Bigg Boss 16 runner-up Shiv Thakare talks about losing the trophy to best friend MC Stan, his journey and differences between the Salman Khan-hosted show and its Marathi counterpart. Thakare earlier won Bigg Boss Marathi.
After winning the Marathi version of Bigg Boss in 2019, Shiv Thakare entered Bigg Boss 16 with the ‘dream’ of winning the show. However, he fell short of just one step, after ended his journey as the runner-up, while bestie MC Stan was announced as the winner of the Salman Khan-hosted show. Speaking exclusively to indianexpress.com, Shiv said that he is happy with his journey. “I believe in fate and this wasn’t meant to happen. Honestly, I am very happy and proud not just about myself but also Stan. Honestly, my only aim to be on the show was to go back home with a little more than what I had. I think I am taking back so much more.”
In 3 Idiots, R Madhavan rightly mentioned how one’s failure doesn’t hurt much as compared to your friend winning in the same race. Laughing at the reference, Shiv said that it doesn’t hold true for him as he equally wanted Stan to win as much. “I did not want that both of us get out and someone else takes the trophy away. And it’s not just me, I think the entire mandali is super excited about him winning. He truly deserved it.”
Talking about his journey, Shiv said that the day his journey was played was the happiest day for him. Sharing that he always wanted to be appreciated, that moment Bigg Boss not only heaped praises on him but also made him feel special, something that he had desired for a long time. As for his gameplay, the runner-up said that he never wanted to fawn his way up and is proud that he stood up for himself.
When asked about the comparison between Bigg Boss Marathi 2 and Bigg Boss 16, Shiv said that both experiences were very super fun yet very different yet fun. “With that show, I had connected to people from my hometown, my roots. With this, I hope I managed to gain a bigger audience. I know I have spoken that this has been my dream but I believe everything happens for a reason. I survived the entire season and I think God has planned something better for me,” he added.
Over the course of the show, Shiv Thakare has been accused of being a misogynist and even criticised for playing the sympathy card by calling himself a ‘common man’. Reacting to the same, he shared that having grown up in ‘equality-driven’ surrounding, he never differentiated between contestants over their gender. He shared that he always felt that everyone in the house should be treated in the same manner. As for calling himself a ‘common man’, Shiv said that not many people know about his journey. He shared that while he has done Roadies and Bigg Boss Marathi, not many in the audience know about those shows.
“I don’t think anyone will ever understand my hard work to reach this far. I am shocked when I see people saying they rejected shows for years. I have faced rejections, people would disconnect my calls or speak rudely. I have dreamt and worked hard for six years to reach here. I would call so many people for a chance, and this is why I feel I am yet to start my journey,” he said.
On a final note, Shiv Thakare spoke about the Mandali and said that they never conspired to be together and it was ‘just meant to be’. “If people group up for a game, it will eventually break apart. But with us, we made connections from the heart and it will remain so throughout our lives.”
MC Stan took home the trophy, Rs 3.8 lakh rupees and a car as prize money.