Did Bigg Boss Malayalam 7 winner Anumol spend Rs 16 lakh on PR? She responds

Anumol

Bigg Boss Malayalam 7 came to an end this weekend with anchor and actor Anumol lifting the trophy. The Mohanlal-hosted season concluded with Anumol winning a cash prize of Rs 42.5 lakh and a new SUV along with the trophy. During the show, fellow contestant Binny Sebastian had accused Anumol of spending Rs 16 lakh on PR to win the title. After exiting the house, Anumol clarified the same in an interview with Asianet.

Anumol admits to hiring PR

Speaking to the channel, Anumol admitted to having a PR team but denied spending Rs 16 lakh on it. She said in Malayalam, "People are saying I won this title by spending Rs 16 lakh on PR but that's not true. I don't have that kind of money."

The actor revealed that she was told every contestant seeks PR support during the show, so she approached one, too. "I contacted a PR person who quoted Rs 15 lakh. But I didn't choose them and went for a Rs 1 lakh option instead. I paid Rs 50,000 before the show and will pay the rest now that I've won the title. I don't know who started the Rs 16 lakh story," she said, adding, "I have no issue admitting to PR assistance like every other contestant. But if I had ₹15-16 lakh in hand, I wouldn't even participate in the show."

When Binny accused Anumol of paying Rs 16 lakh on PR

In October, during a task where contestants had to name who they thought was advancing through PR support, Anumol received the most votes. Binny said, "Anumol told me she has a PR team and that she paid Rs 16 lakh to them - Rs 50,000 in advance and the rest after leaving the show."

Why Anumol took home a reduced prize amount.

Although host Mohanlal announced a Rs 50 lakh reward for the winner, a new system introduced midway through the show allowed housemates to earn money through tasks. The amounts won during these tasks were deducted from the final winner's prize. Contestant Fathima Noora reportedly won Rs 3.5 lakh during one such task, and these deductions led to Anumol receiving Rs 42.5 lakh instead of Rs 50 lakh.

Aneesh, a commoner, was the first runner-up, followed by Shanavas, Nevin, and Akbar. Pre-finale audience polls had shown Aneesh as the frontrunner, with Anumol close behind.