Bigg Boss 11: 'It's important for Hina to maintain her calm'

'If you have worked hard for so many years, you don’t need validation from these people. Believe in yourself and your work, that’s it.

'The celebrities in the house are well known and they shouldn’t care about what other people say.'

Lopamudra Raut gives the Bigg Boss 11 contestants sound advice.

Lopamudra Raut -- who was the second runner-up in Bigg Boss 10, aired last year -- made an appearance in last week's Weekend Ka Vaar with her co-contestant Manu Punjabi.

Lopa, a Miss India 2013 finalist who recently participated in Khatron Ke Khiladi, Season 8, has been watching the new Bigg Boss season closely and feels the contestants are 'excessively mean.’

She gives Rediff.com's Rajul Hegde her take on the show and reveals just what she thinks of some of the contestants.

Which season is better -- yours or the one that is airing right now?

“My season was better in terms of the bonding,” she says.

“This season, the girls are trying to put each other down all the time. It’s sad that there is no sympathy and no relationships are being established inside the house.

"During my time, there was bonding -- be it Manu (Punjabi) and Manveer (Gurjar) or Monalisa and Manveer and Manu. Rohan (Mehra), Rahulji (Dev) and I were friends till the end. We are still friends.”

Lopa feels the women are really vicious this season and lack consideration for others.

“Especially Arshi Khan,” Lopa says. “She puts everyone down and abuses people around her.

"Everybody plays for themselves, that’s a given, but how will you stand out? That will happen only when you speak up for somebody else. But I don’t see that happening.

“Everybody is playing individually and that looks very mean. Women are being put down so badly but nobody is standing up for them. I am not saying the men are any better,” she says.

Shilpa Shinde

Lopa does have a favourite.

“Shilpa Shinde is pure heart,” Lopa says. “She doesn’t manipulate. She does not plan and plot. She comes across as a warm individual. I have seen her always cooking for others in the house.

“I can connect with her. It will be nice to see if she wins,” she says.

Hina Khan

Lopa feels bad that her co-contestant on Khatron Ke Khiladi is being targeted.

“It’s a pattern to gang up against Hina and she gets lonely,” she says. "When one person is constantly targeted, they will obviously react.

"Hina was aggressive in the initial stage of the game. That normally happens towards the end of the show, in the 14th or 15th week, because the pressure really builds up by then.

“It’s important for Hina to maintain her calm. I understand what she is going through -- when commoners challenge your celebrity status -- because I have been there.

“You need to understand that if you are a successful person, you don't need to prove anything to anybody, especially someone who has just entered the industry. It is the latter's fault that they are not aware of person they will be sharing the house with.

“If you have worked hard for so many years, you don’t need validation from these people. Believe in yourself and your work, that’s it.

"The celebrities in the house are well known and they shouldn’t care about what other people say.”

Dhinchak Pooja

Whenever there is a wildcard entry, Lopa feels the contestants gang up against that person.

“I think some empathy should be shown towards her,” Lopa says about Dhinchak Pooja. “The little girl has tried something (her cringe pop songs are quite popular on YouTube) and it has worked in her favour. 

“You shouldn’t make fun of someone who is trying to do something in life. A bit humour is fine but ganging up against one person and targeting him or her every time is really not cool.”

The Top 5 finalists

Lopa picks Akash Dadlani, Vikas Gupta, Shilpa Shinde, Hina and Hiten Tejwani.

"I cannot connect to Vikas but I feel there are high chances of him winning. He is very smart and knows the game well.

"Hiten is going with the flow and needs to speak more."

Who will be evicted from the Bigg Boss House this week? Have you made your prediction yet? If not, click here.