Meet the Bigg Boss 5 contestants

The celebrity reality show Bigg Boss has landed in one controversy after another in its earlier seasons. So, with season five about to commence, the suspense is growing about the new inmates.

Bigg Boss 5 starts on October 2 and will be hosted by Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt.

This season has quite a few interesting names, and a host of international guests.

We take a look at some of the contestants in the Bigg Boss house, Season 5.

Shraddha Sharma

Actress Shraddha Sharma made headlines mostly for her relationship with ex-beau Raja Chaudhary (Shweta Tiwari's estranged husband).

Raja assaulted her after the couple had a heated argument and then Shraddha was severely beaten up by him and suffered bruises and scratches all over her body.

Celebrity transgender and social activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi continues the tradition of representing sexual minorities on the show which started with actor Bobby Darling, followed by designer Rohit Verma in season three, and Pakistan's Begum Nawazish Althat.

Laxmi was part of TV shows like Sach Ka Saamna and Raaz Picchle Janam Ka.

After Pamela Anderson's three-day cameo appearance on Bigg Boss last year, the channel has roped in singer Shakira for a guest appearance in the fifth season. She will enter the house at a later day.

If everything goes well, the Latin songstress will stay in the Bigg Boss house for five days.

Former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes, 42, has confirmed his participation in the fifth season. But like Shakira, he will also enter the house at a later date.

He was part of the South African cricket team from 1992-2003 and was best known for his superb fielding.

Nihita Biswas, 22, is the wife of smuggler and serial killer Charles Sobhraj. Last year, she married Sobhraj, who is serving life imprisonment in Nepal, and instantly acquired mini celebrity status.

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is no newcomer to India. He made his Bollywood debut in 2007, in a music video for a Hindi film called Fool-n-Final, a comedy centred on a bunch of criminals. Like singer Shakira and cricketer Jonty Rhodes, he will enter the house at a later date.

The highly successful American boxer was known for his combative and aggressive behaviour inside and outside the ring.

Actress Mahek Chahal, who was last seen in the films Wanted and in an item song in Yamla Pagla Deewana, has been away due to a personal tragedy. But now she is back and has entered the Bigg Boss house.

Mahek hopes to stay in the house for the entire period and emerge as the winner. This will be her second reality show. She was earlier part of a Norwegian reality show, where she was the only Asian participant.

Shonali Nagrani is a model and an actress, who has made appearances in films like Dil Bole Hadippa and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. She has hosted a couple of TV shows as well.

Pooja Mishra is a model, VJ, film actress and a socialite. This is her second reality show; she had earlier been part of The Big Switch on Bindass. She has also appeared in a few music videos.

Juhi Parmar is best known for her role as the title character Kumkum in the popular TV serial. She has participated in various reality shows like Pati, Patni aur Woh, Say Shava Shava, Saas v/s Bahu and the recent Maa Exchange.

Actor Shakti Kapoor is another contestant on Bigg Boss this year. Thanks to his controversial image, he will be a candidate to watch out for in the house as his on-screen personality and the rumours surrounding his real life are both interesting.

Raageshwari Loomba is a singer, actor and a VJ. After being diagnosed with Bell's palsy, the singer had almost given up on her career.

Now, she is ready to launch her first album in five years.

Pooja Bedi, who shot to the limelight with her stint in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, will be one of the contestants of Bigg Boss 5.

She was earlier seen in reality shows like Nach Baliye, Khatron ke Khiladi and Maa Exchange.