Bigg Boss's Urvashi: I've never earned so much money

Bigg Boss season 6 ended on a grand note on January 12, with television's favourite vamp Urvashi Dholakia becoming the third female contestant to win the controversial reality show. She walked away with the grand prize of Rs 50 lakh.

Giving Urvashi a tough run was image consultant Imam Siddique, who emerged as the first runner up.

Urvashi says winning the title is unexpected and it will take at least 48 hours for it to sink in. "I was shocked when Delnaaz was out. She was a strong contender and could win."

Since she and Imam were the finalists, did she get some hint that she could win the title? 

"I felt Imam would win the show since the tagline of the show is alag che.  I thought I had no chance of winningand anything could have happened so I never ever felt that I would win.

"Imam is a perfect entertainer for the audience," she added, "I always believed that there was a good and bad side to him. He has humanity but his other side I can't understand. I don't think anyone supported him from the beginning but me. All I told him was that he should leave this negativity."

Urvashi has proved that she is a woman with nerves of steel and has fought every obstacle while changing situations to her advantage.  

So what worked in her favour? "Initially, nothing worked in my favour with the kind of attitude I had. I was just being myself on the show. I was honest and truthful. I never took sides and gave my straightforward opinion.  

"You don't need to become someone else or have a split personality. If you are accepted the way you are, then it is good. This is the way I am and how I have always been." 

Urvashi's commitment to playing the game with utmost diligence was evident while executing all the tasks with dedication and more so when she took on the secret task given to her by the Bigg Boss.  

This task was going to test her equation with the housemates, making all of them stand against her. She took on the challenge bravely without batting an eyelid.  

What does she take back home from the show? "I am taking away so many new relationships that I have made here, from Niketan Vrajesh, Sana to Sidhuji, who is like my elder brother," she says.

Even after having won Rs 50,00,000 on the show, the actress says it was never the prize money that attracted her. "I didn't come here for the money because that was not important for me at all."

But she admits, "I've never earned so much money together ever in my life. I can say this openly and this is a big thing for me."

She says she doesn't know what she will do with the prize money. "My son took the briefcase and left me with the glass trophy," she smiles. "I really don't know what I will do with the money. But, yes, it will be used for my children."

A single mother of two teenaged twin sons, Urvashi's outspokenness got her instant attention on the show. Urvashi's mother and two sons were present at the finale.

Image consultant Imam Siddique was the first runner-up, and he has become a household name after his antics on the reality show.

During his stay inside the Bigg Boss house, Imam had a dispute with every contestant, especially with Rajev Paul. He even had a spat with the show's host, superstar Salman Khan.

Still, he says this was "easily the best experience of my life. " I had thought to behave in a certain way but all my choreography went upside down when I was sent to the padosi house. Because it was different, not the same house and the same people."

Is he the same in real life too? "I am very much like this," he insists, but admits, "I did tweak myself a little to be entertaining. This is how I am but I have to do things to look more entertaining."  

Has the show changed him as a person? "The show has made me more sensitive and more patient. I don't think as a person I have changed. I am quite comfortable in my own skin.

"I am not ashamed of who I am and the kind of work I do. If people have a problem with that, tough, time out," he smiles. "I am not looking for any kind of accreditation or affirmation from anybody outside myself. It doesn't matter to me how people relate to me. I'm a real person and not a celebrity."

Does he regret having a spat with Salman and also his unpleasant behaviour in the house?

"I never regret anything but I am ashamed of it. It (the argument) was unpleasant and unwarranted. Salman Khan is the biggest superstar and I think I should have done a reality check, which, unfortunately, I didn't do. I am ashamed of it but I regret nothing." 

He is unfazed by the suggestion that most of the housemates have nothing good to say about him.

"I didn't come on the show to be in a Miss India or Miss Universe contest; it's clearly not that platform. Yes, of course there are people who will hate me for the rest of my life."

He takes his irreverence further: "You know what, if they try to give me their 'badditude' I just deflected them saying time out. It's not your pedigree, who are you to judge me and on what basis are you judging me? On the basis of how many times you have looked into the mirror and done the make up/touch up? Give me a break, girl.

"And, of course, there are people who love me to death but can't ignore me. I know it's a bad cliche."

He claims to be "very happy" Urvashi won the contest. "I told her she is like my sister and I applaud the way, being a single mother, she has taken care of her kids."

Then he adds magnanimously, "I am happy I lost. I am happy for her."

Model and actress Sana Khan, who was one the three finalists of Bigg Boss season 6, which ended on the weekend, says she was happy to be in the top three because she had not expected it.

"I am nervous about what people will think of me now that I am out of the Bigg Boss house," she admits.

On her stint in the house, she says, "I feel that I have become wiser by being in the show. You get to know the ups and downs in other people's lives. I had this perception that there is no friendship here... there are no friends. But I made genuine friends here. I think I have made four or five genuine friends on the show." 

The actress claims that she maintained her friendship with Delnaaz Irani, Rajev Paul and Aashka Goradia and never changed herself for the sake of the game. "I feel this is why I am happier as I did everything from my heart."

Sana says she is shocked to be linked with TV actress Aashka in the house. "I have been linked with a guy and a girl. I don't know why. I am shocked at how people linked me with Aashka. She is like an elder sister to me."

She adds, "Rajev is just a good friend. I don't think we are modern if we need to tie a rakhi to someone just so that we can be friends. There were no feelings of love or anything between us."

Sana has acted in a few films down south. Does she think visibility on Bigg Boss will help her to get more work?

"I am hoping to get good and more work. I want to work in Bollywood. I was going to meet people in Bollywood but then this Bigg Boss happened," she replied.

Actor and the host of the show Salman Khan told Sana that they would work together in the future. Commenting on that, she said: "He just told me, but nothing is confirmed. Who will not want to work with him?" 

On Urvashi winning Bigg Boss she says, "All the top three contestants were deserving. I am so glad Urvashi won. She is a single parent and has struggled so much in life."