Exclusive - Bigg Boss 19's Farrhana Bhatt breaks silence on Salman Khan’s scolding, Khatron Ke Khiladi offer, and challenges growing up in a conservative family

Farrhana Bhatt, who emerged as the first runner-up of Bigg Boss 19’s, spoke about some of the most defining moments of her journey. In an exclusive chat with Times of India TV, Farrhana opened up about facing tough feedback from host Salman Khan, her journey and navigating life with a conservative upbringing. She also expressed her wish to do Khatron Ke Khiladi. (Photo: Instagram)

I didn’t feel upset at all. My eyes were never fixated on the trophy. I’ve always believed that I would go as far as destiny had planned for me. The only thing that truly touched me was discovering how much love I was receiving from outside. That made me wonder for a moment whether I might actually win it. But then I felt—trophy or no trophy—this kind of affection is more than enough. Throughout the season, you may have noticed that I never went around declaring that I had to win the trophy. I never chased it. My focus was on giving my best, staying true to who I am, and making decisions that felt right to me. So even if I didn’t walk out with the trophy in my hands, the amount of love people have showered on me is far more precious. That, for me, is the real reward. (Photo: Instagram)

I used to feel genuinely hurt. I think the second weekend and the eleventh weekend affected me the most, I felt completely low and unmotivated. I knew that whatever Salman sir was telling me was meant to help me grow, but I kept wondering why I wasn’t able to understand it at that moment. Why couldn’t I see what others were seeing? Why was I reacting the way I was? But when you take a step back, calm down, and reflect, you realise that a lot of what is said is actually meant for your own progress. I’ve started working on those things, and I’ll keep improving. So yes, it hurts, but I’ve learned to take it in the right spirit. There was one particular line he said, “I will feel ashamed”, and that struck me like a bullet. Hearing something like that from Salman Khan felt unbearable. I broke down that weekend because of it. Normally, I can handle most things, but that one sentence made me feel like maybe I wasn’t worthy of being there. (Photo: Instagram)

In that house, the environment forces you to let go of things, even if you are not someone who forgives easily. When I finally confronted him, he began by apologizing for what he said about my mother. I told him straightaway that I wasn’t ready to forgive him. But for the next 3-4 days, he kept insisting that I should also apologize for what I had said about his father. Since he had already expressed regret about his comment regarding my mom, I eventually told him that I was sorry for what I’d said about his parents too. That ended the matter at that moment, because after that, we didn’t revisit the issue. (Photo: Instagram)

Amaal was told a few things about me that weren’t true, like saying I laughed when his father was crying and that made him even more upset. I clarified all of that. So it’s not like I suddenly forgave him out of nowhere. Over time, through the way he tried to make things right, I genuinely felt that his apology was sincere. (Photo: Instagram)

Yes, of course I would love to do Khatron Ke Khiladi. I was asked by Rohit Shetty sir during weekend ka vaar and I was so excited, I said yes. Khatron Ke Khiladi is my thing.

It’s not about disliking anyone. The truth is, I’ve always had a clear goal. I trained in theatre, I completed my diploma, and I’ve always wanted to work in films. There’s one experience from Kashmir that really stayed with me. I had been cast in a project, it was for a daily soap but the experience on that set was extremely unpleasant. At that time, I was the lead actress, yet the treatment I received was far from respectful. When you have worked with names like Neeraj Pandey, Friday Filmworks, and SK Films, you are used to a certain level of professionalism and dignity. I wasn’t expecting anything extraordinary, but I did expect basic respect. Instead, it felt like they didn’t value me at all. I eventually walked out of that shoot and went home. They called me back afterwards and apologized, but the damage was already done. (Photo: Instagram)

That incident affected me so deeply that I made up my mind never to work in television again. Television work is undoubtedly demanding, long hours, nonstop schedules but artists still deserve respect. In films, even junior actors are treated with dignity, the same way the leads are. On TV sets, at least in my experience, that wasn’t the case. That one experience left a strong impression on me, and honestly, it shaped the way I view TV work even today. (Photo: Instagram)

I genuinely feel proud of how far I’ve come. When I first stepped into the entertainment industry from Kashmiri, I already knew I would have to face certain challenges and what I encountered was far more than I had imagined. Still, I never backed away. None of it broke my spirit. I remained steady in my resolve, if this is the path I’ve chosen, I will walk it, no matter how tough it gets. (Photo: Instagram)

I come from a family where wearing a dupatta and keeping your head covered is the norm. Wearing jeans was never permitted, so imagining myself in the film industry felt almost impossible, completely out of reach. There were so many restrictions and reservations around even the simplest things. That’s also why I keep a little distance from some relatives, I don’t want anyone to think I’m trying to influence them. I’m always ready to help if someone genuinely needs me, but otherwise, I prefer maintaining some space. When I look back at everything I’ve pushed through and everything I’ve built for myself, it fills me with immense pride. (Photo: Instagram)

Not at all — and I don’t believe anyone can even attempt that on a show like this. In fact, he was the one who told me, ‘Don’t damage my reputation, and at least stay in the game for three weeks.’ He encouraged me to speak up and let my real personality show. But if someone wasn’t even confident that I could last a few weeks, how could they possibly be ‘pushing’ me, and for what reason? (Photo: Instagram)

He is a very dear friend. In fact, I had met him only once or twice before the show. He’s just a friend—there’s nothing more to it. Bhaskar and me? Oh my God, that’s completely absurd. I’m hearing this for the first time. Bhaskar and I are simply friends, and honestly, this is only the third time we are meeting in person. (Photo: Instagram)