Shrutika Arjun on breaking barriers in Bigg Boss; says, "I was the first South Indian female contestant in 18 seasons of Bigg Boss Hindi"

Shrutika Arjun ’s Bigg Boss Season 18 journey was more than just a reality show experience—it was a dream come true. The actress-turned-entrepreneur reveals that her biggest motivation for joining the show was her admiration for Salman Khan.

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"How else could I meet Salman sir before I die? This was my only chance." Her love for the Bollywood superstar made her willing to stay away from her family for 100 days, a significant challenge given that she had never spent more than a day without them. "Prior to Bigg Boss, I never stayed without family for more than a day. I have no hassles in saying that I'm an emotionally dependent person."

Shrutika, a huge admirer of both Rajinikanth and Salman Khan, had already met the Tamil superstar, thanks to her grandfather, legendary actor Thengai Srinivasan. However, meeting Salman remained a distant dream—until Bigg Boss. “I'm a huge fan of Thalaivar Rajinikanth and Salman Khan sir. I have met Rajini sir and visited his house, thanks to my granddad (late actor Thengai Srinivasan). But how could I have a conversation with Salman sir? That's when I thought about Bigg Boss."

She shares that her admiration for Salman began at the age of five when she watched Hum Aapke Hain Koun. "My love for him began when I watched Hum Aapke Hain Koun at five. I got to know what love is through his films. When I finally met him, I was blushing and behaving like a kid. I called him Sallu Baby in the show, and he used to blush hearing that. He was my biggest support while I was in the house."

Interestingly, Shrutika was not approached for Bigg Boss—she reached out to them instead. “Honestly, I wasn't approached for Bigg Boss Hindi; I approached them. I showed them my profile, and they called me for a meeting, where I kept speaking non-stop. I remember them saying, 'Most of our meetings get over in 10-15 minutes, but this girl told so many stories that it took two hours!'"

She believes that being the first South Indian female contestant in 18 seasons of Bigg Boss Hindi was her unique selling point. "I was the first South Indian female contestant in 18 seasons of Bigg Boss Hindi. It was my USP, and the fact that I could also speak Hindi worked in my favour."

Despite being eliminated just before the finale, Shrutika wanted to go all the way as a finalist. “I was evicted just days before the finale, and I did feel bad about it. I wanted to be a finalist because I was representing my state on the show."

However, she took solace in the love she received from the audience. "But when the audience said I was a strong contender, someone who stayed in the house without having any love angle or using cuss words, it made me feel like I had won the trophy."

As revealed by The Times of India, maintaining dignity in the house was important to her. "In the BB house, swear words were used very normally. So, when your temper is high, it takes a lot of self-control to not spew hatred in return. I didn't want to be part of something that isn't appreciated."

Being cut off from the outside world took an emotional toll on Shrutika, leading to moments of vulnerability. “During my time in BB, I had two breakdowns. As there are no distractions, like phones or newspapers, you feel lonely when you have an issue with a friend. My emotional breakdown was not just due to what was happening in the house but also because of homesickness."

After her Bigg Boss journey, Shrutika watched Amaran and was deeply moved by it. She decided to send a message to Sivakarthikeyan, which led to a heartwarming response. “Amaran was the first film I saw after coming out of Bigg Boss. After watching it, I messaged Sivakarthikeyan sir on Instagram to let him know how good the film was. He responded immediately and thanked me. He also shared a voice note appreciating me for what I've achieved by being on the show and said that I've created an example for people in Tamil Nadu."

From fulfilling a lifelong dream of meeting Salman Khan to representing her culture on a national platform, Shrutika’s journey on Bigg Boss Hindi 18 was nothing short of remarkable.

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