After three months of hype and chatter, the controversial reality show Bigg Boss 17 finally concluded on Sunday, with Munawar Faruqui emerging to be the winner of the show. He was handed over the trophy by none other than host Salman Khan, and post his victory, The Free Press Journal caught up with him for an exclusive chat.
"I am feeling surreal! I am over the moon right now. I have worked hard for the past three months for this very moment, and when I have finally won the trophy, I am falling short of words to express my joy," the Bigg Boss 17 winner gushes.
Munawar shares that it was his real personality which won the hearts of the audience. "I was just being my real self on the show and I did not do anything different to impress the audience. So I believe this victory is because of the genuine love of my fans, who thought I deserved the win. I have just stepped outside the Bigg Boss house after three months and it will take some time for me to process and absorb the sea of love coming my way," he says.
Munawar's journey inside the Bigg Boss 17 house had rather been a rollercoaster ride and his world turned upside down when Ayesha Khan entered as a wildcard contestant and accused him of dating her and another woman at the same time. Her entry opened a can of worms for the comedian, and he was tagged a 'womaniser' by the other housemates as well as the netizens.
Addressing the controversy, he says, "I know I shouldn't laugh at this, but I find these terms really funny. Now that I am out of the Bigg Boss 17 house, I have a lot of things to say and prove from my side as well which I was refraining from spilling on national television. I have worked with so many women in my life, and not once has anyone complained that I made them feel uncomfortable or behaved with them in an inappropriate manner."
"People who actually know me, know the kind of person I am. I am definitely going to deal with these things now that the show is over. So those who are tagging me as a womaniser or cheater will be disappointed going ahead," he adds.
A staunch believer of 'Whatever happens, happens for the best', Munawar states that the whole Ayesha controversy only made him stronger. "Whenever there is an explosion, there is a damage and repair process as well that follows. Of course, Ayesha's entry and the entire episode did take a toll on me and my game, because that was my priority, but at the same time, I also discovered this newfound strength in me to deal with problems and get out of tough situations in life," he explains.
Stating that he has no regrets about his stint inside the Bigg Boss 17 house, Munawar shares that he will now move forward with only positive memories. "I am a very forgiving person and I do not hold grudges against any of the contestants. Whatever fights and arguments happened inside the house are done and dusted with the show. It's a different world outside the show, and you never know when you will cross paths with these people again, so I would like to leave everything behind and get back to the grind with only the good vibes," he avers.
On a parting note, Munawar shares the biggest lesson that he learned during his Bigg Boss 17 journey. "I have learnt that one should not avoid confrontation and run away from problems, because they will have to eventually face it sooner or later. Instead, if they make sure to get closure at the right time, then the problems won't follow them in life going ahead. And I will make sure to remember this lesson forever in my life," he concludes.
