In a surprising double eviction twist on Bigg Boss 19, Bhojpuri star Neelam Giri bid an emotional farewell to the house after Pranit More was asked to choose between the bottom three contestants — Neelam, Ashnoor, and Tanya. Pranit chose to save Ashnoor, leading to Neelam’s exit.
In an exclusive chat with mid-day, Neelam opened up about her journey, her bittersweet bond with Tanya Mittal, and the lessons she’s taking away from her time on the show.
“I feel like this is a family, and I’m missing out on everything,” she shared emotionally. “I’ve spent so much time with them that I was refusing to go to my own house. It was such a big deal for me. I realised that I’ve earned so much respect and fame here — and that’s a big thing. But at the end of the day, it’s a part of the game.”
On her equation with Tanya Mittal
Neelam’s friendship with co-contestant Tanya Mittal became one of the most talked-about dynamics in the house — filled with affection, irritation, and honest confrontations.
“It’s true that I’ve told Tanya not to lie many times,” Neelam admitted. “There was a point when I used to irritate her, telling her to stop throwing tantrums. But then I’d remind myself — it’s okay, that’s her nature. What can I do?”
Neelam shared that she always wished the best for Tanya, even when she wasn’t sure about the authenticity of some of her claims. “Everything she said about her business and herself, I would cross my fingers and hope it was all true. I would be really happy if that’s the case. If she really is that successful, it would be amazing — I’d feel proud that she’s my friend. Maza aa jayega!”
However, things turned tense when Tanya started speaking to Farrhana — someone Neelam had a fallout with. “When she started talking to Farhana, I was literally hurt,” Neelam revealed. “This was someone who had done me wrong, and suddenly my friend was talking to her. I was very hurt at that time, and I said something to Tanya. I don’t regret it because I was expressing my feelings honestly. Later, she understood. I love her a lot — that’s why I reacted.”
On her equation with Farrhana and others
Reflecting on her bond with the other contestants, Neelam shared that she wants to continue friendships with almost everyone. “I would like to continue my bond with everyone from the house — they’ve all been good to me, except one,” she said candidly.
Referring to her strained relationship with Farrhana, Neelam added, “I had even said that I’d extend my hand of friendship to Farrhana if she apologises to me. But we all know she wouldn’t do that.”
Interestingly, Neelam also shared that Farhana was surprisingly kind during their last interactions. “I had no idea what was going on. She was very nice to me. She never said anything harmful to me. We actually had a healthy conversation.”
On her dynamic with Ashnoor
Neelam also opened up about her rapport with Ashnoor, who survived the eviction. “Ashnoor never said anything bad to me. She was very nice to me,” Neelam said warmly. “We made a mistake when we made fun of her, but all three of us — Tanya, me, and her — were equally at fault. It’s not like I said a lot or Tanya said a lot; we were all equally responsible. All three of us should have said sorry. I did, she didn’t — but it’s okay.”
Despite the ups and downs, Neelam looks back at her Bigg Boss 19 journey with gratitude and emotion. “I’ve realised that what I got from this show — love, recognition, and friendships — means so much more than the trophy,” she said. “I will cherish these memories forever.”
