I won’t allow the celebrity status I’ve earned in Bigg Boss to be squandered away: Tanisha Mukherjee

Contrary to the doomsday prophecies Bigg Boss finalist Tanisha Mukherjee’s family is not sulking with her for her proximity to actor Armaan Kohli inside the Bigg Boss house.

Tanisha spent New Years’ eve with her sister Kajol and brother-in-law Ajay Devgn and their two children in the couple’s farm-house in Karjat.

Emotional about being reunited with her loved ones after three months Tanisha says, “My sister Kajol and the rest of the family was concerned about my decision to go into Bigg Boss. They were naturally protective of me. But they never stopped me from going. I had promised my sister, ‘Kads, no matter what happens I wouldn’t lose my dignity in there.’ I think I kept my word.”

Tanisha was bereft inside Bigg Boss house without her loved ones. “I missed my family so much. And they missed me too. But the one who missed me the most was my niece Nysa. And very honestly the one member of my family I missed the most was Nysa. She is the first baby of the family in years. She is deeply attached to me, as I am to her. And she was missing her maasi the most.”

Luckily for her, while inside Bigg Boss Tanisha had no clue about the speculation outside regarding her family’s disapproval of her conduct vis-à-vis special-friend Armaan Kohli.

Gasps Tanisha, “Can you imagine what I’d have go through if I had heard those rumours, untrue as they were?! They would have devastated me. To me my family is more important than anything else. I’d never do anything to shame them. You know my mom was not well. And she missed me so much. She watched every single episode of Bigg Boss just to see me. I didn’t realize how difficult it would be for them to live without me. You tend to take your family for granted, until you are away from them. Nothing or no one matters more than my family. It felt so good to be back with them. When I came out of Bigg Boss I was unsure of how they’d react. I had gone into uncharted territory, and the decision to do so was my own.”

A lot of Bigg Boss watchers expected Tanisha to win. “See, that’s my victory. Even if I didn’t emerge as the winner people expected me to win. The love I got from everyone was my biggest victory. Of course I’d be lying if I said didn’t expect to win. Everyone goes into the game to win. But for it was a very big that every contestant wanted me to win although each one of them hated me in the beginning. I succeeded in changing everyone’s opinion. Kamya Punjabi came up to me at the Grand Finale and said, ‘You’re my hero and I wanted you to win.’ Maybe I am naïve and not as hard-boiled as I should’ve been. But to be considered worthy of winning by so many was a huge thing for me.”

So has Tanisha given up her love for Armaan Kohli for the family’s sake?

Retorts Tanisha, “Who said I’ve to make this kind of an either-or choice? Why would I be asked to choose? I’ve been quoted as denying my friendship with Armaan. Why should I deny it when it was there on camera for the world to see. Armaan was hugely supportive in there. I don’t feel there is any confusion in my mind over this issue. I was and I am very clear about my thoughts and behaviour. Inside Bigg Boss I never did anything to provoke public opinion for me. My mother has taught me to respect my opinion. I am very clear about who I am and where I come from. I am an extremely positive person. About the status of my relationship with Armaan, you are a mature intelligent journalist. Please draw your own conclusions. ”

Happy relieved and still dazed by the Bigg Boss experience Tanisha says, “It’s been a few days since I came out. I wake up thinking Bigg Boss would wake me up. At the moment I don’t miss my life in Bigg Boss. I am just too happy to be back with my family. True, I made a lot of friends. And that time together in Bigg Boss was real fun. We were like children, my friends and I in there. I might miss them later. But right now it’s family time.”

Tanisha came out of the Bigg Boss experience to be confronted by a barrage of speculative media reports. “I had to face a lot of negativity inside Bigg Boss and then outside where my family was dragged in and pitched against me. I was not prepared with this. My family, let me tell you, has been unbelievably supportive. I missed them every moment in Bigg Boss. But I never brought up their name. Did I expect my mom to show up on the show just to give me support? I know there was a lot of speculation when she didn’t connect with me inside Bigg Boss house. But I’d have never wanted that. She’s too big an entity to be seen in Bigg Boss. I want my mother to shine above everyone and everything else.”

Tanisha feels her presence in Bigg Boss was a bit of an anomalous shocker for the audience. “I haven’t shared this thought with anyone. But I feel when one comes from a family as celebrated as mine one can’t be expected to cooped in a game show with ten other contestants and be seen in one-hour. When I went in there I had to shoulder a far bigger responsibility than the other contestants. I couldn’t talk about my family, or use their name to gain ratings. Never . I was on my own.”

Tanisha has come away from Bigg Boss with a lot. “I’ve learnt to believe in myself. In there I did what my brother-in-law Ajay had taught me. Never over-react. As Bigg Boss always said, ‘Sayam rakho’. This Ajay has told me. He is always calm and composed no matter what the provocation. I used to always wonder why he would not react under provocation. But watching him helped me to keep my calm in Bigg Boss. I won people’s hearts with love, patience, understanding.”

Now Tanisha just wants family time. “Can you imagine, my family could see me hear me but they couldn’t reach me or protect me from the other contestants. My journey on Bigg Boss was very difficult. I had to share a bedroom with some people whom I wouldn’t even want to sit and talk with in real life. I had to learn to overlook all the instigation. The whole house ganged up against me, and Salman Sir even commented on it. Now when I am out I realize how much I value my family. And I’ve learnt to tolerate the people I otherwise wouldn’t have entertained for even five minutes.”

Now Tanisha is in a numbed state. “I don’t know what I’ll do next. Right now I just want to have fun for a few days. Uske baad dekhenge. One thing is for sure. I won’t allow the celebrity status I’ve earned in Bigg Boss to be squandered away.”

All the best, Tanisha!!!