are for our fans as they expect them. Both of us are comfortable with each other and are not afraid of PDA. Rarely do couples feel so open and comfortable in the public domain,” says Punia.

While Khan explains that they don’t want to share their lives in public, they feel they “owe” their fans, a part of their lives. “I have been a private person and never spoke about my relationships. Pavitra comes across as a strong person but people don’t know her fragile side. I have been privy to it. People have an idea about our relationship and think they know what we should and shouldn’t be doing. So some comments affect us. We are in the public domain, so there are bouquets and brickbats, too,” he says. What are the highs and lows of being together? “We are two alphas,” says Punia, adding, “Both of us are moody and strong headed. We are workaholics, so there are clashes of opinions too, which is natural. Finding middle ground takes work. Today, due to the pandemic, every relationship is going through issues. I am superstitious toh main nazar utarti rahti hoon.”

After forging a strong bond on Bigg Boss (BB), Eijaz Khan and Pavitra Punia’s love has only blossomed in recent months. The couple, who fell for each other hook, line and sinker on the show, are taking things one day at a time. But falling in love was never on Eijaz’s agenda. In fact, the actor in an exclusive interview to BT, before entering the BB house, had said, “I will never go near a woman or have any romantic feelings, because I don’t want to catch people’s attention by romancing anyone in Bigg Boss. And after living alone for many years, I think I will remain single now, akela aaya hoon, akela jaunga.”

Well, that was then. When we remind Eijaz about his stance then, he laughs and says, “I have to eat my words. Though I must say, it was not the plan. I realised that I had feelings for Pavitra only after a month. We even had talks of how we should not indulge too much and let go of our sight of the game that we were playing in Bigg Boss. But as the famous saying goes, life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

Eijaz justifies why he said he wanted to remain single before entering the house. He says, “The lockdown period had changed my perspective. I had spent eight months living alone and I realised the fragility of life. I am 45 now and had been single for quite some time. When you live alone, you become set in your patterns and want to live life a certain way. I had planned that since I will remain single, I would dote on my sister’s kids and if I feel lonely, I would stay with my friend in the USA. But the lockdown made me realise that I needed to do many more things and Bigg Boss also taught me that there are other things left to do in life. In the midst of this, I realised I had a soft corner for Pavitra. It was not because she is gorgeous or took care of me, but I genuinely felt she was the right person for me.”

Eijaz reveals that being with Pavitra has made him feel like a collegian. He says, “I have been tom-toming about my relationship like a college kid, but I only have the best intentions at heart. Currently, as a couple, we are working through a lot of things like families, Coronavirus, getting out of the Bigg Boss mode, etc. I’ve also realised that I need to undergo therapy for certain things. People assume that when you are in a relationship, you are in a happy space and your companion is like your therapist, but that is not how it works. Pavitra is my companion and I want her to be that. After spending so many months in Bigg Boss, I wanted to go to a therapist and talk about my feelings. I wanted someone to make me understand and process these multiple thoughts that keep coming to my mind.”

So, is marriage on the cards this year? “Currently, Pavitra is busy with work and I am looking for work opportunities. We are happy spending time with each other, sometimes she compromises and sometimes I do. I am not a difficult boyfriend — I am a mixed bag of sometimes going to one extreme and being an understanding boyfriend. We live in unpredictable times and all that anxiety that had started last year at this time, has returned due to the current pandemic situation. But nevertheless, it is a beautiful feeling to be in love. However, there is no deadline that we have set for anything,” he signs off.

It wasn’t love at first sight for these two Bigg Boss 14 contestants. However, Eijaz Khan and Pavitra Punia have now taken their love-hate relationship to the next level and made it official to the world that “we are dating”. Interestingly, their love-hate rapport continues even outside the house, as just before talking to us exclusively, the two revealed that they fought over something, but then patched up in no time. Excerpts from the conversation...

Pavitra: I have always believed that love is a very beautiful feeling. We both are feeling it now. We fought inside the Bigg Boss house and still had feelings for each other there. Now, we have come out of the house and have confessed our feelings for each other. It's blissful.

Eijaz: I was too confused inside the Bigg Boss house. Everything there was from a game’s perspective. But anything and everything that came from Pavitra, was very real. Now that I have come out of the house and I see those clips of our fights, I see that hesitation and smile on my face ki arre yaar mujhe Pavitra pe gussa kyun nahi aa raha hai? Love for her, I think, was always there, and now I have confessed my feelings. And now, I can’t wait to torture her for the rest of my life!

Eijaz: Abhi bahut papad belne hain shaadi ke liye. Shaadi inshallah hogi, aur bahut sahi waqt pe hogi. We are keeping our fingers crossed and if all goes well, Pavitra and I will get married this year. Abhi humare ghar waale bahut phaile hue hain, pehle unhe samet le and then we will think about marriage.

Pavitra: Things will happen very soon. We can’t predict our future, but we can be hopeful and wishful about the future.

Eijaz: My brother and my cousins have met Pavitra. I have also met her brother. Woh ho chuka hai, now the planning for the other generation to meet is on.

Pavitra: Just before this call, we were having the ‘Bigg Boss time’ again where we were fighting and he was saying that do not raise your voice at me. When a relationship is real, you fight and make up and this cycle continues. This journey can’t always be sweet. People thought our fights were fake, but they were all real.

Eijaz: Earlier in the house, we used to fight over ridiculous issues like nominations etc., but now, we fight and argue on real things. She is teaching me how to look at life from a bigger perspective during the fights and counsels me on how not to have a bad day over things that are not in my control. Our fights are real and so is our making up. It is not because we have a Weekend Ka Vaar and so we are together, it is genuine.

Eijaz: Take a guess! I said I am sorry and you are right! It is always like that.

Pavitra: It was so because most of the time, he is wrong and when he is wrong, I need to shout and then he takes brownie points by saying, ‘Sorry, I won’t do it again!’ But if you see, he was wrong in the first place! He creates the fight and then says sorry (giggles!).

Eijaz: We wanted to watch it together, but both of us have been busy with our work and have not had the time to catch up much on the episodes.

Pavitra: Going by Eijaz’s image, whatever she is doing is completely opposite of what his image is. He has mostly been quiet and has not been violent the way she has been in the recent episode. Eijaz ne ghar ko kabhi bhi nuksaan nahi pahunchaya. But having said that, going by the tough competition inside the house as of now, I think she is giving good content to be there in the house. Eventually, content matters, which the audience and the makers love. I would love to see more of this side of Devoleena because by doing all this todphod, she is going to be in the show, which means Eijaz is in the show.

Eijaz: I have lost touch with what is happening inside the house. If I go as a competitor now, I have a lot to catch up on, and I am ready for it.

When a celebrity declares their love on national television, it is often believed to be not-so-genuine and just for the camera. But Pavitra Punia wants the world to know what Eijaz Khan and she feel for each other is real. The latter professed his love for Punia on the reality show Bigg Boss 14 and she, too, has reciprocated.

“Our feelings are real. What we have is real. It takes courage to say something like that on national TV. When we were in the reality show, it was never fake. Even my friends asked how real it is, but let me tell you no one will ruin their personal image for publicity. We will take it forward slowly,” says Punia, who feels people doubt them as they had a love-hate relationship on TV.

“When we were apart for over a month, it was the moment of truth for us. Our feelings didn’t change. Future toh unpredictable hai! We can only decide and live in the present. It is a blessed moment for us. Earlier, we felt attachment and care, now we are in love. Love is when you know you are there for someone and that person is there for you. I love his aura, his personality and stubbornness,” she smiles.

She says as both of them are now shooting, they’re spending their free time together. Punia and Khan have met each other’s brothers and reports suggested she might meet his father, but she says it’s too soon. “Meeting siblings is fine as they are more like friends. I am a shy person, so though I want to meet his dad, but what we have is too new,” she adds.

Asked about hotelier Sumit Maheshwari’s claims that he was married to her and Punia says, “I don’t want to comment on my past. I only want to focus on my present.”

Eijaz Khan’s exit from Bigg Boss 14, citing a prior work commitment, has left his fans shocked and disappointed. Talking to BT about the tough decision that he took just four weeks ahead of the reality show’s finale, the actor says, “According to the original schedule, the finale of BB was to be held on January 15, and my contract with them was till then. On the other hand, the shoot of my web series was stalled in February last year and even before I entered the house, there were talks about it getting restarted. As luck would have it, by the time my entry in BB was almost finalised, the makers of the series asked for my dates. I chose the reality show at that point, because I was not sure if the shoot of the series would actually commence. But now that it has started, I decided to leave BB. Main zubaan ka pakka hoon. It was a tough call as I was just four weeks away from the finale and could have been a strong contender.”

As re-entries are common in BB, will we see him make a comeback as well? “Initially, the makers thought that it would be impossible as it’s too close to the finale. However, they said that they will try something. I have given my blood, sweat and tears to this show, so I feel that my fans will feel cheated if I exit just like that. So, my primary responsibility now is to go back and win it for them,” he replies.

Eijaz is optimistic about actress Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who was a part of BB 13, being roped in as his proxy on the show. “I haven’t seen her game, but she seems sorted and says exactly what she wants to. The best part is that she has seen a few episodes of BB 14, and during the last task, both of us surprisingly chose Nikki Tamboli and gave the same reason without consulting each other,” he shares.

The actor seems to have a lot of trust issues, which came to the fore during his stint on the show. Point that out and he says, “I don’t find it difficult to trust people, I trust everyone till they break my trust. I was arrogant enough to go inside the house without having watched any season of BB. I might have played better if I had done that, but what trained me for the show was life. I have been more self-critical than any of the other contestants. My journey inside the house has been more inward — breaking myself every day, bringing the pieces together and building myself again... After a certain point, you can’t break any more. All false perceptions about yourself get ripped apart and what remains is real. And, that is the best therapy anyone can ask for.”

Another highlight of his journey on BB has been his equation with fellow contestant Pavitra Punia. Forging a romantic relationship on the show could be easily assumed as a ‘game strategy’, but Eijaz says, “There is no better place to realise the reality of a person than the BB house. The whole sham of Pavitra being a tough girl was busted; she is quite soft hearted. In fact, she is the most caring person I know. Woh jis tarah se dhyaan rakhti hai, saaf safaai karti hai apna samajh kar. She has been cooking for me (smiles!). My fourth call after leaving the house was to her. After I left my dad, I have spent the longest time with her since my exit to understand the unsaid. A lot of things needed to be addressed, not just about her past, but also what we think of each other. We aren’t kids, we are not in the dating game, and we have had our heartbreaks. Let me put it this way, people who think my equation with Pavitra is fake, are fake themselves.”

So, what was his conversation with Pavitra all about? Eijaz replies, “Every decision will be taken keeping in mind our wellbeing. This is only possible by developing mutual understanding, which comes with spending time together. To be honest, I was scared when I was inside the house, as one starts building castles in the air without having understood the other person. So, it’s better to play BB in the real world...understanding each other or fighting with each other (laughs!).”

Eijaz and Pavitra have already met each other’s brothers. The actor says, “When I met Pavi, I met her brother, too. He is sweet. I also made my brother meet her. We take each day as it comes. My intention is honest, pure and pavitra, pun intended! We will see where it goes, let us not define or label it.”

Kavita Kaushik’s eviction from the Bigg Boss house surprised many, considering she was touted as one of the strong contenders on the show. However, the actress says that the reason behind her eviction was that she got pulled into somebody’s else’s game. She says, “I played with my heart and not mind. When I entered the show, Eijaz Khan claimed to be a close friend of mine. He is just an acquaintance. I have met him three or four times in 18 years of my career. In 2005, we did a show together and after that I met him straightaway in 2019! All our meetings didn’t make him my close friend. It’s only in Bigg Boss that I got to know about his true nature.”

Kavita faced a lot of backlash when she mentioned in the show that she cooked for Eijaz during the lockdown and people said that the actress made it sound like a favour. She clarified, “In March, when the lockdown was announced, I called up all those whom I know who were single. So, I called Eijaz also to check on him and how he is managing everything alone. He told me that there is no cook and it’s getting difficult for him to cook food daily. Out of concern, I cooked something for him, which he can stock in his refrigerator for few days. I didn’t do him any favour, unlike the reports. And I wasn’t making a mockery of him. It was a gesture from my side. You see, it’s a 24-hour show and they show only 45 minutes of the entire day. So, my words were taken out of context.”

As far as posting a picture with Eijaz is concerned on her social media account, she said, “I have a picture with Shah Rukh Khan also, does that make him my friend? Inside the show, I got to know the real Eijaz and realised that he doesn’t want friends but chamchas in his life. And I don’t want to be his chamcha. When he mentioned to Salman Khan that I am his close friend, I could have cleared that thing right there, but out of respect for Eijaz, I didn’t disregard him and refute his claims, something which I should have. In fact, this went against me and Rubina Dilaik nominated me. And what close friend is he blabbering about? Inside the house, I invited him to sit with me while I was having food, but he simply ignored that. He doesn’t need love or friends; I told this to Pavitra Punia. But that time, she didn’t listen to me. And look at the situation now. I saw in the promos that instead of saving her, Eijaz saved Jasmin Bhasin, leaving Pavitra in tears.”

Kavita said that she has learnt a huge lesson during her stint in Bigg Boss. “The biggest lesson that I have learnt is that you have to stand up for yourself and you have to be conscious of who your friends are and who aren’t.”

When asked if she would like to go in as a wildcard contestant, Kavita said, “As of now, I am planning a trip to the hills. So, I really can’t say anything right now.”