27 August,2026 11:22 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rhiya Ahir (Picture via X)
Rhiya Ahir, who shot to online fame after a video of her participating in the students protest went viral, has addressed the criticism surrounding her potential entry into Bigg Boss 20. The actor, model and entrepreneur is currently in the running for a spot on Salman Khan's reality show through the "Fans Ka Faisla" segment, where viewers will decide whether she enters the house.
Netizens questioned Rhiya about her participation in the reality show after gaining recognition through the students protest. Addressing the constant backlash on her Instagram handle, Rhiya now shared a comment from a supporter who pointed out that she is not an activist by profession. "She is not an activist, that is not her profession or her job. She participated in one protest, it went viral and suddenly people started expecting activism from her as if that's her career. It isn't," the comment read.
The comment also mentioned that if she went viral because of something then why shouldn't she seize the opportunity of participating in the biggest reality show. Agreeing with it, Rhiya candidly shared, "Papi pet ko bhi toh paalna hai." She explained that she chose to share the comment because she feared that directly responding to critics would lead to accusations of playing the victim or manipulating the narrative. "I am sharing this comment with you all because if I don't then you all will say that I am playing a victim card or manipulating you all," she said.
Rhiya went on to share that her career existed long before the protest video went viral. She revealed that she has been involved in theatre since she was four-and-a-half years old and has spent years working as an artist. She also clarified that she did not earn money from the protest video.
Speaking about the viral incident, Rhiya said she was simply being true to herself at the time. "Being true to myself is what I did in front of the van," she said, adding that the attention eventually brought her new opportunities. "If that is the reason why I am getting an opportunity to explore in my career then why shouldn't I take it," she added.
Apart from acting and modelling, Rhiya is also an entrepreneur and runs handcrafted apparel label Rhiyasat. If she secures enough votes, Bigg Boss 20 could offer viewers an opportunity to see a side of her beyond the viral protest video.
