'Fighting For Students Was Just For Fame': Rhiya Ahir Faces Backlash Over Potential Bigg Boss 20 Entry After Going Viral In NEET Paper Leak Protest

Mumbai model Rhiya Yadav, known as Rhiya Ahir on social media, went viral after she bravely stood in front of and blocked the path of a moving Mumbai Police van during a student protest over the alleged NEET paper leak. She is now reportedly in the running for a potential entry into Bigg Boss 20, with her fate set to be decided through “Fans Ka Faisla” between her and Love Gill. Amid the announcement some social media users began questioning her intentions behind the protest. One such comment read, “All that Resistance, Bringing BIG Change and Fighting For Students Was Just For Reel & Fame.”

Rhiya later took to social media to appeal to people to support her potential entry into the reality show. She said, “Abhi tak aapne meri journey sirf dekhi hai, ab mauka hai mere sath judne ka.” She further urged people to vote for her and help her become a contestant on Bigg Boss 20.

However, her appeal did not go down well with everyone, with some social media users questioning the connection between her protest participation and her potential reality TV stint. One user wrote, “Guys it's #BiggBoss20 we are talking about. Protest me jake reel nhi karwana hota wahan!” Another mocked her potential entry, writing, “Rhiya Ahir bagging Bigg Boss through protest lmfao.”

Some users also directly accused her of using the NEET paper leak protest to gain fame. One person tweeted, “2 mins silence for those who thought these people were fighting for the students.” Another took a sarcastic dig at her potential Bigg Boss entry, writing, “CJP ki protest se sabse jyada fayeda to Rhiya ko ho gaya.”

Who Is Rhiya Ahir?

Rhiya Ahir is a 27-year-old Mumbai-based model, actor and entrepreneur who came into the spotlight in July 2026 after a video of her standing in front of a Mumbai Police van carrying detained protesters at Shivaji Park went viral. She comes from a defence family, with her father having served in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

On the education front, Ahir studied at Sathaye College in Mumbai and is currently pursuing English Literature through distance education at the University of Mumbai. She previously studied psychology but could not complete her graduation because of work commitments. Alongside modelling and acting, she has reportedly worked in Hindi theatre for around 13 years and also ventured into entrepreneurship, launching Riyasat, a platform connecting local artisans with buyers. She has a strong present on social media, with 324K followers.