Salman Khan-hosted Bigg Boss 20 premieres this Sunday. While the season’s contestants have been kept under wraps, Rhiya Ahir and Love Gill are competing to get admission via ‘Fans ka Faisla’. The audience will decide who becomes part of Salman Khan’s show. Actress and model Rhiya Ahir, who grabbed attention during the CJP-led student protest, recently spoke to SCREEN about her viral moment and her decision to join Bigg Boss 20.

Who is Rhiya Ahir?

While many have been referring to Rhiya as the face of the CJP-led protest, she says there is a lot more to her. Sharing what defines her, Rhiya told us, “I am just an ordinary girl who would voice her opinion even when it was not asked. When people say, ‘We have raised her like a son’, no, I am raised like a daughter. I’m raised like a person whose voice is important to be heard. Earlier, I was an ordinary girl who knew she had a voice and she used it, and she did auditions before; now she’s doing interviews. First, I would portray characters. Now, I’m just being myself, and I’m being loved for it.”

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While this is the first time in 27 years that Rhiya has been offered Bigg Boss, she has been on stage since the age of four and a half. Talking about her journey, Rhiya said, “I started doing theatre when I was four and a half years old. I saw my sister doing this really cool thing, while I used to go for my tuitions in my first grade. I just told my father that I wanted to go wherever she was going. I’ve been the youngest daughter. So I am stubborn like that. The next day, I was on stage and never looked back. I’ve been modelling for six years now. I’ve performed all over India, in more than 100 shows with very renowned artists and cool brands. I just love every bit of being in front of the camera, portraying different characters. Probably that’s what also manifested that day in standing in front of the van and standing my ground. I know how to hold a moment, probably.”

Rhiya’s viral student protest moment and life after that

While Rhiya doesn’t like being called the face of the protest, she has been happy about how her life has changed. She said, “For some reason, I was not swept away by the criticism. The way life has changed: at first, I was probably walking alone in life. Now there are so many well-wishers, and my family is always by my side. There’s love and support from everywhere. First, this support was for the trolls. Now it’s probably for Bigg Boss. As a model, I have even seen this for actors; there’s always this notion that they’re characterless, they’re this and that. Because I took a stand for something I felt was right, people started with their own narratives, and the hate followed. It has just made me stronger and more humorous.”

Talking about the appreciation that came from the film industry, Rhiya added, “A few days back, I attended a panel discussion in Mumbai. Shabana Azmi maam was also there. When these people said they loved what I did, I still couldn’t wrap my head around it because this is something so natural to me. What I did that day is something so ordinary for me, has become extraordinary for so many people. Every time I talk, I still get goosebumps. When people like Shabana ma’am, who is the real baddie, come to you and say, ‘Amazing, beta, what you did was lovely.’ It’s beautiful when people like it, when celebrities use that picture. It’s not my picture; it’s the picture that people needed. I liked it. At the same time, I did not like it because I probably had that guilt that the students who are no longer with us are the face of the protest. And I don’t want to take this away from them. I was getting hate for the same thing, but I did not even do anything.”

Recalling the moment, she stopped the police van by standing in front of it. Rhiya explained what her headspace was like: “My headspace was like, not on my watch. Also, I did my homework, so I knew it was unlawful because there were no female cops inside the van. There were only two male cops who did not have a memo. So when I was in front of the van, I knew that the Constitution is with me.”

 

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“I knew for a fact that no matter what happens, I am here standing my ground. I am fulfilling my responsibility as a citizen that we have towards each other. Call me an idealist, but I am that person. What’s wrong with wanting a smile on everyone’s face? The policeman was driving the bus when I was in front of it to scare me off. Even then, probably for one second, I thought, what if it just runs me over? My purpose in life would have been fulfilled there. The only thing I wanted to see was the children being released from the van because they were also laughing in the face of the system,” Rhiya added.

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Her decision to join Bigg Boss 20 and the criticism that followed: ‘Was reluctant’

Ever since Rhiya’s name was announced for Fans Ka Faisla, she faced a backlash. Many also said that her stand in the CJP-led protest was only ‘a publicity stunt’. Talking about her decision to join Bigg Boss 20, Rhiya shared, “For Bigg Boss, I’m getting all the love. People from Punjab are also messaging me that they are voting for me. Honestly, I was reluctant to join Bigg Boss when the offer came, because of the image that has been created. I have responsibilities that come with it. And I don’t want to let anyone down. I am a people pleaser, maybe. I don’t want to let people down. I want to stand by what has happened. Little kids are looking up to me. So, I don’t want to misguide anyone in their lives.”

“I spoke to my dad, and he was like, there’s no harm in talking to the channel, or to the production. So, we had a meeting. And one thing they told me, which probably is still stuck with me and helped me make my decision, was that, ‘Nobody’s forcing you to abuse. Nobody’s forcing you to yell. How you react is up to you,’ Rhiya added. “If I get the opportunity, I am very happy, and when people say that, she did this for fame. Why don’t you do it then? Who’s stopping you? They want me because I am a person who calls a spade a spade. What is wrong is wrong. What is right is right. Now or never. So whatever they keep saying, I think some people genuinely want to know. I haven’t earned a single penny, nor have I ever asked for a single penny from anyone. But this is Bigg Boss. This is my job. At the same time, this is my way of telling people: ‘Don’t believe any narrative. Believe what you see.’

 

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Interestingly, Rhiya shares her birthday with Salman Khan, and she is quite excited to share this common factor on the Bigg Boss 20 stage. “I can see we are similar in so many ways. We are hot-headed and temperamental. I am respectful at the same time. When he shouts, he doesn’t use abusive language. When he gets angry, I haven’t seen him use abusive language. I also never did. We both are givers in life; we like to see people happy,” she said.

Rhiya’s fate on Bigg Boss 20 will be decided on 6th September. The grand premiere will air on JioHotstar at 9 pm and on Colors TV at 10:30 PM.