Shiv Thakare to Shehnaaz Gill, 9 celebs who did not win Bigg Boss but won hearts of the audience
Here are celebs who won the hearts of the audience with their stint in India's popular controversial reality show Bigg Boss.

Bigg Boss is one of the biggest and most popular reality shows on Indian television. Salman Khan’s name as a host has become synonymous with the show. Every season, many popular celebs are seen participating in the show, among which, the strongest and smartest contestant emerges as the winner of the show. However, in Bigg Boss history there have been several contestants who did not emerge as the winner but won the hearts of the masses with their unfiltered personalities and behavior. Let's a look at 9 celebs who didn't win but have carved out a niche for themselves and are popular.
9 celebs who won the hearts of the audience:
Shiv Thakare:
Shiv Thakare was a part of Bigg Boss 16 and emerged as the first runner-up of the Salman Khan-hosted show. During his stint, his strong personality and point of view during the fights were applauded by the viewers. He was often tagged as the head of the 'mandali' (group) and was called out for being calculative in his decision-making. But despite everything, Shiv was hailed by the viewers for being a true friend of MC Stan, for helping Shalin Bhanot when he was feeling low, for being caring to Sumbul Touqeer, for his pure friendship with Abdu Rozik, and for supporting the 'mandali' through the highs and lows. Thus he became the audience's favorite contestant on Bigg Boss 16.
Shehnaaz Gill:
Shehnaaz Gill participated in Salman Khan hosted show Bigg Boss 13 and her bond with late actor Sidharth Shukla became the talk of the town. During her stint, she was called a 'flipper,' and she made everyone laugh with her pranks and funny conversations. Furthermore, one of her dialogues ''Sadda kutta kutta tawda kutta tommy' became viral in the form of a musical mix rap, which boosted her fan base even more. Post her Bigg Boss 13 stint, Shehnaaz donned several hats such as modeling, acting, singing, and more, and proved to be a multi-talented star. Shehnaaz Gill is all set to make her Bollywood debut with Salman Khan's upcoming film Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan.
Asim Riaz:
Asim Riaz was a part of the Salman Khan hosted show Bigg Boss 13 and his strong unfiltered opinions and protective behavior towards Himanshi Khurana were loved by the viewers. For Asim, it was love at first sight, and he instantly fell in love with Himanshi when she entered the house. After she said yes, the lover boy even went down on his knees to propose to her in one of the episodes. Asim and Himanshi's relationship was one of the highlights of Bigg Boss season 13. Asim is riding high on success post his tenure in Bigg Boss 13 and has released numerous music videos and also shared the stage with French music producer DJ Snake.
Nikki Tamboli:
Nikki Tamboli rose to fame after she participated in India's most talked about reality show, Bigg Boss 14, hosted by Salman Khan. Her good looks, unfiltered opinions, and fashion sense were one of the reasons she became the most talked about celebrity of the season. Post her stint, Nikki has gained immense popularity and fame and has a massive fan following on her social media handles. The actress even did several music videos with popular actors and endorsed high-end brands.
Pratik Sehajpal:
Bigg Boss 15 runner-up Pratik Sehajpal became a well-known face and name among youngsters during his stint in Bigg Boss OTT. Pratik was appreciated for showing his real side on the show and was also called as 'King Pratik Sehajpal'. From his connection with Neha Bhasin to his constant verbal spats with the housemates, the actor instigated a lot of controversies. At present, Pratik is a part of Ekta Kapoor's hit supernatural show Naagin 6.
Nora Fatehi:
The Canadian dancer and actress was a wild card contestant in Bigg Boss 9. Her career took off as soon as the show ended. She has appeared in several Bollywood films as well as some of the most well-known Bollywood songs. Nora is a well-known Bollywood actress today and some of her hit songs such as ‘Dilbar dilbar’, ‘Kamariya’, ‘Garmi’ among others are loved by the audience. From being a Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 9 contestant, Nora was last seen as the judge in the hit reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10.
Sunny Leone:
Bigg Boss proved to be a stepping stone for Sunny Leone, who went directly to Bollywood after exiting the show. The actress debuted as a newcomer in Bigg Boss 5 and quickly rose to fame. Furthermore, when she was inside the house, renowned Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt offered her a film.
Archana Gautam:
Archana Gautam was a part of Bigg Boss 16 and emerged as one of the finalists. She was one such contestant who received immense love from the audience but was also criticized several times for her uncalled drama. Host Salman Khan often praised her for being vocal about the 'muddas' in the house but also slammed her for expressing it in the wrong way. Though she went below the belt several times during tasks and fights, she never failed to entertain the audience by irritating others or with her hilarious 'shayris'. Her one-liners such as 'Kya challa hai' and 'Maar maar ke mor bana dungi' became famous among the audience.
Abdu Rozik:
Popular social media sensation and Tajikistan singer, Abdu Rozik (19) became a household name after he participated in Salman Khan hosted hit show Bigg Boss 16. However, Abdu took a voluntary exit from Bigg Boss 16 owing to his prior professional commitments. During his stint, Abdu won the hearts of the masses with his cute looks and down-to-earth behavior and also formed a close bond with co-contestants Sajid Khan and Shiv Thakare. Within a short span, Abdu aka 'Chota Bhaijaan' became fans' favorite celebrity, and netizens still shower love on him.
Speaking about Salman Khan hosted show's latest season, Bigg Boss 16 Grand Finale episode was held on February 12 and rapper MC Stan emerged as the winner of the show.
ALSO READ: Bigg Boss 16 winner: Salman Khan announces MC Stan as this season's finale, lifts trophy