Was Rhiya Ahir's viral protest a Bigg Boss move? Actor breaks silence | Exclusive

Rhiya Ahir has gone from standing in front of a police van during the NEET student protest to possibly entering the Bigg Boss 20 house. The viral protester is now in the running for a spot on the Salman Khan-hosted show, and if she makes it, she promises viewers will get to see the person behind the headlines, controversies and, of course, the memes.Speaking to India Today, Rhiya revealed that she was not always sure about doing the reality show. However, a conversation with the makers changed her mind. They told her one simple thing: nobody can force you to fight, abuse or behave a certain way inside the Bigg Boss house. How you react to a situation is entirely your choice.“And I thought that makes sense. There are so many narratives going on about who I am, how I am, is she here for fame, is she fake, and so much more. So I will just put it all down once and for all about who I am and how I am as a person,” she said.Of course, whether viewers actually get to see that person inside the house is now up to the audience. Rhiya is currently fighting it out in Fans Ka Faisla against actor Lovepreet Kaur. One of them will eventually enter the show on the premiere night. When asked what viewers can expect from her on the show, Ahir smiled and said that, for starters, loyalty. She said she is loyal “to the core” and even joked that she was probably a dog in her past life. She described herself as happy-go-lucky but also admitted to having a stubborn side. She added that she is also someone who can admit when she is wrong and change her mind.Rhiya Ahir also answered the burning question of whether she stopped the police van during the student protest to garner headlines and, as many on the internet have suggested, create enough controversy to get into Bigg Boss. Dismissing the notion, she said even her father told her that no amount of money could have engineered what happened that day. While trolls may continue to question her intentions, Rhiya said she does not give their opinions much importance.“There are people who have taken a stand for me. They joked that I can’t stop buses all my life. I have been an actor all my life, and I would want to take up such opportunities,” she said.What she does want, though, is a chance to prove a point about Gen Z. The actor said she wants to enter the Bigg Boss house and challenge the image of her generation as lazy, abusive or entitled. For Rhiya, the protest itself is proof that young people are finding their voice.She said the biggest change has been seeing youngsters stand up, demand answers and stand by each other.Interestingly, despite everything that followed, Rhiya said she has never regretted what happened. She believes around 20 students were able to go home safely that night because of her and said she simply did what she believed was her duty as a citizen.Rhiya also spoke about whether she would consider joining politics in the future. While she did not rule out opportunities that may come her way, she said that, for now, she wants people to know her beyond the viral protest and see who she really is.On a parting note, Rhiya Ahir mentioned that Bigg Boss has been a core childhood memory for her, with her mother and sister watching the show. While she initially wondered what the fuss was about, she eventually got hooked after watching it for a few days.She is now particularly excited to meet the host, especially since they share the same birthday, December 27. “We are both birthday twins,” she said with a laugh. She added that she feels they have something else in common — both are hot-headed. She also called them both “givers”, saying they enjoy seeing people smile and giving to others.Bigg Boss 20 is set to premiere on September 6 on Colors and JioHotstar.- EndsPublished By: shweta keshriPublished On: Sep 3, 2026 09:21 IST