Actor Tanishaa Mukerji has opened up about her time on Bigg Boss 7, describing the experience as emotionally “traumatic” and revealing how the reality show changed her perspective on fame, relationships and public scrutiny.
The actress, who finished as the first runner-up during the season, said she entered the show without fully understanding its format and later realised that several contestants allegedly used her family’s name to gain attention.
Tanishaa Says She Entered the Show Naively
Speaking during an interview with Mamaraazzi, Tanishaa admitted that she had not even watched Bigg Boss before participating in it.
“A lot of people still remember me from Bigg Boss and say things like, ‘Tanisha is so cool, entertaining and honest.’ But definitely on Bigg Boss, I don’t think I spoke out as much because I wasn’t very comfortable with the language,” she said.
The actress explained that most of her communication at the time was in English, which affected how much of her conversations were shown on television.
“My Hindi is much better now than it was 10-12 years ago. At that time, a lot of my communication was cut from the show because I spoke in English,” she added.
Claims Contestants Used Kajol and Ajay Devgn’s Names
Tanishaa also claimed that some contestants frequently mentioned her sister Kajol and brother-in-law Ajay Devgn to attract screen time and public attention.
“I had no idea until I came out of the house that people were using my name, my sister’s name, my brother-in-law’s name just to get screen time. That was my naivety,” she said.
She added that the experience made her more protective about her personal life and family.
“Today, I would never put myself in that position again where anybody feels they have the right to say anything about my family because of me,” she said.
‘People Really Did Go After My Family’
The actress said she consciously avoided making personal attacks during arguments inside the house and never dragged contestants’ families into conflicts.
“That experience definitely made me a lot more guarded because people really did go after my family. Even the channel upset me at times,” she said.
Tanishaa also recalled discussions around why her family members did not visit her during the show.
“They would say things like, ‘Why is her family not coming to see her in the house?’ And I was like, ‘You’re paying everybody here. My family members are massive celebrities. If you’re willing to pay them, they’ll come. Why should they come for free?’” she said.
Reality Shows Thrive on Emotional Pressure, Says Tanishaa
When asked whether she considered the experience traumatic, Tanishaa responded that reality television often survives on emotional pressure and conflict.
“Definitely. Bigg Boss and these reality shows survive on trauma. Even the friendships there are trauma bonds,” she said.
She further explained that many relationships formed in such intense environments may not survive once contestants move on from the experience.
“Once you heal, you realise those people are not really your friends anymore because you’ve healed past that trauma,” she added.
