The most popular reality television program in the country is preparing to have a brand new season. A few months ago, SCREEN had reported exclusively about Bigg Boss returning with Salman Khan as host. However, even though it was confirmed that Bigg Boss would return, there wasn't much being said about the upcoming season or potential celebrities to enter the franchise. Now, as the show is close to launching and more news has started to trickle out about the show, its launch, format and format. A source told SCREEN that the launch is being planned for August although a specific date hasn't been nailed down yet. However, earlier sources indicated that August 2 was going to be the start date, that has since been ruled out. This year's season of Bigg Boss will start on the usual television platform and the approximately three and a half to four months later will continue on the OTT version. This production will be through Banijay Asia, and will only be broadcasted on the Viacom 18 network. Salman Khan will be returning as host and this season will likely be themed "Rewind." As per a source, the format is being refreshed in a more significant way. One of the older elements that returns in some form is the secret room, where the two contestants in danger, are taken to isolation to see what is happening in the home. Another major change this time is the nomination process. Instead of the housemates choosing the two housemates they wish to nominate, it will be in the hands of the audience to cast the votes. As for the eliminations, the contestants may once again be in charge. Also, as the weekly tasks will be tied into the availability of food supplies - if we fail or even if we cancel a task, we can be without rations for the housemates for the whole week. In addition, there has been speculation this season only actors will be contestants, but several social media and digital personalities have also been invited. Here is an early look at some of the possible contestants expected to enter the Bigg Boss house this season:
20. Ram Kapoor and Gautami Kapoor:
Ram Kapoor is an acclaimed Indian television actor known for his starring performances in Ghar Ek Mandir, Kasamh Se, and Bade Achhe Lagte Hain. Ram met Gautami (née Gadgil) on the set of Ghar Ek Mandir around 2000, where she played his wife (originally his sister-in-law). They began dating and after approximately two years of being close friends, they wed on 14 February 2003. They share two children: daughter Sia (born 12 June 2006) and son Aks (born 12 January 2009). In 2025, Kapoor stated that they cohabitated for about 1½–2 years before marriage, which was very forward-thinking at the time. When they were married, Ram had early career challenges and depended on Gautami’s earnings, and she freely chose to be the breadwinner. Their more than twenty years together has an impact that will be admired by all for its longevity.
19. Dheeraj Dhoopar:
Dheeraj Dhoopar (born 20 December 1984 in Delhi) is a famous Indian television actor and former model who is charming and versatile. Initially, he earned his qualifications in fashion designing and worked for various brands as a model before making his television debut as Ansh in Maat Pitaah Ke Charnon Mein Swarg in 2009. He rose to fame as Prem Bharadwaj in the television series Sasural Simar Ka, running from 2013-2017, and later achieved household fame playing Karan Luthra in Kundali Bhagya for the years 2017-2022, for which he earned popular awards for performance. He also hosted Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and Dance India Dance 7. In the past few years, he has continued to expand his repertoire of roles taking on characters in a grey shade in Saubhagyavati Bhava: Niyam Aur Shartein Laagu in 2023, and Subhaan Siddiqui in Rabb Se Hai Dua in 2024. The actor has been married to actress Vinny Arora in November 2016, and the pair welcomed their son Zayn in August 2022.
18. Alisha Panwar:
Aalisha Panwar (born on May 7, 1996 in Shimla in Himachal Pradesh) is an Indian actress who works in television and films and can play a variety of roles. She began her career in 2008 in DD National's "Nachein Gaen Dhoom Machaen" and also was awarded the Shimla Queen title in 2012. Aalisha began acting in a teen cameo film called Akkad Bakkad Bambe Bo (2012), and then began her first television role as Najma in Begusarai (2015). Aalisha's major breakthrough came when she played two roles Tara Raichand and Aarohi Kashyap in Colors TV thriller show Ishq Mein Marjawan (2017–19). After Ishq Mein Marjawan, she had a role of Madhuri in Meri Gudiya (2019–20), and then she played Avneet in Teri Meri Ikk Jindri (2021), which aired on Zee TV. Her upcoming role in 2023 was Kaya in Kumkum Bhagya. Aalisha also acted in short films like Blind Love and Ishqiyaat. Her parents are Anita (teacher) and Dinesh (lawyer) and she still comes from a unmarried status, and continues to be an Indian television actress.
17. Anita Hassanandani:
Anita Hassanandani Reddy born (14 April 1980/81 in Mumbai) is an Indian actress and former model. She has appeared in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films and television and is a diverse actress. She started her career in modelling, appearing in an TV show named Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii, followed by the serial Kavyanjali as Anjali, where she became a recognized face; she had gained a breakthrough after playing the negative role of Shagun in the popular TV series Yeh Hai Mohabbatein (2013-2019), for which she recieved multiple awards. She portrayed a supernatural character, Vishakha, in the supernatural series Naagin 3 and 4, for which she recieved critical acclaim and popularity. She also appeared in an ALTBalaji web-series called Galti Se Mis-Tech (2018) and appeared in Ekta Kapoor's film Maarrich (2022) starring alongside Tusshar Kapoor. After a sabbatical due to motherhood, she featured in Suman Indori (2024-2025) , and most recently appeared in Chhoriyan Chali Gaon, a semi-reality format on television that presents urban celebrities challenged to blend in with villagers.
16. Munmun Dutta:
Munmun Dutta (born 28 September 1987 in Durgapur, West Bengal) is an Indian television actress and made her acting debut in Hum Sab Baraati (2004) before being cast in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah in 2008 as Babita Krishnan Iyer. She also appeared in movies, such as Mumbai Xpress and Holiday in the mid-2000s, before joining the long-running sitcom. Munmun has an M.A. in English and began her career as a singer, performing as a child on Akashvani and Doordarshan in Kolkata. She opened up about the humble beginnings of her career: Her first salary was ₹125, and her mother supported her when she was struggling to make ends meet in Mumbai.
15. Raj Kundra:
Raj Kundra (born 9 September 1975) is a British–Indian entrepreneur who from the most humble of beginnings built a rich and diverse business empire. After dropping out of school at age 18, he made his first fortune trading Pashmina shawls (in Nepal and London) before expanding into various businesses both in India and the UK including, mining, precious metals, property, mixed martial arts (Super Fight League), IPL Co-ownership of Rajasthan Royals, media - Best Deal TV, and hospitality in Mumbai. He wrote How Not to Make Money in 2013. Recently, Kundra has been under investigation for legal problems. In July 2021, he was arrested for allegedly producing adult content, and then later released on bail in September 2021. His assets to the value of ₹97 crore were provisionally attached in February 2022 by the Enforcement Directorate for investigation in a Bitcoin investment fraud. He made a brief appearance in the film UT 69 (3 November 2023), and played himself.
14. Gaurav Taneja:
Gaurav Taneja, who was born on 9 July 1986 in Kanpur, is an IIT Kharagpur alumnus (Civil Engineering), and has trained as a commercial pilot, bodybuilder, and YouTuber. He started flying with IndiGo in 2011 and transitioned to fly with AirAsia where he ultimately lost his job after raising safety concerns, building an even greater respect for his ethical duty as a pilot. He started Fit Muscle TV in 2016 to generate content for fitness and nutrition, and launched a lifestyle vlog called Flying Beast in December 2017, which now has over 8 million subscribers, along with his family account Rasbhari Ke Papa. Gaurav is married to Ritu Rathee, another pilot and influencer, and they have two daughters, who are often featured in Gaurav's family friendly vlogs. In addition to creating social media content, Gaurav launched brands such as Beast Life protein supplements, and Rozier dairy products, unfortunately facing valuation failures despite growing respect in the Shark Tank India arena, but continuing to try with his entrepreneurial objectives. Gaurav has also provided comment in public‐sphere commentary about the Ahmedabad plane crash in 2025, suggesting this is a result of power‐failure, garnering widespread-national attention for his balanced responses and transparent views.
13. Kanika Mann:
Kanika Mann (born 7 October 1993) is an Indian television actress and former model who gained recognition for her title role in Zee TV's popular television drama "Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega" (2018-2021). After winning the title of "Miss Continental" at Miss India Elite in 2015, she has appeared in Punjabi music videos such as "Roohafza" and "Crush", and her debut in Punjabi films included "Rocky Mental" (2017) and "Daana Paani" (2018). She made her Hindi television debut in "Badho Bahu" (2016), and also starred as Prisha Srivastava in the MX Player web series "Roohaniyat". In 2022 she was a finalist in the twelfth season of "Khatron Ke Khiladi". Currently, she is active in television and digital content.
12. Apoorva Mukhija:
Apoorva Mukhija (born 28 July 2001, New Delhi) is a daring and well-known Indian content creator-turned-actor. She began creating funny, Gen-Z-friendly videos during the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020. She started on YouTube but eventually transitioned to Instagram Reels, gaining millions of followers quickly with her humorous commentary on youth, relationships and social rules. A B.Tech (Computer Science) graduate from Manipal University, Jaipur, Mukhija interned with Dell, MX TakaTak, and Swiggy before devoting full-time to content creation. In 2023, she was ranked in Forbes India's Top 100 Digital Stars and was an actor in web series like Who's Your Gynac?, Nadaaniyan, and Baat Pakki and participated as a contestant on The Traitors India. In early 2025, Mukhija's opinionated and unapologetic appearance on India's Got Latent sparked controversy, resulting in a brief FIR and media furor, but she rebounded by advocating for media ethics and resisting objectification—and continues to meaningfully validate her own narrative in a raw and personal way.
11. Daisy Shah:
Daisy Shah (born 25 August 1984, Bombay/Mumbai) is an Indian model, actress and former assistant choreographer for Ganesh Acharya. She was a background dancer appearing in popular Bollywood songs and transitioned into acting in the Kannada film Bhadra (2011) before being cast in Jai Ho (2014) with the actor Salman Khan. This led to her roles in Hate Story 3 (2015) and Race 3 (2018) as a leading lady. In 2019, she starred as a coach in the Gujarati film Gujarat 11. In 2023, she participated as a contestant on the reality television show Khatron Ke Khiladi 13, performing challenges and stunts before she was eliminated. Well known for her fitness, charity work, such as visiting orphanages, and being an advocate for animal rescue and welfare, she is also available to her fans off-stage.
10. Mr. Faisu:
Faisal Shaikh (5 October 1994, Dharavi, Mumbai) became popular on TikTok as Mr. Faisu as a member of the viral creator group Team 07, which consisted of lip-sync, dance, and comedy content, he currently stands at 5'9". He went to IES New English School, graduated at Rizvi College of Arts, Science & Commerce in Mumbai. After the banning of TikTok in India, Faisal moved to Instagram (25+ million), and YouTube (1.9 + million) with lifestyle, music videos, and vlogs. He produced 2407 Crush Deodorant. He starred in the web series Bang Baang - The Sound of Crimes (2021). Faisal Shaikh's estimated net worth was around $5 million (≈ ₹40 41 crore) in 2024 from brand collaborations, endorsements, and his personal projects.
9. Khushi Dubey:
Khushi Dubey (born April 24, 2001 or 1999; sources vary) is an Indian actress with a child artist background now established in leading roles in web series and television. She was born in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), and starred in films such as Ankahee (2006), Namastey London, and Bombay Talkies (2013), and on television in the series Kaisa Ye Pyaar Hai, Kaisa Ye Pyaar Hai and Naaginn: Waadon Ki Agniparikshaa as “Choti Naagin”, where she was nominated for an Indian Telly Award in 2008. All grown up, she starred as Putlu Mehra in Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), as Chikki Sharma in the Disney+ Hotstar series Aashiqana (2022–23), and in 2024 as the character Rukmini in the Star Plus drama, Aankh Micholi as an undercover police officer based on icons Kiran Bedi and Abhinav Bindra. She is currently seen in the Sony show Jubilee Talkies and the supernatural drama Jaadu Teri Nazar – Daayan Ka Mausam, as Gauri Sharma (2025).
8. Arshifa Khan:
Arshifa Khan (born 3 April 2003 in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh) is a well-known Indian television actress and social media influencer. She began her acting career at the age of nine by taking part in the TV series Chhal – Sheh Aur Maat (2012), but is most known for the younger version of gunjan in Ek Veer Ki Ardaas… Veera (2012–15). Throughout the years, Arshifa has worked in various famous TV serials like Jeannie Aur Juju, Ye Hai Mohabbatein, Uttaran, Ganga and Meri Durga, moving from child artist to a leading role in Papa By Chance (2018) as Gungun. In addition, Arshifa made her mark in Bollywood with a small role in Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 (2018). Thanks to her dancing and lip‑sync videos on TikTok and YouTube, Arshifa is now a viral star, with millions of followers on multiple social media platforms. Currently, Arshifa is based in Mumbai, studying and creating online content as well as running her YouTube channel to create dance and lifestyle vlogs.
7. Tanushree Dutta:
Tanushree Dutta, born on 19 March 1984 in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, is an Indian former actress, model, and beauty queen. She was Femina Miss India Universe 2004 and finished in the Top Ten at the Miss Universe 2004. She made her Bollywood film debut with films such as "Chocolate" in 2005. She became widely known in Aashiq Banaya Aapne, Bhagam Bhag, Dhol, Good Boy, Bad Boy, and Apartment before leaving the film industry in 2010. In 2018, Dutta made headlines when she publicly accused Nana Patekar of sexual harassment in connection with her role in the 2009 film "Horn 'Ok' Pleassss," which was considered the launching pad of the #MeToo movement in India. In mid-2025, Tanushree Dutta released a series of emotional videos on her social media outlets in which she claimed she was being harassed in her own home in Mumbai, comparing her situation to that of Sushant Singh Rajput, and had asked for police protection while also making it known that she was living a reclusive spiritual lifestyle.
6. Sharad Malhotra:
Sharad Malhotra is a B.Com (Hons.) holder of St Xavier’s, born on 9th January 1983 in Mumbai, and raised in Kolkata. He started his career as a model and won the Face of the Year – Kolkata (2003). In 2004, he appeared on Zee’s Cinestar Ki Khoj where he also did well. In 2004, he made his television debut in Princess Dollie Aur Uska Magic Bag, however he became popular for his role as Sagar in Banoo Main Teri Dulhann (2006). He subsequently received high praise for his portrayal of Maharana Pratap in Bharat Ka Veer Putra (2013–15), and thereafter starred in Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki and Naagin 5. In 2021, he led the historic drama Vidrohi, in the role of Bakshi Jagabandhu. Having taken a break from mainstream television, he has completed several projects in the web space and will return in 2025 in the role of a cop. Furthermore, he has been married to fashion designer Ripci Bhatia since April 2019, and has passion for martial arts, horse riding, playing guitar, and traveling.
5. Mamta Kulkarni:
Mamta Kulkarni (20 April 1972 in Mumbai) was a successful actor in the 1990s with films such as Aashiq Awara, Karan Arjun, Sabse Bada Khiladi and China Gate; she won the Filmfare Lux New Face of the Year for Aashiq Awara (1993). After she left films by 2003, she became embroiled in controversy; she is accused in a ₹2,000 crore drug case based on ephedrine trafficking charges in 2016; the Bombay High Court rejected the case, as there was allegedly no evidence, on 31 August 2024. In January 2025, Mamta entered into spiritual life at the Maha Kumbh Mela, taking sanyas as the Mahamandaleshwar of Kinnar Akhara with the name Shri Yamai Mamta Nand Giri. Even after she temporarily relinquished the office due to internal controversy, she was reinstated simply days later; she committed to devote herself to Sanatan Dharma. Mamta has insisted that she "can't imagine" returning to film, and is now focused on her spiritual journey.
4. Paras Kalnawat:
Paras Bhushan Kalnawat (born on 9 November 1996 in Bhandara, Maharashtra) is an Indian model and now television actor with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from S.K. Somaiya College, Mumbai. Paras Kalnawat began his career in 2016 as a model, having walked for top designers, including Manish Malhotra and was training at the Terence Lewis Dance Academy and Barry John Acting School. Paras debuted on television in 2017 in Meri Durga as Sanjay Prince Ahlawat, before appearing in Mariam Khan: Reporting Live, Ishq Aaj Kal and web series, Dil Hi Toh Hai. Paras Kalnawat received widespread recognition portraying Samar Shah in Anupamaa and is also recognized for his role as Rajveer in Kundali Bhagya. In 2025 Paras Kalnawat returned as Aditya Kashyap in Parineetii with a 20 year leap, noting that it felt challenging, yet exciting to return after a tough phase after being exit from Anupamaa. Finally, Paras Kalnawat was memorable in his charm and professionalism, along with his on-screen presence where he is now an evolving performer.
3. Micky Makeover:
Micky, an easily recognizable hair stylist and social media personality, is rumored to be joining the new season of a big reality television show, which has created quite the excitement in the fan and beauty community. He has a celebrated reputation for working with hair in ways that are extreme and innovative and he has a strong following on social media, specifically Instagram and YouTube, where he posts regularly about hair care, hair transformation videos, and clips from famous people's hair styling appointments. Micky's personality and social media presence are vibrant, and he is expected to inject a new style and attitude to the format. Fans are eager to see how Micky, a flair for fashion and grooming, will perform in the reality show space, and based on the writing, he will be a top person to watch this round.
2. Purav Jha:
Purav Jha (born 11 August 2001 in Delhi, raised with roots in Bihar) is a comic actor, scriptwriter, social media, and YouTuber. He became popular for his impersonation ability and relatable sketches. He began making content in 2018 on TikTok and Instagram. In his early career, he got noticed as a collaborator of Harsh Beniwal, particularly as "Poplu" in the viral "Shonty & Poplu" series and the popular "PUBG With Pariwar" videos. In 2023, he transitioned to OTT and appeared in Ishq Next Door, Campus Diaries, and Hostel Daze. As of mid-2025, he has over 4.8 million subscribers on his self-titled YouTube channel and has gathered almost 1 billion views.
1. Krishna Shroff:
Krishna Shroff (born 21 January 1993 in Mumbai) is an Indian entrepreneur, fitness influencer, documentary filmmaker, and television personality. She is the founder of Matrix Fight Night (MFN)—India's premier MMA promotion—and co-founder of MMA Matrix, a chain of gyms focused on mixed martial arts and holistic fitness and wellness. Krishna's journey has all been due to overcoming personal fitness struggles; she built her brand around elements of mental resilience and functional strength and away from traditional ideas of being fit based on aesthetics. In 2024, Krishna competed in Khatron Ke Khiladi 14 and finished as the first runner-up, she was helmed for her incredible stunts and grit. As an influencer, Krishna continues to share intense workout routines and motivational content through social media, appealing to a rising audience focusing more on empowered, functional wellness. Her participation at the Ideas of India 2025 summit solidified her visit as a wellness thought leader contributing to much needed public conversations around health and empowerment.
