Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 15, 2018)

After hours of extended primetime suspense, Shilpa Shinde pipped cocontestant Hina Khan to win the 11th season of Bigg Boss, as announced by show host Salman Khan live at 11.30 pm. The actress had been a popular choice across social media even before the result was announced on the show.

While the final four, including Hina Khan (below), Vikas Gupta and Puneesh Sharma, had large fan followings of their own, the scales tipped considerably in Shilpa’s favour with 70 per cent votes, with many likening her victory to Bigg Boss 8 winner Gautam Gualati’s for knowing exactly which battles to pick inside the house and how to be discreet during conflict.

While the winner has been typically announced much before 11 pm on the show’s previous seasons, Bigg Boss 11 took an unprecedented turn, when at 11.06 pm, Salman declared the voting lines open again for 10 minutes. They had been closed a day earlier as per schedule but fans had flocked with requests to open them one last time. Meanwhile, reports of Shilpa’s victory gained momentum around 9pm on the show but the winner was announced only after voting lines were closed one last time at 11.15 pm and subsequent counting completed by 11.30 pm, marking a first for the show with a half-an-hour deferred telecast.

Shilpa had started her TV career in 2001 with the telly soap Kabhi Aaye Na Judaai, also featuring in the titular role of Amrapali in another show, and as Koyal in Chidiyaghar. She hit pay dirt in 2015 as Angoori Bhabhi on Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai!, eventually calling it quits in early 2016 following issues with the show’s makers. Soon after her widely-publicised exit from the show, she did a special number in the Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal and Vir Das-starrer film, Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi.

The Bigg Boss 11 finale had featurd acts by all the four finalists, along with evicted contestants like Bandgi Kalra, Arshi Khan, Akash Dadlani, Luv Tyagi and Priyank Sharma. Akshay Kumar was the special guest on the show but it was the winner that everyone wanted to know about.

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.