Bigg Boss 17 winner Munawar Faruqui: Prepared to now face situations head on

Munawar Faruqui

The year has started on a great note for comedian-reality show star Munawar Faruqui. On his birthday, he emerged as the winner of Bigg Boss season 17 and walked away with a R50 lakh cheque. While it's a big win for him, Faruqui says that even if he had to walk away without the trophy, he wouldn't regret it. "From day one until the end, I never gave up hope in life. Not for a minute did I feel that I had no chance to win. Somewhere, I was also [mentally] prepared to leave this stage empty-handed, knowing that I would depart as a better person."

It is evident that the reality series takes a toll on contestants' mental health. The comedian also went through several ups and downs on it and was seen emotionally breaking down when his past relationships were exposed on national television. He still calls it "an experience of a lifetime." "One thing the show made me realise is that when you assume you are perfect [in reality], you don't understand where you actually lack. In the house, all the difficult situations I faced - situations that I would have avoided or let time heal on its own if I were outside, especially in terms of relationships - gave me strength to confront them. I will now keep trying to face things head on and be prepared to handle them in real time." After winning Bigg Boss, the star explains that he is clearer on how his journey panned out and the friends he has made for life. He considers Abhishek Kumar, who was the first runner-up, a close friend. "In the last few weeks, Abhishek and I had an argument and I went overboard. I was a little too hard on him, which is something I regret. Having said that, [for the people I had a disagreement with], I am not someone who holds grudges. I believe in letting go, which has been my mantra for life. Bigg Boss has made me the happiest person in the house. I believe whatever happened in the house was just a situation, and I believe in letting it all go," says the comedian, who is all set to return to his comedy career.

Asked about his future plans, Faruqui says that he has no plans to limit himself to one genre or field. "I regard work with a lot of importance. I want to do whatever comes my way; I don't wish to restrict myself by doing only one thing. Writing has been my passion. Whenever I find a free moment, I write poems in my head; that is my art, which has kept me going. It was a special moment for me when Bigg Boss recited my shayari on the show," beams the comedian-writer as he heads for several parties hosted to celebrate his win.