New Delhi: Host Salman Khan officially kicked off Bigg Boss 20 with a star-studded Grand Premiere on September 6, locking 16 diverse celebrity housemates inside the Alice in Wonderland-themed house for the ultimate reality TV battle. Boxing legend Mary Kom has entered the Bigg Boss house this season, joining the mix of television actors and content creators on Salman Khan’s reality show Bigg Boss 20. And ahead of her entry, she got a sweet surprise from someone who knows her journey better than most: Priyanka Chopra.
At the Bigg Boss 20 premiere, Mary Kom brought her sons along and introduced them to Salman Khan. Salman Khan kicked off this season with a grand premiere on September 6, welcoming 16 new contestants into the house. Their playful back-and-forth with the host has already gone viral online. And true to reality TV form, the boxer wasted no time getting into the thick of things inside the house, sparking a disagreement with singer Qazi Touqeer over a bed on the very first day. Besides Mary Kom, the lineup includes Badshah’s ex-wife and actor Isha Rikhi, actor Kanika Mann, Manoj Tiwari’s daughter Rhiti Tiwari, singer Qazi Touqeer, Arishfa Khan, Uditi Singh, Kushal Tanwar (better known as Gullu), YouTuber ScoutOP, actor Aman Gandhi, and several others.
This connection goes back to 2014, when Priyanka played Mary Kom in her biopic, directed by Omung Kumar.
“I am wishing you all the very best,” Priyanka said in the message. Just before Mary Kom stepped into the house, Salman Khan let her know that a well-wisher had recorded a special message just for her. He then played a video from Priyanka Chopra, who has portrayed Mary Kom on screen and clearly hasn’t forgotten the bond they built while making that film. “You are going inside the Bigg Boss house, and I know this first-hand, that how strong, resilient and determined you are. The film also starred Darshan Kumar alongside her, with Sunil Thapa in an important supporting role. It went on to become a big success, opening to the biggest weekend numbers ever recorded for a female-led Indian film at the time, and later took home the National Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
