Akanksha Puri interview: On Salman Khan speaking ‘rudely’ to her, talking differently to Pooja Bhatt

Akanksha Puri, the latest contestant to be evicted from Bigg Boss OTT 2, is not watching the show anymore. “Frankly I didn’t get time and I am not looking forward to it,” she told Hindustan Times during a conversation.

Salman Khan who is hosting the show had accused Akanksha of spreading false narratives on the show. Soon after fans came out in support of Akanksha and criticised the host for ‘slut-shaming’ her. Recalling the episode, Akanksha agreed that Salman has been harsh on her in the show.

She said, “I remember Salman sir had said–fake alert. The way he had said it, the tone of his voice, I had never heard him in such a way before. He started bashing me. He made such a deal out of it and rudely told me so many things–magarmach k aansu hai (these are crocodile’s tears). Expressing my emotions was such a big crime that I was put in jail for 3 days.”

“And what narratives? You have set a narrative since I went to the stage. You said I am picture perfect, confident, but raw, people don’t like such people. You served words like false narrative and all on a platter to the housemates about me and these words kept circulating. If you are saying the public is in power then let them decide. Why are you setting the narrative.”

The game was never in my favour.

“The game was never in my favour. Jad was close to me for 3 days. He spoke about marriage and all. Then Salman told him ‘This angle is not being liked by the public. Your Manisha angle was better.’ Jad ended up distancing himself. He also told him ‘You are not in the right company with Palak and Akanksha. By saying these you are changing the minds of the housemates,” accused Akanksha.

Many in the house found Akanksha too perfect and labelled her fake. Did Akanksha feel people judged her just because she dressed well and wasn’t loud like Bebika Dhurve? “I was never anything else than what I am. I have been like this in the industry for 10 years now. I have been cast in a show exactly like this,” she replied.

If you come and tell me ‘Oh you have never seen the struggle in Mumbai, never faced problems’ then I want to say that yes I haven’t. I thank my parents for it.

“Definitely, I was judged. If anyone is well groomed, polished, educated and not raw, how does it make me fake? It’s my strength. If you come and tell me ‘Oh you have never seen the struggle in Mumbai, never faced problems’ then I want to say that yes I haven’t. I thank my parents for it. I owe it to them because they have never let me struggle since childhood. There are a lot of different types of struggle. I have been in an emotional struggle. I had a relationship struggle. Financial struggle is not the only thing. I don’t understand how can they judge by looks. Yes, I carry myself well. I don’t have a financial struggle story but I had my own struggle,” she added.

While many judged Akanksha, she also pointed out how Bebika has been saved in a lot of scenarios. When asked if she thinks Pooja Bhatt is saving Bebika in the game, Akanksha revealed, “A lot of us felt Pooja Bhatt’s mam encouraged Bebika. Pooja would mention what she thinks is wrong about Bebika, but if I had done the same thing then the reaction would have been different.”

“Pooja mam is the strongest in the house. She is the eldest, respected and wise but she has encouraged Bebika in the house. She did so many things but Pooja never stopped. She has Pooja by her side. She could have put Bebika on the right track because she has a voice and people listen to her, but she didn’t.”

Salman talks to Pooja Bhatt differently. She makes sure everybody in the house realise that she is the Pooja Bhatt.

Those evicted repeated how Salman Khan has been biased in the Bigg Boss OTT 2 house, especially when it comes to Pooja Bhatt. This time Akanksha opined, “Not biased but she has an advantage. Salman talks to her differently. They are childhood friends, know each other for a long time and you know, she is the Pooja Bhatt. She makes sure everybody in the house realise that she is the Pooja Bhatt. She knew everything about each contestant because she was on the judging panel. This is an added advantage.”

Akanksha believes this season is anything but Janta Ka Bigg Boss. She lamented, “I don’t think the public is in power. I was in Top 3 then why am I’m out? I am talking to people and realising everyone is against how the makers have made an issue out of a kiss. It’s OTT! You are riding on it, promoting it and then you are calling it (the kiss) wrong. Why didn’t you cut it? Or blur it?”

“You edited Jad pulling his pants. You could have blurred the kiss. But, you promoted it on your official pages. When it comes to taking the blame, you picked me. I am the victim. This is not right. This is their double standard. They could have interrupted the task,” she pointed out.

After Akanksha’s exit from the show, Jad is now among those who will be facing nominations this week. However, Akanksha doesn’t want to comment on it.

While Akanksha and Jad’s 30-second kiss became the highlight of the week, recently Manisha Rani made news for kissing Abdu Rozik during a task. When asked Akanksha about it, she said, “I don’t find it an issue. A lot of things are happening inside the house. Some people are comfortable sitting on each other’s lap, hugging each other and all. It’s their choice.”

If Manisha has kissed during a task then I am going to support her. It’s a task. It’s their choice.

“If Manisha has done it during a task then I am going to support her. It’s a task. They were told to make a video. It’s completely their choice. If something was wrong then Bigg Boss would have blurred it. But yeh itni koi badi baat nahi thi (this is not a big deal), it’s okay. I don’t know why people are forgetting this is Bigg Boss OTT. It’s completely your choice if you want to watch it. We are artists.”