Armaan Kohli, Neeru Randhawa, Ayesha Jhulka, Munmun Dutta and Tanishaa

DNA (June 6, 2018)

Armaan Kohli seems to have gone missing after girlfriend Neeru Randhawa filed an FIR for physical assault against him on Sunday. A case against him has been registered by the Santacruz Police Station under sections 323, 326, 504 and 506. Reportedly, the fight between the two started on a frivolous note at his home and in no time, he got abusive. Apparently, before Neeru could realise, he had allegedly pushed her down the stairs and pulling her by the hair, even banged her head against the floor. The injury was so bad that she had to undergo surgery at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, where she had got admitted post the assault. Meanwhile, Armaan has gone incommunicado; he has switched off his mobile and is not around at home either. The police are on the lookout for him for further investigation.

Incidentally, this is not the first time Armaan is said to have assaulted Neeru. Earlier this February, he apparently almost broke her nose. However, she’s believed to have forgiven him then. Armaan has a history of getting abusive with his previous girlfriends. Reportedly, he had been accused of assault by Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah actress Munmun Dutta in 2013 in Mauritius. Even during his Big Boss stint, he was arrested for physical abuse after his co-contestant Sofia Hayat filed a complaint against him. He was later released on bail. After the Bigg Boss stint, Armaan was reportedly in a relationship with Tanishaa, but due to his temperamental issues, they parted ways.

Long before that, Ayesha Jhulka, who did a couple of films with the actor and was also in a serious relationship with him, reportedly broke up because of his anger management issues. When she was asked about the show following Sofia’s complaint, Ayesha had said, “I would never like to associate myself with a man like Armaan. He is history now and if a woman has filed a complaint against him for such behaviour, then I am sure it is true.”

An industry insider says two of Armaan’s biggest problems in a relationship are that he’s commitment-phobic and he’s abusive. “Armaan has been in relationships with various women at different points in time, but he has never got married to any of them,” says a source, adding, “He can’t commit long-term to a relationship and he has a terrible temper, which compels women to break-up with him.”

From a Juhu five-star room, British-Indian model Sofia Hayat operates as the reincarnation of the supreme Mother Goddess. The former model is now free of her implants and ‘evil’ past
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; June 12, 2016)

On Friday afternoon, at a Juhu five-star room, we got adopted by British-Indian model Sofia Hayat, best known for being mounted to sex goddess status by Vogue Italia in 2012, after they named her Curvy Icon. “I am the Mother Goddess, Isis and Mary, who are the same by the way. I am the Supreme Goddess, and you are my child,” she said, her lush lips free of colour, parting into a peaceful smile.

“I know that the things I say may sound crazy. God knows they sound crazy to me as I am saying them, but it’s all happened to me.” The 31-year-old, who Indian audiences remember for making it to the top nine finalists on reality television show, Bigg Boss 7 in 2013, is now Gaia Sofia Mother.

For now, the nun operates from a makeshift temple set up in the living room of the hotel suite. She wears a white sleeveless dress that skirts her ankles (it’s self designed, she says), a habit, and beads around her neck. The transformation, she said, wasn’t sudden. The daughter to Muslim Kashmiri immigrants — factory worker Zammurrad and homemaker Surriya — Hayat was disowned by her parents when she took to modelling while in college at Sussex University. “Once, my mother had me kidnapped from college and tried killing me.  But I have forgiven her for it. At my father’s funeral in September last year, I told her I am honoured that I am her daughter. I think she is happy now that I am all covered up,” she laughs.

Hayat remembers her father as a disciplinarian who wouldn’t hesitate from thrashing his daughters if they didn’t stick to rules. She cut off communication with him 15 years ago, after a case was filed against him for having sexual relations with an underage girl. “The charges were later dropped, but I didn’t wish to speak to him… possibly because I was abused by his cousin when I was a child,” said Hayat, now in tears.

She left home to continue modeling, altering her body along the way. But it was a heartbreak in 2015 that left her broken, drinking more than usual. She was at a hotel in London when she opened the spa menu to find that a shaman was visiting. Guests could consult him for £ 400, for a session of healing. “When I was with him, I saw my past lives. In one, I was an orphan, and forced into prostitution. In another, I was a king who liked killing animals,” she says with conviction.

That reading disturbed her, leaving her open to the gift of “knowing things”. Then, a friend suggested she try ayahuasca, a tea made of the Banisteriopsis caapivine and the Psychotria viridis leaf, used by the Amazonians as a spiritual medicine. It has the power, Hayat explains, to reveal your true purpose on Earth. Hayat was off to a retreat in the suburbs of London where they used this healing practice. “My friend said when he meditated after having the tea, he was told, Sofia is a planet, not a human being.” Told by who, she wouldn’t say.

It was when she was at the retreat, on September 10, 2015, that her niece, Hannah called to say her father had passed away. “I was shocked with the news. But I decided to stay on at the retreat because I knew my father would come to me. When I had the tea later that day and meditated, his soul entered mine, and he apologised to me,” she recollects.

On her return to London, she had another moment of reckoning. Lord Ganesha and Lord Brahma were telling her to head to Egypt. It was in Egypt that she said, she discovered, “that I was the Goddess herself. I went to the pyramids, and by this time, the angels were constantly around me, talking to me. I felt the goddess Isis enter me. I started talking in an ancient tongue and the temple guardians folded their hands before me. They said, ‘She is here’. Later, I slipped into a trance and the goddess came to me. She said, ‘Sofia, do you know who you are?’ I now knew.” Hayat returned to India last month to visit and donate to an orphanage in Santa Cruz. She has now declared that she is now a nun. She is now busy building a temple of awakening in London by pooling in her life’s savings, the money she had made from modelling and the funds she raised by selling her old London home. “People who come over can try crystal and Tibetan healing. It’s to assist them find the real them. There are angels all around us, you know. They help us.”

For Hayat, modelling and acting are evil. They force you to aspire to look a certain way. “Young people should know that doesn’t matter! What are ‘fat days’, anyway? Why does one wear make-up? I don’t regret my days as a model, because only if you go through it [the excess], can you comment on it. Everyone here does plastic surgery and is promiscuous. That’s how men want us to be. But that’s not us. I haven’t had sex for a year, and I don’t feel like it either. Now I know why,” she said, before treading into the green zone. “There is nothing like global warming! When I was with Isis, I was blowing at my hands to cool myself down, since I am planet earth. And she asked me, why? When I said it was so I can reduce global warming, she said, the planet is perfectly fine. Global warming doesn’t exist. It’s just a tactic for governments to extract tax from us.” We hope she is right with at least that one.

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; May 3, 2014)

In February, last year, actress Sunny Leone had lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell of Mumbai Police against Kamaal R Khan for falsely attributing controversial comments on rape to her on his microblogging page. The actor had posted, “ Yeh lo… Sunny Leone says, ‘Rape is not a crime; it’s just surprise sex’ (sic). On May 1, Kamaal R Khan wrote on a social networking site, “I request to Digvijay Singh Ji to have a strip show of Sunny Leone in the function of his marriage and I will pay Rs 1crore to the Congress party fund. (sic)” In response to this tweet, Sunny Leone’s lawyer now will be filing a fresh complaint against him.

Advocate Rizwan Siddiquee, who is representing Sunny Leone, says, “It is indeed shocking to note that despite filing an FIR against Kamaal R Khan more than a year ago under Sections 500, 504, 509 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 and Section 66(A) of Information Technology Act, the police seems to have taken no serious cognizance of the complaint, as a result of which, Kamaal R Khan has apparently once again sought to harass my client without any fear. This has now become a very serious issue and shows the functioning of the police in a poor light. I am therefore constrained to issue a final notice to the police to take immediate cognizance of these offences. If the police fail to perform its duties, then I shall be constrained to file appropriate proceedings against the department besides starting proceedings against Kamaal R Khan.”

Bollywood celebrities taking potshots at each other is one thing, but filing cases or complaints against one’s peers is another matter. hitlist takes a look at instances where film personalities were under legal attack from their colleagues…



Kangana Ranaut and Aditya Pancholi
Kangana’s affair with Aditya Pancholi came out in the open when the former filed a police complaint against him for physical abuse. The actress was dating the actor-turned-filmmaker despite knowing that he was married to yesteryear actress, Zarina Wahab.

Apparently, it all started when Ranaut found support in actor Aditya Panscholi and his wife Zarina Wahab, who she then considered to be her ‘family away from home’. At first, Ranaut declined to speak about it openly, despite making several public appearances with him.

In 2007, it was reported that Ranaut had filed a police complaint against Pancholi for physically assaulting her under the influence of alcohol. The following year, Pancholi confirmed the affair in an interview, saying that he had co-habiting with Ranaut in the past. He also accused her of owing him money to the tune of Rs 2.5 million. In response to these allegations, Ranaut’s spokesperson had said, “ After physically assaulting her in the middle of a road, he has no right to expect anything from her. Besides, she has already given him Rs 5 million.”

Abbas Tyrewala and Preity Zinta
On September 12 last year, the local metropolitan magistrate’s court at Andheri issued a nonbailable arrest warrant against Bollywood actress Preity Zinta in connection with a cheque bouncing case. The complaint was filed by Abbas Tyrewala, dialogue writer of the 2013 movie, Ishkq in Paris; Tyrewala went to court claiming that a cheque of Rs 18.9 lakh had bounced. In her defence, Preity said that she had made the payment due to him.

At its last hearing, the court imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on Preity Zinta for non-appearance and a non-bailable arrest warrant was also issued, since she did not turn up in court for the hearing. In a setback to the actress, the Bombay High Court refused to quash proceedings against her asking her to face trial.

Sofia Hayat and Armaan Kohli
Actor Armaan Kohli was arrested in December last year for allegedly assaulting British- Pakistani actress Sofia Hayat during their stay at a Lonavala bungalow for the shoot of reality show, Bigg Boss. Kohli was then picked up from the Bigg Boss house by Lonavala city police. It seems that Hayat, who was evicted from Bigg Boss 7, filed an FIR against Kohli at the Santacruz police station. She alleged that she was manhandled and subjected to unparliamentary language by him inside the Bigg Boss house.

Tusshar Kapoor and Samir Karnik
Tusshar has filed a police complaint against director Samir Karnik for misappropriation of funds amounting to nearly Rs 1.7 crore. Tusshar had taken legal action against director Samir Karnik apparently due to nonpayment of Rs 1.75 crore for his promotional work for the film, Chaar Din Ki Chandni ( 2012).
Furthermore, it is said that a cheque given to the actor, that was part payment for the film, had also bounced.

Pulkit Samrat and Ekta Kapoor
Pulkit Samrat, who was popular for his role as Lakshya in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, was once a favourite with Balaji Telefilms. But later, the actor filed a case against the production house over nonpayment of dues and for not allowing him to take up projects from other production houses.

Natalie Portman and Saif Ali Khan
In July 2012, Natalie Portman sued actor-producer Saif Ali Khan, after he announced that they would collaborate on a Hindi film. Khan later clarified that he was joking, and had started the rumour in response to constant media reports on his personal life. The actor had clarified saying, “It was a joke, I am sorry. It’s just that I am very annoyed with speculation on all aspects of my life. If this goes on, I might just start making up stories like these to entertain myself. Hope people will understand that.”

Past squabble

When BR Chopra sued Madhubala
During the filming of Naya Daur, the film was dogged by a highly controversial and widely publicised court case. Initially, actress Madhubala was cast as the female lead. An advance payment was given to her and shooting went on smoothly for 15 days. B. R. Chopra, the director, wanted the unit to travel to Bhopal for an extended outdoor schedule. But Ataullah Khan, Madhubala’s father, objected to this and claimed that the Bhopal schedule was a ruse to give Dilip Kumar the opportunity to romance his daughter (Kumar and Madhubala were in a relationship at the time). Finally, Chopra sued Madhubala to seek a refund of the advance she had received from him. He then replaced her with the South Indian actress Vyjayanthimala who had earlier acted with Dilip Kumar in Devdas. Madhubala supported her father despite her commitment to Dilip Kumar, who then testified in favour of BR Chopra. Madhubala and her father lost the case amid much negative publicity. However, once the film released and became a hit, Chopra dropped his charges to save Madhubala from the humiliation of what could have been a prison sentence.

Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; December 30, 2013)

Did you think you’d win this season of Bigg Boss? I didn’t think I would. For a moment, I thought Tanisha would win. But then, Salman kept swaying our hands and that’s when I felt I still had a chance to win.
 
Why did you feel Tanisha would win? Because I saw Tanuja ji sitting in the audience. And then you do all sort of calculations in your mind. You must have seen the expression on my face. I couldn’t believe what I heard.
 
You never got along with Tanisha in the house... Yes, I never had a great equation with her. But the two of us are similar. Both of us are strong personalities and she also spoke her mind like me. She is very strong-headed. But she also had the pressure to conduct herself in a certain manner for the family she comes from. I spoke my mind and drew a lot of flak from her for it. She is very caring towards the people she loves. I respect her.
 
How do you think you conducted yourself? I have been the way I am. It’s been a good journey. I showed the viewers what I am in real life — flawed or not flawed.

What have you learnt from the stint? I discovered a new Gauahar Khan. Before Bigg Boss, I wasn't too sure of my strengths. I would often leave things thinking that I would not be able to finish them. But inside the house, I pushed myself to complete tasks and other chores. I couldn’t walk away from something. I couldn’t learn to control myself. That’s something I would never learn.
 
You came across as a very controlling woman, especially when it came to Kushal. But that’s how I am. I am controlling in real life. I am very opinionated and I speak my mind. But this is the way I am and you saw the real Gauahar Khan inside the house. I am a human being and I can’t be perfect.
 
It felt as if you were mothering him. I admitted to my feelings for him on national television. He is very childlike, bahut bachpana hai usme. But the fact is that he pampered me and was extremely supportive. He stood by me and spoke up for me. I think my Bigg Boss journey would have been different had he not been there. With him around, it felt that I have someone who is my own. He may be childlike, but for me he was mature.
 
Did you feel that Kushal and you became the target every weekend during Salman Khan’s episode? Do you think he was biased? Everybody is asking me this question. There is no better host than Salman Khan. He guides you when required and is a friend who cares. I remember how he asked the team to change a question as it sounded too harsh. I give him credit. I hate judging people.
 
But just now you said you are an opinionated person. Strong opinions are formed after judging people. I am not judgmental. I can’t lie. If I find something wrong, I say it to their face. This is what I did inside the house. I didn’t say something 15 weeks ago about someone and told the concerned person the same when it was revealed by a third party.
 
You and Kushal instigated Sofia Hayat to file a police complaint against Armaan. No, I didn’t. Kushal did and his childlike behaviour is to be blamed. I am not supposed to speak much on the topic but all I can say is that Sofia is a grownup individual and can take her own decisions. We never instigated anyone.
 
What about your equation now with Kushal? You announced your love for him on national television. It’s different inside the house. I will explore our relationship, now that I am out of the house. This is actually day one of knowing him.

Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; December 23, 2013)

Armaan Kohli, after being evicted from Bigg Boss spoke to Bombay Times about his bad boy image, Sofia Hayat’s complaint and his closeness to Tanisha Mukherjee.
 
What’s the status of your relationship with Tanishaa Mukerji? Viewers were privy to cosy moments between you two. We would generally chat about the events that took place during the day when the lights went off. I will agree that in Tanisha, I found a great friend and my affection for her is more than for anybody else. She is my priority as a friend. We both come from families with a film background and hence, I would not like to comment on it any further. I would meet her after seven days, once the show is over.
 
Do you see a future with her? We haven’t planned anything. If at all things progress, I would like to keep it private.
 
But often relationships don’t last once you get out in the real world. We are mature people and know better how to handle things. She is a very dear friend and I would want her to win the show.
 
People feel that you have been disrespectful towards women. I am a mamma’s boy and that says it all. I can’t be disrespectful towards women. I feel women are superior to men. If I have wronged a woman, I have apologized and touched her feet.
 
You seem to have inspired men who expect their wives and girlfriends to be like Tanishaa and face their tempers by being docile. I think Tanisha should be an inspiration to all these women then. She is strong, independent and has her head firmly on her shoulders. And if they become like us, I’d also request them to end every argument within three minutes like we did inside the house.
 
While you didn’t acknowledge a certain Tanya Singh, she spoke openly about your relationship with her. What do you have to say about it? There is no equation. I have more female friends than males. We were friends. I was and am still single, both when I had walked inside and out of the house. If I had been in a relationship, I would have announced it. Why hide it? I have not lived-in with her. I stay with my parents.
 
What have you learnt from Bigg Boss? I feel like a winner. I reached the top six and have survived inside the house for 97 days. This is a huge achievement for me. After staying away from my mother and my mobile phone, I am proud of myself. The show has taught me calmness, patience, compatibility, compromise, being friends with people who badmouth me, and the ability to listen. It has taught me to be a better man.

Your temper issue has become a talking point. I entered the house to play the game. I am good to the good and worse to the bad. It’s reel life, not real. You are being recorded by cameras right from the time you wake up to the time you sleep. Isse badi acting toh ho hi nahi sakti. You are bound to react when you see people badmouth and bitch about you. And I want to be the bad boy now, but in reel life. I hope that I get negative roles, now. Everybody had a temper. Some displayed it in a subdued manner, others were loud. In real life, you have the option to leave the situation, but that’s not an option with the housemates.
 
Don’t you have a temper problem? I don’t. I believe I have been the target for all 14 contestants right from the beginning. They were all insecure about me. I have not fought with eight out of 20 participants. I have made some genuine friends like Tanisha, Andy, Sangram Singh, Elli Avram and Kamya Punjabi.
 
Your ex-girlfriend Ayesha Jhulka spoke about your temper and said that if a girl lodged a complaint against you, it must be true. Comment. Ayeshaji is a wonderful human and I wish her good luck. May God bless her. If she has given such a statement, she knows more than me. She is married and with kids and hence, I would not talk about it any further.
 
What about the alleged violence with Sofia Hayat, who filed an FIR against you? Something that could have been sorted within 90 seconds was blown out of proportion. Had I wronged Sofia, I wouldn’t have been inside the house again. As per the format of the show, you cannot touch a person, let alone hit him/her.
 
But the cops charged you with sexual harassment and molestation after viewing the tape. I can’t comment on the case as of now. All I can say is that one can’t touch a person. You give me a few more days and I will give you my side of the story.
 
Do you think inadequate food supply and less sleep also triggers anger? I have lost 14 kgs but I won’t say that food wasn’t enough. I was content with the food and slept well. I guess the waking and eating at the right time helped me lose weight. Maine dabaa ke khaaya.
 
Many feel that Salman Khan favoured you throughout while others, especially Kushal Tandon bore the brunt. I beg to differ. He took my case on two occasions. I believe Kushal came under the hammer more probably because he did more wrong. It’s Salman’s opinion and I am nobody to question his judgment. He has always made us understand a situation and warned us for our betterment.
 
Any message for Kushal? Kushal is a baby and gets carried away most of the times. He is like my younger brother and a good boy. I hope he changes to become a better man and we get to see his good side more.
 
What will you do different if given a chance to go inside the house again? I would like to laugh a lot and make other inmates laugh a bit. I would like to dominate the house. I had a don’t-mess-with-me attitude right since the beginning. But no, I don’t regret anything.
 
Bigg Boss seems to have done you good in terms of bringing you back into the limelight. What are your future plans? I will come back with a vengeance to do more work. I am not very keen on doing television. I have two home productions lined up and will feature in Rumi Jaffery’s movie. I will now be after Salman Sir for a job. Hopefully, I should get four to five movies. 
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Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 23, 2013)

You regret what happened five days ago? I don’t even remember what had happened since the stress level in the house is very high.
 
You don’t remember being arrested by the Lonavala on a complaint filed by your Bigg Boss copartcipant Sofia Hayat for assualt and sexual harassment ? The format of the show is such that no one is allowed to touch anyone. Had I hit Sofia, you think I would have been allowed to return to the house. Once I get permission to hold a press meet, I’ll show what really happened.
 
So you think what happened was a publicity? I wish Sofia happiness but she made an issue out of a tissue.
 
But you often came under the scanner for your temper? I have never done a reality show before this. So in front of the 100 cameras I behaved exactly as I would off camera. When I entered the show, I had said that I would treat the inmates the way they treated me. If someone uses foul language, how can I keep quiet? Every action has a equal reaction.
 
There has been a lot of Armaan bashing by the ex-contestants. Your former girlfriend Ayesha Jhulka even called you a woman beater… Jitni mooh, utni bakwaas. I can’t really stop that. I am the biggest momma’s boy and I have said this on the show. There’s a very thin line between the good and the bad side.
 
Have you changed since you entered the house? Yes, when I went in there, I was out of control. After after spending so many days inside, I am more patient and calm today. I have developed the ability of listen to people which should help me all my life.
 
Is Tanishaa Mukerji responsible for this change? Are you in love with her? I have no idea at this point in time. She is a very dear friend who has stood by me and done a lot for me. But falling in love takes some time. It can’t just happen in two months. But whatever happens, we will stay friends.
 
It is said that Tanishaa’s family members are not happy about the relationship... Whatever they say is right. We belong to the same fraternity and they are part of the family. All I can say is that I am very lucky to have found a friend like Tanisha.
 
Your dad, Raj Kumar Kohli, told Mirror that you are not doing much and that he needs to discuss with your future with you… The first call I made when I came out was to my dad. I couldn’t meet him when I was taken to the police station and I’m waiting to apologise to him for giving him so much trouble.
 
An astrologer on the show said that you will be good in production. Any films of your father’s that you wish to remake? There are some 40 odd films. I would love to remake dad’s Naukar Biwi Ka, Jaani Dushman and Raaj Tilak.
 
Getting evicted in the last week must be painful? Yah, it’s sad but no regrets. Surviving for over 90 days is an achievement on its own. In my eyes, I am a winner.

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 18, 2013)

How was your early interaction with Armaan Kohli? Pleasant, but everything went for a toss when he got aggressive during one of the tasks. He abused me with the choicest of expletives. Next day, he hit me with a mop. If the other contestants, Kushal Tandon and Ajaz Khan, were not around, I don’t know what would have happened. The women on the show are too scared of him.

Armaan has been released and is back on the show… I’m disgusted. I demand to know how the broadcasters allowed him to come back? By doing so they are promoting violence against women. channel also edited out the portions of Armaan hitting me when the episode was telecast. He should be in jail.
 
Were you subjected to sexual harassment? Armaan is not only violent but also abusive. He told me that I was a psycho and should take pills. After seeing the tapes, the police added two Sections--506 (Criminal intimidation) and 354 (Sexual harassment), which makes the offence far more serious. Those videos should be made public.

Why didn’t you leave the show on Wednesday or Thursday when you had packed your bags? I was banging the door so someone would let me out. But Bigg Boss insisted he wanted to talk, so I stayed back and was given to understand that Armaan would be evicted. When I learnt that the tables had been turned and I was dumbstruck!
 
It’s said that you are only trying to get free publicity? Those who think so have no respect for women.
Armaan’s father says that the Bigg Boss is scripted? Rubbish. Will I head to the cops based on a script?

Sofia Hayat who was evicted from Bigg Boss house says Armaan’s love for Tanisha is an act for the cameras
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; December 9, 2013) 

If not for Armaan Kohli, Sofia Hayat would have loved to continue to be a part of Bigg Boss 7. Now, she is relieved and happy to be out of the house. “Armaan was giving me a difficult time and caused me a lot of stress in the house. It started with a small point of bargaining during the toy-making task and Armaan just escalated it. He called me a freak, a paagal. He was picking up on my anxiety which was wrong,” says Sofia. She even thinks that Armaan’s love for Tanishaa Mukerji “could be an act put up for the cameras” and that “Tanisha is a fool for making any place for him in her heart.”

Apart from her major fight with Armaan, Sofia says she had a good experience and will miss Gauahar Khan and Kamya Punjabi among others. Ask her about Ajaz Khan, who immediately after being turned down by Gauahar, started complimenting her on her lips, hair and eyes and she says she doesn’t find him attractive at all. “He keeps praising all the girls, and I don’t take it seriously. He is not the kind of person I would date,” says Sofia whose lips became a focal point of the Weekend Ka Wow episode with Salman Khan. The Dabangg Khan even compared a small red heart-shaped couch to her lips. “By saying that he gave an ammunition to Armaan, which offended me,” says the British model-actress. There was also talk about her having done a lip-job before entering the house. “That’s not true, I have been like this since my childhood and people are just jealous,” clarifies Sofia. As to who will last till the finale she says Gauahar “as she has a lot of tenacity.”

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 18, 2013)

Eighty-three-year old producer Rajkumar Kohli once had a string of blockbusters like Nagin (1976), Jaani Dushman (1979), Naukar Biwi Ka and Raaj Tilak (1984) to his credit. In the early 90s, he introduced Armaan in Virodhi (1992). The film bombed, so did Aulad Ke Dushman (1993) and Qahar (1997). In 2002 his attempts to re-launch his son in the sequel Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani didn't create any ripples. Armaan finally grabbed headlines when he was arrested on Monday evening. His father staunchly defends him. Excerpts:
 
What was your reaction to the news of Armaan’s arrest? I was at home when I heard the news. Shocked, I rushed to Lonavala. Armaan was numb, more shocked than I was.
 
Has anybody from the film industry called to extend their support? Not a single person has called, kaun kisko poochta hai!
 
Sofia filed an FIR against Armaan… (Cuts in) Look at her face; you can see that she is looking for free publicity. Besides, Bigg Boss is just a show and the contestants are simply doing what they are told to do.
 
You mean it’s all staged? Lagta toh aisa hi hai. There must be a director in charge. Actors enact action scenes in movies according to 
the instructions of the director and still get hurt. Something similar happened here too.
 
What is Armaan doing in his life besides Bigg Boss 7? Nothing, I need to sit him down when he returns to understand what is on his mind.
 
His films sank without a trace, did that make him aggressive? Armaan was a normal child during his academic days though I admit that he never told me what happened between his friends and him. He gets angry, but only when provoked.
 
Don’t you think host Salman Khan should have been more authoritative and sorted the differences between Sofia and Armaan? I don’t know how much access Salman has to the contestants. He is a nice guy but you have to understand that he is just hosting the show. 
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Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; December 18, 2013)

Armaan Kohli was arrested on Monday night from the Big Boss House for physically abusing Sofia Hayat, his co-contestant in the reality show. The Lonavala Police arrested him late Monday night for assaulting his co-participant, British singer Sofia Hayat. He was produced in the Wadgaon Maval Court and he got bail last afternoon.

Sofia Hayat had registered a complaint with Santacruz Police Station, following which the police booked Kohli under Sections 324, 509, 506 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Sofia accused Armaan of hitting her with a wooden mop, inside the Bigg Boss house in Lonavla on December 4.

The complaint was later transferred to the Lonavla police station for investigation.

Armaan spent the night at the Lonavala Police Station, Before arresting Kohli, the Lonavala police had contacted the the reality show organisers, seeking unedited video footage from their set. Inspector Vishnu Pawar of the Lonavala police station is monitoring the investigations.

Armaan’s father, producer Rajkumar Kohli — who’s right now in Lonavla, is waiting for Armaan to come out on bail — sounds furious. “I have already submitted the papers to my lawyer and I am going to file a case against Sofia Hayat. I’m definitely going to sue this girl for defamation.” When asked if Armaan is short tempered otherwise, he says “Not at all, Armaan is a very noble person. He is not like this but in the Bigg Boss House he is being provoked. And if you provoke anyone constantly then the person will get irritated and react. It’s the nature of the person, people shouldn’t irritate him the way she did.”

Commenting on the closeness between Armaan and Tanisha, he said, “I am following the show. But till the time they come out or I meet Armaan and he discusses it with me, I can’t comment on it. He doesn’t have any girlfriend outside and he is a very sensitive person. If he’s provoked, he will react.”