The reality TV star was surprised when a picture that she had posted on social media was pulled down for being too ‘bold’
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; June 14, 2020)

Reality TV star Benafsha Soonawalla was taken aback when a picture that she had posted on her Instagram handle was pulled down, as it was reported to be inappropriate by a section of netizens. The photo, which had her posing sans a top with her arms covering her bosom, standing behind a glass wall, was reported by some netizens for being too ‘bold’. However, the host-actress found it a bit odd as she says that there have been several such pictures on the internet. “I didn’t feel there was anything inappropriate about my picture. However, some people with verified accounts reported it, after which the photo was pulled down. However, I don’t take these things to heart. I laughed it off,” she explains.

On the same note, she adds, “I feel that the problem is with the way some people think. I wish they didn’t see a body as a mere sexual object, but also appreciated its beauty. The bigger problem is when people tell you that you have triggered their imagination in a certain way. To be honest, that was not what I did.” When asked whether this incident would discourage her from posting pictures in future, she replies, “Not at all. I have been posting pictures in bikinis for a long time now. I love showing off my body because I have worked hard on it. It’s not for any validation or attention. Unfortunately, people didn’t see the picture the way it was supposed to be seen.”

Meanwhile, Benafsha’s parents and boyfriend, Priyank Sharma, were supportive about the whole incident. Benafsha shares, “When I showed Priyank the picture after posting it, he said, ‘Oh, that’s hot!’. My mother was just concerned about who had shot the picture. My parents are extremely supportive.”

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 25, 2017)

After months of raising hell in the Bigg Boss 11 house with her outspokenness, Arshi Khan has become the latest evictee and says she wasn’t prepared for it. “After coming out, I discovered that the audience feels 90% of the season ran because of me, with Aakash (Dadlani) and Puneesh (Sharma) being the least popular. If people liked me so much, how did I get less votes? Even the housemates were quite sure I would not go,” she tells Mirror.

Arshi first raised hackles among fellow housemates when she called TV actress Shilpa Shinde ‘maa’ and later fought with her. She even accused Shilpa of misbehaving with her father when he had entered the house as a guest. “Shilpa and I had always been close which is why I started addressing her as maa but she is very possessive, which is not right. I tried to lend support to Hina (Khan) when she was lonely and that’s when my relationship with Shilpa deteriorated. She was forcing me to choose between Hina and her and she got angry quickly,” Arshi explains.

When prodded on her flirtatious behavior with Hiten Tejwani, which had grabbed eyeballs, she says, “I had a great rapport with Hiten as well as Vikas (Gupta). The three of us would have fun and also discuss our issues. Bigg Boss gave me the opportunity to send Vikas to the semi finale that is as good as winning for me,” she contends, adding, “Hina is fake, she wants everyone to listen to her but she refuses to listen to others. Shilpa is fake in another sense. I would cook in the house but she made it seem like she did everything,” Arshi grouses, adding, “I regret being out while people who aren’t providing any content continue to stay on. Puneesh is not playing the game. Neither are Luv Tyagi and Priyank (Sharma). It’s really insulting that I got out before them.” Up next, Arshi has big plans for the future. “I want to work with Salman Khan. I would also like to meet former BB contestants Kamya Punjabi and Gauahar Khan,” she signs off.

Latest reality show evictee Hiten Tejwani on returning with dignity and deflecting a fellow inmate’s advances
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 18, 2017)

TV actor Hiten Tejwani has become the latest inmate to be cast out of the Bigg Boss house. “I’m still disoriented. It will take me a couple of days to get back to my routine as my body-clock is still set to Bigg Boss time. I didn’t expect to be out but it’s happened so I have to accept it. The housemates were given a choice to save either Priyank (Sharma) or me and they picked him. The game has become so dirty that people want to strike off strong contenders. I respected everybody and didn’t indulge in back-biting so I expected them to root for me me but they felt threatened by me so they wanted me out. Priyank is not a threat to them,” Hiten reasons.

While the actor, who is married to former co-star Gauri Pradhan, kept a relatively low-profile, his stint on the reality show was punctuated by fellow inmate Arshi Khan’s advances. “It irritated me initially and I would tell her that there were other boys in the house for her to target, to which she said that she wanted a man, not a boy. She was very funny but she never crossed the line. She was always supportive and extremely loyal,” Hiten says, adding that he wants Vikas Gupta, Shilpa Shinde or Arshi to win.

While many believe that he didn’t add much masala to the show, the actor is far from disgruntled. “I am happy that I didn’t have to change my personality. My dignity is intact,” he contends, adding that having his wife and kids visit him on the show were among the most memorable moments. He is also all praise for host Salman Khan, “He is the real Bigg Boss.”

Hiten and family will ring in the New Year in Mumbai but are planning a holiday later. “I wouldn’t mind doing Khatron Ke Khiladi next,” Hiten signs off.

Why is Karan Patel hitting out at the actress on social media? Bombay Times finds out...
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; December 8, 2017)

The ongoing edition of Bigg Boss has become a talking point not just among viewers, but also in the television industry. While every contestant has received attention for the right and wrong reasons, the inmate who seems to have become a regular topic of discussion, mostly courtesy her unfiltered comments, is Hina Khan.

Previous contestants, including Gauahar Khan and Kamya Punjabi, have been vociferous in criticizing the actress. However, it’s Karan Patel who has caught everyone by surprise with his regular posts against her.

And this weekend, the Ye Hai Mohabbatein actor will vent his disappointment on the small screen, when he visits the set of the reality show. We caught up with Karan about what he plans to say and he said, “I haven’t prepared at all and will go with the flow. I will share my views; jisko meri advice leni hai le, jisko nahi leni, nahi le.”

About voicing his opinion against Hina on social media and getting trolled by her followers, he said, “I don’t understand diplomacy on social media. It’s a platform to showcase the real you; if you fear speaking your mind, you should not be there. Yes, I have been bashed by Hina’s fans, but I posted another tweet saying that the more angry they get, the more funny I’ll find it. That’s no way to defend your favourite actor. Also, she has been proved wrong time and again and has even been pulled up by the host.”

He added, “The problem is that unlike the viewers, the contestants don’t get to see Hina’s two-faced personality. She says something to one contestant and something totally opposite to another. She is the most insecure and manipulative contestant on the show. In a bid to make her presence felt, she becomes loud. My advice to some of the contestants would be: Arshi Khan, kam bolo; Hina Khan, bilkul mat bolo; Priyank Sharma, kam socho; Luv Tyagi, sochna shuru karo; Akash Dadlani, should stop being a thali ka baingan, nahi toh uska bharta jaldi banega.”

When asked if he is against Hina because of his friendship with her fellow contestants Vikas Gupta and Hiten Tejwani, he replied, “That’s not true, I am just speaking my heart out. According to me, Vikas is the smartest player and Hiten is being himself. Hiten rarely loses his temper, but if he does, then God save the world. I would suggest that the other inmates don’t rub him the wrong way. I started watching the show because of my friends, Hiten and Vikas. Honestly, when I learnt that Shilpa (Shinde), too, is participating on the show, I was expecting fireworks and they delivered.”

Given his mercurial nature, will Karan ever agree to participate on the show? The actor’s reply shocked us, “I would love to, but they will have to modify some rules. For example, if push comes to shove, I wouldn’t mind slapping somebody over and over again. I am extremely reactive, but apologetic only when I am wrong. Imagine me being in the same house as Akash Dadlani! You can’t put up an act for 100 days inside a glass-walled house.”

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 20, 2017)

Benafsha Soonawala had been in the eye of the storm ever since she entered the Bigg Boss house. She is dating fellow VJ Varun Sood but was seen getting close to co-contestant Priyank Sharma on the show. But now that she is out, Ben, as she is fondly called, is miffed by all the talk about Priyank and her. “It’s rubbish, we were just friends. I’m generally very physical, even hugging and kissing my girlfriends. When I told Priyank that I had feelings for him, the smirk on my face was a giveaway but no one caught on. I even told him later that I’d been joking but he continued to say I was his type and that he didn’t know how to handle the situation. Yes, we shared a bed once but that was because we had just had a fight. We fell asleep during the emotional reunion, and when I woke up, I returned to my own bed. It was all pure and innocent,” she asserts, in a Tsunami of words, going on to reiterate that they were nothing more than just friends.

“People are slut-shaming me for no reason.” She is quick to laud Varun for waiting for her to explain things to him despite being targeted himself. “People should think ten times before passing judgement. I was dignified through the journey,” she asserts, admitting that it feels terrible to be evicted. “The journey is incomplete, I could have done so much more. If I get a chance to go back again like Priyank, I will let karma take over.”

She agrees that she was quiet and almost went unnoticed in the first couple of weeks before she got involved in the game. “People were raising questions, trying to malign me, so I started giving it back to them. I would think 10 times before saying things on national TV because along with mine, other people’s reputation was also at stake. But at times things spiraled out of control, as it happened with Aakash. Though I apologized later, it would have destroyed me, had I not reacted,” she reasons, adding that she sees three potential winners in Shilpa Shinde, Hiten Tejwani and Vikas Gupta.

Priyank Sharma is gearing up for his dream launch with theatre workshops, dance lessons and intense workout sessions
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 1, 2017)

Veteran actress Padmini Kolhapure and producer Pradeep Sharma’s son, Priyank Sharma, has emerged as the newest star kid on the block with big screen dreams. Mirror has learnt that the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute alumnus is currently looking for roles. “As much as I tried to keep him away from Bollywood, it just didn’t work. At home the atmosphere was always non-filmi. Much before Priyank realised that his mom was a famous actress and his father a producer, he’d gravitated towards theatre in school. He was obsessive about it and everybody told us it’s in the genes so we didn’t try to dissuade him,” Padmini tells Mirror.

Speaking about her son’s training before he bags his launch vehicle, the actress-mom reveals, “He studied at Lee Strasberg so he could get a feel of the job. He has been training in dance for a long time and is good at it. He has also been working on his physique as it’s become a prerequisite these days. He has attended theatre workshops with Nadiraji (Babbar), me, also learnt under the tutelage of Salim Arif. He has also served as an assistant on Rajkumar Santoshi’s Phata Poster Nikhla Hero, in which I played Shahid Kapoor’s mom.”

Padmini informs that Priyank had been getting offers since he was a child but the family felt it was not the right time to heed them. “We didn’t want him to start as a child actor or even as a teen. It was his decision to act so we left it to him. He’s never asked us to utilise our connections for him,” she asserts.

With her niece and nephew, Shraddha and Siddhanth Kapoor, already in the industry, the actress can’t wait for her son to join them. “Tejaswini (youngest Kolhapure sister) is leaving for a shoot, leaving her little daughter Vedika with me. Our Whatsapp group is called ‘Filmi family’ but we are totally non-filmi in real,” she laughs.

Meanwhile, Shraddha Kapoor is gung-ho about her cousin’s foray into films. “Priyank has always been fond of acting as far back as I can remember. He, like Siddhanth and I, loved to dance at birthday parties. If this is his calling, he should go all out and give it his best. He should enjoy every little thing about being an actor,” the actress stated, adding that she thinks Priyank will make for an amazing actor.

She recalls that as kids, the trio would be moved to tears by Michael Jackson’s “Heal The World”. “He is really very passionate about acting. There is something inherently effortless about him. Priyank will make for an amazing actor,” she signs off.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 18, 2017)

Last week, Bigg Boss contestant Priyank Sharma, who is a huge hit with youngsters after his appearances in other reality shows like Roadies and Splitsvilla, was ousted in the first week itself by an enraged Salman Khan after he hit co-contestant, rapper Akash Dadlani, for mocking his friend, producer Vikas Gupta.

In an interview to Mirror (October 13) Priyank had justified his actions saying inmates like Shilpa Shinde and Akash had been abusing Vikas and his family since the first day and he couldn’t take it anymore. He had appeared far from upset with the star-host, saying,“Salman bhai is one of the best hosts and knows what is right and what is wrong.”

Now, Mirror has learnt that Salman, who shoots the Diwali special episode this Friday, is going to send two Wild Card entries into the house, one of whom is Priyank. His female fans have been vociferously protesting his abrupt exit on the social media and demanding that he be brought back.

Priyank confirmed the news, saying, “This season has been explosive from the word go. My journey was incomplete because of an impulse decision. But I’ll be going back into the house to make amends with a different outlook and advice from Salman sir. And I’m hoping I come out a winner at the end of this innings.”

The second Wild Card entry is online sensation Pooja Jain, famously known as Dhinchak Pooja. The singer-songwriter is known for pioneering cringe-pop in India, with music videos including “Selfie Mein Ne Le Li Aaj.”

Priyank Sharma on why he hit inmate Akash Dadlani, leading to his abrupt exit from his third reality show
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 13, 2017)

Bigg Boss contestant Priyank Sharma, a big hit with youngsters after his appearances in reality shows like Roadies and Splitsvilla, has been ousted in the first week itself. It was not lack of votes that led to his abrupt exit but because he hit co-contestant Akash Dadlani for mocking his friend and producer Vikas Gupta. An enraged Salman Khan who, hosts the show reprimanded him and announced that he would have to leave.

Speaking to Mirror, Priyank acknowledges that his stay in the house was unexpectedly short but is far from upset with the star-host over the turn of events. “Salman bhai is one of the best hosts and knows what is right and what is wrong. I know I wasn’t supposed to push Akash but he knew my intentions. I stood for what was right. There was a lot of abusing happening and in a way he supported me. I have loved and admired him since I was a kid,” asserts the evicted contestant.

Prod him on whether he regrets that his run on this show ended prematurely and he sighs, “Yes, it was too early for me to leave. Bigg Boss was a short, sweet but an incomplete journey but I have no regrets. It’s not the first time someone has pushed another contestant but maybe I could’ve reacted more prudently. Usually I’m calm and positive but inmates like Shilpa Shinde have been abusing Vikas and his family since the first day and Akash followed in her footsteps. I couldn’t take it anymore. But I am apologetic about the way things happened.”

Vikas has often been targeted and mocked for his sexual orientation and Priyank points out that ridiculing someone for their sexuality is unfair. Puneesh Sharma even accused Vikas of practicing the casting couch. “There’s so much negativity in the house,” rues Priyank who, is dating Splitsvilla co-contestant Divya Agarwal. “Yes we are seeing each other.”