Tanishaa Mukerji recalls Bigg Boss trauma: People went after Kajol, Ajay and family

Actor Tanishaa Mukerji has recalled her difficult journey on Bigg Boss 7, calling the experience “traumatic”. She shared that contestants used the names of her sister Kajol and brother-in-law Ajay Devgn for screen time. The actor admitted that the reality show left her emotionally guarded and deeply affected her family.

Speaking to Mamarazzi, Tanishaa shared that many people still remembered her from Bigg Boss and often described her as cool, entertaining and honest. However, she admitted that she did not speak out as much on the show because she was not very comfortable with the language.

She explained that a large part of her communication was edited out at the time because she mostly spoke in English.

Tanishaa also revealed that she consciously stayed away from speaking on several matters to avoid unnecessary controversies involving her family. Despite being careful, she said her loved ones still became targets of criticism.

Reflecting on what happened during the show, the actor revealed that she only realised later how contestants had used her family’s names to gain attention.

"I had no idea until I came out of the house that people were using my name, my sister's (Kajol) name, my brother-in-law's (Ajay Devgn) name just to get screen time. That was my naivety. Today, I would never put myself in that position again where anybody feels they have the right to say anything about my family because of me," she said.

The actor further admitted that the reality show changed her outlook towards people and public life. "That experience definitely made me a lot more guarded because people really did go after my family. Even the channel upset me at times," she said.

Tanishaa also recalled being upset when questions were raised about why her family had not visited her inside the house. She said people often questioned their absence, but she believed it was unfair to expect her family members to appear on the show without compensation, especially since everyone involved in the reality series was being paid. The actor pointed out that her family members were major celebrities and would have come if they had been approached professionally.

When asked whether the show had been traumatic for her, Tanishaa admitted that it had. She said reality shows like Bigg Boss survive on trauma and even the friendships formed there are often “trauma bonds.”

According to the actor, once people heal from that experience, they realise many of those friendships do not remain the same, as certain behaviours and conversations no longer feel meaningful anymore.

Tanishaa Mukerji is the daughter of veteran actor Tanuja and sister of actor Kajol. She made her Bollywood debut with Sssshhh... (2003) and later appeared in films like Neal 'n' Nikki (2005) and Sarkar (2005). Apart from films, she gained popularity through reality shows and was also seen in Khatron Ke Khiladi 7.