Bigg Boss 18: Shilpa Shirodkar on Namrata-Mahesh Babu not extending support on social media
On Wednesday, actor Shilpa Shirodkar was ousted from Bigg Boss 18, after getting the least number of votes. She missed the chance to be a finalist by just a step. In an exclusive chat with India Today Digital, Shilpa discussed about her journey, and also addressed speculations around why sister Namrata Shirodkar and brother-in-law Mahesh Babu did not extend support to her on social media.
Talking about her eviction, Shilpa, who claims to be the biggest fan of the reality show, shared, “We all knew there would be a midweek eviction. I won’t lie, but I was hoping to be in the top 3. And hence, when my name was announced, I was pretty sad. Also, because there are a lot of interesting things towards the end, I will not get to see my journey video. But my eviction was so full of respect. Bigg Boss did not even announce my name and had me read my letter. Also, I entered the show as a fan of the show, and while leaving, Bigg Boss said, he was a fan. I don’t think I could have asked for anything better or bigger. I am happy with my journey and wouldn’t change a thing about it.”
The Gopi Kishan actor shared that when she came out of the house, she made the first call to her husband, who was shocked to know she was eliminated. A section of the audience too was shocked, and even called out her sister Namrata Shirodkar, and brother-in-law and Telugu star Mahesh Babu for not supporting her enough or seeking votes for her from their fans via social media posts. When asked about the same, Shilpa curtly replied, “As a family, we don’t have such expectations from each other. Through this house, I have learnt that we meet all kinds of people, who will judge us based on their intelligence. I know how much she loves me, and I don’t give the right to anyone to pass such judgments. Whether she posts or not, that’s her personal choice. It doesn’t change my equation with her. Whether she supported me or not, I know what I mean to her, and what she means to me. And that’s what matters.”
Shilpa Shirodkar also discussed her friendship with Vivian Dsena and Karan Veer Mehra and how she seemed torn between them throughout the season. Calling them her ‘friends forever’, the actor said, “For 102 days, we spent so much time together and built a strong bond, which will only continue to grow stronger. There are fights even in real life between friends, but we can stop talking to them, or even block them. With this show, there’s no choice, and you have to be around them throughout. But all I would say is that every relationship goes through its struggles, but one has to move on.”
The actor added that she doesn’t regret any decision she made and believes she was real in the show. She added, “Even though I have followed the show, everything seemed so different. Also, it’s not that we were given scripts, we just did tasks, and what happened in that, got carried on. Even the methods of nomination were different. I remember when I was entering, many told me how the show is scripted, and it would be easy. I want to meet all of them and slap them. Liars.”
When asked to pick the highlight of her journey, Shilpa Shirodkar named her fight with Avinash Mishra and Rajat Dalal at the start of the show. She said it made her a strong human being and assured her that even when someone’s loud and intimidating, one can stand up for their beliefs if they are right. The actor also spoke about how she was never image-conscious and played the game with full honesty.
“I know I have been questioned about self-respect and self-esteem but honestly, I entered the show without any baggage. If I had entered as who I am, I wouldn’t have lasted so long. I realised that people think about how their actions are watched. I remember how they would say ‘janta dekh rahi hai’. I would even tell them that, so what, are you only performing for them? Then you are not being you. This is why if I had to take a little attitude of a friend, or even say sorry, I did that, because the bond was important to me. When my daughter entered the show, I asked her if she could resonate with the mumma she knew, and she said yes. That was the moment I felt I had already won. I never pretended for a single moment, and honestly, I would laugh at the mention of footage, screenplay or acting. That was for everyone else.”
On a final note, when asked who she’s rooting for, Shilpa replied, “Karan Veer Mehra. Then Chum Darang and Vivian Dsena.”
The other finalists of Bigg Boss 18 include Rajat Dalal, Eisha Singh and Avinash Mishra. The finale of the Salman Khan-hosted show is set to air on Sunday, January 19.
