A Look At International Celebs Who Participated In Bigg Boss – From Abdu Rozik To Nora Fatehi
Salman Khan-hosted reality show 'Bigg Boss', packed with crazy fights, drama and romance, has introduced viewers to some lesser-known international celebrities.
Reality television series enjoy great fandom and popularity worldwide. And hence, it is no surprise that there have been several such hit reality shows globally. Every year, India also comes up with several reality TV shows. However, it is safe to say that no show has been able to match the popularity of the Salman Khan-hosted show 'Bigg Boss' over the years. If you are unaware of what 'Bigg Boss' is about, let us tell you a little about the uber-popular show.
'Bigg Boss' is an Indian adaptation of the Dutch reality show 'Big Brother'. Over the years, the reality TV show has been produced by Endemol Shine India. 'Bigg Boss' originally started in Hindi, and it has since been made in seven Indian languages, including Kannada, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Malayalam. The first season of 'Bigg Boss' was launched in Hindi in 2006 through Sony TV. It was in 2013 that the reality TV show extended its presence in Kannada and Bengali.
It was in 2017 that the show extended its presence in Tamil, and then the show ventured into Marathi and Malayalam in 2018. Talking about 'Bigg Boss' Hindi, the first season was hosted by actor Arshad Warsi and the second season was hosted by actress Shilpa Shetty.
The third edition of 'Bigg Boss' Hindi, which aired in 2009, was hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. However, it was the fourth edition that saw a great fillip for the show as Salman Khan came on board to host the show.
The fifth season was jointly hosted by Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt. However, the attempt lasted just one season. Ever since then, it has been Salman Khan who has hosted the show, and it is fair to say that he has made the show his very own with his entertaining hosting style.
'Bigg Boss' is the perfect dose of entertainment, packed with the right amount of masala, crazy fights, controversies, drama, mushy romances and insane tasks. Apart from keeping the viewers hooked to their screens with its high-voltage drama, the Salman Khan-hosted show has also introduced us to some lesser-known celebrities.
Over the years, several international stars have also appeared in 'Bigg Boss'. The opportunity to connect with Indian audiences, expand their fan base, and experience the rich Indian culture are some of the factors that might have played a key role in attracting these celebrities to the Indian reality TV show. Moreover, the chance to showcase their real personalities, away from the glitz and glamour of their usual lives, might also be appealing to some stars.
Over the past few seasons, 'Bigg Boss' has witnessed the presence of several international celebrities. These stars come from diverse backgrounds and have found massive fame after participating in the Salman Khan-hosted reality show. Their participation not only adds an element of surprise but also brings in a global audience, making the show even more popular.
Apart from its TV version, ‘Bigg Boss’ Hindi has also been launched in the OTT space. The first season of ‘Bigg Boss OTT’ was hosted by Karan Johar. Meanwhile, Salman Khan replaced Karan Johar as the host for ‘Bigg Boss OTT 2’, which premiered in June 2023. Jad Hadid, a Dubai-based model-actor, participated in ‘Bigg Boss OTT 2’. While he didn’t win the show, he made several headlines for his flirty interactions with Akanksha Puri, Manisha Rani, Jiya Shankar and multiple other female contestants.
As we speak about the wildly popular reality show, we can’t forget to mention that Salman Khan is coming back with another season of the show very soon. Yes, you read that right. ‘Bigg Boss 17’ will premiere on October 15, 2023. Ahead of ‘Bigg Boss 17’, we take a look at international celebrities who have appeared in the previous seasons of ‘Bigg Boss’.
From Jad Hadid to Abdu Rozik and Nora Fatehi, a list of international celebrities who entered as contestants in ‘BB’ and gained fame:
1. Jade Goody: The late British TV personality first came into the limelight after she got herself into a controversy for making racist remarks against her housemate Shilpa Shetty in ‘Celebrity Big Brother Season 5’. Jade Goody later participated in the second season of ‘Bigg Boss’ in 2008, which was hosted by Shilpa Shetty. However, she had to leave the show early after being diagnosed with cervical cancer. This season was eventually won by 'Roadies' fame Ashutosh Kaushik.
2. Claudia Ciesla: This Polish-German model entered ‘Bigg Boss’ during its third season when Amitabh Bachchan was roped in as the host. She lasted ten weeks inside the house, and she also formed a great bond with model Pravesh Rana. This season was eventually won by Vindu Dara Singh. After gaining popularity from ‘BB’, Claudia Ciesla got many Bollywood projects and one of them was the popular dance number ‘Balma’ from the movie ‘Khiladi 786’ with Akshay Kumar. She also got a lead role in the Punjabi movie ‘Yaar Pardesi’ opposite Gurpreet Ghuggi in 2012. She also appeared in other Bollywood songs and TV reality shows.
3. Pamela Anderson: The actress, who made a name for herself through her role in the American TV series 'Baywatch' and her 'Playboy' magazine shoot, appeared in the fourth season of 'Bigg Boss' as a guest. She was only in the show for a few days but her entry showcased the global appeal of ‘Bigg Boss’. This season was eventually won by popular TV actress Shweta Tiwari.
4. Veena Malik: To date, people remember Veena Malik and her stint in 'Bigg Boss'. The Pakistani actress and model is one of the most popular contestants ever. Her bond and chemistry with Ashmit Patel in the fourth edition of the show, gained a lot of attention. They both got attracted to each other in the house and made headlines for their excessive PDA moments and intimacy in the show.
5. Sunny Leone: Although she is of Indian origin, Sunny Leone gained fame in the international adult entertainment industry before entering 'Bigg Boss 5'. Sunny Leone (Karenjit Kaur Vohra), who was born in Canada, met filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt on the show and ultimately was cast for the lead role in his daughter Pooja Bhatt’s ‘Jism 2’. She was evicted a week before the finale and the season was eventually won by TV actress Juhi Parmar. Sunny Leone’s entry in ‘Bigg Boss’ was a pivotal moment in her career, leading to a successful Bollywood journey. She recently attended the screening of her film ‘Kennedy’ at the Cannes Film Festival 2023, where the Anurag Kashyap directorial received a standing ovation.
6. Vida Samadzai: Miss Afghanistan 2003, Vida Samadzai, was the first Afghan woman to participate in an international beauty pageant since 1974. She then gained popularity in India by appearing in 'Bigg Boss 5' in 2011 and her fights with Pooja Mishra became the talk of the town. She also formed a quite interesting bond with veteran actor Shakti Kapoor. Trained in acting by Hollywood director Erin Spicer, she tried her luck in Bollywood with the film ‘Runway: Love Among Gun Shots’ in 2009.
7. Sofia Hayat: British singer and actress, Sofia Hayat, had entered the seventh season of ‘Bigg Boss’ in 2013 as a wild card contestant. She was involved in a lot of fights with actor Armaan Kohli on the show, and she even went on to file a complaint against the actor for harassment. After her exit from the show, Sofia Hayat embraced spirituality. This season of the show was eventually won by Gauahar Khan.
8. Elli AvrRam: The Swedish-Greek actress made an appearance in 'Bigg Boss 7' in 2013. And it was her stint on the show that kickstarted her career in Bollywood. Everyone enjoyed the fun banter she shared with host Salman Khan. Elli AvrRam's bubbly nature made her a household name. Elli AvrRam has worked in Bollywood movies like ‘Mickey Virus’, ‘Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon’, ‘Jabariya Jodi’, and more.
9. Natasa Stankovic: The Serbian model-actress had made an appearance in the 8th season of 'Bigg Boss' in 2014. She spent four weeks in the Salman Khan-hosted show before her eviction. She first appeared in Prakash Jha's 2013 film ‘Satyagraha’ but gained popularity with her ‘Bigg Boss’ stint. She was seen in an item song ‘Aiyo Ji’ in the film and then in Badshah's popular number ‘DJ Wale Babu’. She also appeared in ‘Nach Baliye’ with her ex Aly Gony. The actress is currently married to India cricketer Hardik Pandya. This season was eventually won by Gautam Gulati.
10. Nora Fatehi: The Moroccan-Canadian dancer, actress, and model entered the ninth season as a wild card contestant. Nora Fatehi's exceptional dancing skills, charm, and friendly nature left a lasting impact on housemates and viewers. She also gained huge attention for her chemistry with co-contestant Prince Narula. Despite not winning the TV show, she remains one of the most popular contestants to have come out of ‘Bigg Boss’. Several successful TV shows have been judged by Nora Fatehi, who has appeared in multiple Bollywood movies, and showed off her killer dance movies in some of the best Bollywood dance numbers.
11. Mandana Karimi: The Iranian actress and model entered ‘Bigg Boss 9’ and became a household name after the show. The actress won a lot of praise for holding her ground against tough opponents like Prince Narula. Mandana Karimi emerged as the second runner-up during the season. The 9th season of 'Bigg Boss' was eventually won by Prince Narula. Ever since her exit from the show, the actress has been seen in shows like 'Ishqbaaz' and 'Casino'.
12. Jason Shah: British model and actor Jason Shah entered the ‘Bigg Boss’ house in the tenth season in 2016 as a wild card contestant. Due to his charming looks and bond with Bani J, Jason Shah was one of the most favourite contestants in the house. However, he exited the show after a few days due to health issues.
13. Lucinda Nicholas: This Australian model and Yoga trainer participated in ‘Bigg Boss’ season 11 in 2017. However, she was evicted from the ‘BB’ house in just two weeks after receiving the minimum votes among the nominated contestants. Lucinda’s stint in ‘Bigg Boss’ is remembered for her closeness with co-contestant, Akash Dadlani.
14. Julianne: Russian model and actress Julianne entered in ‘Bigg Boss 13’ as a wild card contestant. Her international background brought diversity to the season, and her interactions with other housemates were captivating.
15. Abdu Rozik: The Tajikistani singer, boxer and blogger had entered the ‘Bigg Boss 16’ house and managed to win over everyone with his cute antics. The internet sensation has often been mistaken for a child. Abdu Rozik, who built a strong friendship with fellow contestants Shiv Thakare, Sajid Khan and MC Stan, suffers from growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Abdu Rozik released his debut Hindi single titled 'Chota Bhaijaan', as an ode to Bollywood megastar Salman Khan. Apart from Salman, Abdu Rozik has met several other celebrities including Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shilpa Shetty, and Shahid Kapoor.
16. Jad Hadid: The latest international celebrity to participate in ‘Bigg Boss’ is Jad Hadid. The Dubai-based actor and model was seen in ‘Bigg Boss OTT 2’. Jad Hadid was one of the most talked-about contestants on the show, making headlines ever since ‘BB OTT 2’ began. He was also referred to as “lover boy” by the viewers owing to his flirty interactions with fellow contestants like Akanksha Puri, Jiya Shankar, Manisha Rani and more.
Wrapping Up
'Bigg Boss' continues to act as a medium to break barriers and bridge cultures by welcoming international celebrities into its colourful universe. With the latest season of 'Bigg Boss' slated to start on Sunday, October 15, it remains to be seen whether any international name enters the show this time around.
