One of the biggest names to join Salman Khan-hosted Bigg Boss 20 is TV actress Mahhi Vij. 2026 has been quite a rollercoaster for Mahhi. In January, the actress announced her divorce from Jay Bhanushali after 14 years of marriage. She also made her comeback on TV with the show Seher Hone Ko Hai, and now, after rejecting the show for many years, Mahhi has finally taken up Bigg Boss 20. Interestingly, when Mahhi met with the show’s team, many compared her personality to Bigg Boss 7 winner Gauahar Khan. In an exclusive interview with SCREEN, Mahhi spoke about joining the show and how Jay and her daughter Tara reacted to the decision.

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Mahhi Vij was compared to Gauahar Khan by the Bigg Boss team

Talking about joining the show, Mahhi Vij said, “Bigg Boss has been the highest-rated show over the years. I love watching it. Doing this show is like a jeevandan for me. I have been saying no to the show for years now. Every year there would be rumors, but this year, the time was right. This time, I don’t know what made me say yes. I don’t want to think too much and just want to go with the flow.”

 

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Talking about her personality, she said, “I am very kind-hearted, but also very short-tempered. I am very loving, but can be a friend or an enemy also. I don’t like to rub people the wrong way and expect the same. I don’t know what will happen inside; maybe there will be a different Mahhi.” Mahhi also recalled that when she met the Bigg Boss 20 team, many compared her to Gauahar Khan.

“When I met with the team, a lot of people told me my personality is like Gauahar Khan. I love Gauahar and the way she is conducting her life. If they are comparing me with her, it’s a plus point.”

Mahhi Vij on ex-husband Jay Bhanushali and daughter Tara’s reaction to her Bigg Boss 20 participation

While Jay Bhanushali and Mahhi Vij parted ways in January this year, they remain cordial with each other. In fact, Mahhi even discussed the Bigg Boss opportunity with Jay. “I did discuss the show with Jay. I always discuss my work and everything with him. So I did speak with him about the show.” Jay participated in Bigg Boss 15, and back then he often broke down, missing his daughter Tara. When Mahhi was asked if she too would get emotional, she said, “Jay is an emotional person, and Tara was very small when he entered the show. He was missing her moments growing up, which are very precious. Now Tara has grown; she is independent. She has Jay, my parents, her uncle Manoj, and her siblings, so she will cope. She is a very strong child.”

In January, the couple had issued a joint statement announcing their divorce. They had said, “Today, we choose to part ways on a journey called life, yet we continue to have each other’s backs. Peace, growth, kindness, and humanity have always been our guiding values. For the sake of our children, Tara, Khushi, and Rajveer, we commit to being the best parents, the best friends, and whatever else it takes to do what is right for them. Though we walk separate paths, there is no villain in this story and no negativity attached to this decision. Before any conclusions are drawn, please know that we choose peace over drama and sanity above all else. We continue to respect one another, support one another, and remain friends, as we always have been. With mutual respect, we ask for your respect, love, and kindness as we move forward. Mahhi Vij & Jay Bhanushali.”

Following this, Mahhi Vij spoke openly about speculation surrounding her alimony demands and her equation with Jay Bhanushali. While Mahhi addressed these claims, she also found herself at the centre of another controversy after rumours surfaced about an alleged romantic relationship with Nadeem Nadz, CEO of Salman Khan Films. Clearing the air, Mahhi told Times Of India, “So, everyone told me not to address this, avoid it. People who know about these things are feeling ridiculous about what the media is doing. Just because we have taken the divorce with a lot of respect for each other, I don’t think you guys are able to digest it. You guys want controversy; you guys want filth.”

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“How did this happen? So, Nadeem, who is my best friend and will always be my best friend… I have always posted about him, and Tara has been calling him Abba for the past six years. It was a joint decision between Jay and me that she would call him Abba. You have made the word Abba so disgusting. A person is going through something… You guys are not afraid of karma. You can stoop to any level of filth, shame on you, thoo (spit) on you people. I literally thoo on you for writing such sh**ty stuff about me and Nadeem, who is a godfather not just in my life, but in the lives of so many people who respect him so much,” she added.

Mahhi Vij was last seen on Rajeev Khandelwal’s show, Tum Ho Na Ghar Ki Superstar.