07 September,2026 01:47 PM IST | Mumbai | Shruti Sampat
Kanika Mann (Picture via Instagram)
Kanika Mann, who has been winning appreciation for her recent stint in Naagin 7, is now ready to enter the Bigg Boss 20 house. In an exclusive conversation with mid-day, the actress opened up about overcoming her fear of captive reality shows, her competitive side and why she wants to challenge the perception that celebrities participate in Bigg Boss only when their careers need a boost.
Mann admitted that the idea of being locked inside a Bigg Boss 20 house initially made her apprehensive. "I was always scared of captive reality shows," she said. However, something she read this year made her reconsider the fear. "When you are scared of something, either that fear goes away or that opportunity goes away from you. So, I thought that when the opportunity goes away, it is a loss."
The actress decided that instead of allowing fear to dictate her choices, she would embrace the opportunity and see where it takes her. "I won't know what will work for me. So, rather I get rid of my fear and grab the opportunity and see where it will take me," she said.
For Mann, if one is choosing a captive reality show, Bigg Boss is the obvious platform. "Of course, if you want to do a captive reality show, then Big Boss is the biggest show. It gives you everything. It gives you love, it gives you drama, it gives you fame," she said.
Mann also wants to challenge the common perception that Bigg Boss is primarily a career revival platform. "I have heard this myth from many people. That people do Big Boss when they need a boom in their career," she said.
Pointing to her current projects, she added, "I must say that things have been really amazing for me in terms of my career. One of my films is releasing on 25th September when I will be locked in the BB house. Then one of my films is releasing in January. So, I am at a great spot in my career front."
With Naagin 7 receiving a good response, Mann says she wants to test the show at this stage of her career rather than wait several years. "I really want to show people that even when my career is booming, I can do a show like Bigg Boss, it isn't about getting a boost," she said.
Calling Bigg Boss a "social experiment", she added, "I think Big Boss also evolves our personality. The way we live for 3-3.5 months, it's a social experiment. We never get a chance to get cut from our outside life. There is no phone, there is no other pressure."
