Gaurav Khanna shuts down claims that he won Bigg Boss 19 because he's famous: ‘Not been a Colors face for last 15 years’

Gaurav Khanna won Bigg Boss 19 on December 7, facing allegations that his fame influenced the outcome. He refuted these claims.

Bigg Boss 19 concluded on December 7, with television actor Gaurav Khanna emerging as the winner of the show. While fans were happy to see their favourite win, several of his co-contestants claimed that it was his fame and pedigree that helped him lift the trophy. Some even believed that he won because he is the face of Colors TV. However, Gaurav has now hit back at these claims.

Gaurav Khanna won Salman Khan's Bigg Boss 19.(PTI)

Gaurav Khanna on being tagged as Colors TV face

In an interview with Faridoon Shahryar, Gaurav reacted to the allegations that he won because of his popularity and association with Colors TV. He said, “People say I won because I am famous, but I have really worked hard. Twenty years of hard work is no mean feat. I have not been a Colors face for the last 15 years. My last show on Colors TV was Yeh Pyaar Na Hoga Kam with Yami Gautam, which aired in 2010. So, if in 2025 people still think I am a Colors face after doing just one show with them 15 years ago, I must be really great then. There are no free lunches; I won’t just win a show because of my pedigree or body of work, I also have to perform well in it.”

He also spoke about how Bigg Boss proved to be a learning experience for him. He said, “I never went there to compete with others. Being a part of television for so many years, I know people will target you on Bigg Boss, they will shame you, defame you, and try to pull you down. But my entire aim was to become a better person. My life has been the sum of my choices. Bigg Boss is a very intelligent game if you play it intelligently. I kept that in mind from day one; I wasn’t there to please those 15–16 people.”

About Gaurav Khanna’s Bigg Boss 19 journey

Gaurav was one of the few contestants in Bigg Boss history to win the show without engaging in unnecessary fights or intense rivalries. Initially, he was criticised by Salman Khan for not being very visible in the house and for playing on the back foot. However, after the fourth week, Gaurav began expressing his opinions more strongly, while also being smart enough not to let his equations with others suffer. Eventually, the actor reached the top two and won the trophy by defeating Farrhana Bhatt. He also took home the ₹50 lakh cash prize.