Rhiya Ahir is confirmed as a contestant on the Salman Khan-hosted reality show Bigg Boss 20.
Ahir gained limelight last month after single-handedly stopping a police van carrying protesters during the Mumbai NEET paper leak agitation.
The viral photograph of Ahir holding back the police vehicle became a defining symbol for demonstrations led by the Cockroach Janata Party.
Model and entrepreneur Rhiya Ahir’s entry into Salman Khan-hosted show Bigg Boss 20 has split opinion even before the new season begins later this week. Ahir is among the few confirmed contestants on the reality show. Her casting stands out because she became widely known only last month after stopping a police van during the NEET paper leak protest in Mumbai.
Rhiya Ahir Bigg Boss 20 controversy
The show has long been associated with controversial inmates and, in recent years, has also drawn stars looking to revive or widen their public profile. Ahir has now acknowledged that her decision to join the programme has brought a wave of criticism.
Her rise happened almost overnight. The 27-year-old model drew widespread attention after physically blocking a police vehicle transporting demonstrators during a rally led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP).
Rhiya Ahir explains Bigg Boss 20 entry
Ahir told Bollywood Hungama that curiosity, not calculation, drove her decision to enter the house. “I have always been a curious person. I still am. When I was a kid, my mom and sister used to watch (Bigg Boss), phir humein bhi baith kar dekhna hi padta tha (we'd have to sit and watch too). I always used to think what are the inner workings of this big production. So many people are inside, how are they managing all of it. I want to know that.”
She also addressed the backlash around her participation. Ahir, 27, said she knew many people were doubting her intentions after her protest fame.
“With all the hate that is coming through, people are again in two minds ki yeh to fame ke liye kiya tha, ye aisi nahi hai (she is doing it for fame). Don't listen to what I am saying, don't listen to what someone else is trying to narrate about me. See for yourself. I am kind of entertaining, and I want to show that side to people.”
Who is Rhiya Ahir?
Rhiya halting a law enforcement vehicle carrying detained agitators quickly emerged as a defining visual of the unrest.
That moment gave the protests a viral symbol. The demonstrations were led by the Cockroach Janata Party, and Ahir’s act of stopping the vehicle single-handedly pushed her into national conversation far beyond the protest site.
Ahir now has more than 328K followers on Instagram. She has appeared in several music videos and was last seen in the song Dilbara.
She also runs her own business venture - Rhiyasat, a high-end handmade fashion label.
