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Nikki Tamboli acknowledged the ups and downs in their equation, admitting that the differences often stemmed from her side.
Gaurav Khanna won Celebrity MasterChef. (Photo Credit: Instagram)
Celebrity MasterChef may have ended, but the echoes of its controversies that erupted within the show continue to keep viewers hooked. These controversies are still a hot topic of discussion, and among all, the debate continues to unfold regarding contestants Nikki Tamboli and Gaurav Khanna. Things were sour between them throughout their time on the show.
Now, the reality television personality has recently opened up about her dynamic with the fellow contestant. In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, Tamboli addressed their relationship on the cooking reality show, stating Gaurav is not her “friend. Reflecting on their time together on Celebrity MasterChef, Nikki initially quipped, “Should I call him a man or a guy? (laughs),” before describing Gaurav as a “nice guy.”
Clarifying her equation with him, Nikki Tamboli shared, “Honestly, I am not his friend because I do not allow many people in my space. At once, I will allow my enemies to enter my space, but I’ll not allow such a person who just portrays to have a different personality. I respect him a lot. I learned a lot from him about life.”
In the same interview, Nikki acknowledged the ups and downs in their equation, saying that the differences often started from her side, as she cannot tolerate things she doesn’t like. The BB fame shared, “Only contestants know what goes on behind the camera, only contestants know. No contestant has ever spoken about it on camera. But I know. Gaurav was called a ‘crybaby’ of the show.”
While asserting that they are not friends, Nikki expressed her willingness to support Gaurav when needed. “We’re not friends. Whenever he needs me in his life, I’m always there for him because that is the love I’ve for everybody.” Addressing Gaurav’s reported claims of friendship in an interview, Nikki emphasised the significance of the term ‘friend,’ stating, “You cannot be friends with him just because we did a reality show together.”
The Bigg Boss 14 fame elaborated on her definition of friendship, saying, “Friendship is very special, and not everyone can be a friend. You can take a stand for everyone and can be helpful towards anyone. But you can’t allow everyone in your life and call them your friend. There are very few. If you are seeing me as a friend, I am sorry. You should first look into yourself and see if you are saying things that are true. You can’t hurt a friend. You can fool around with them, but you cannot hurt them.”
When asked about the reason for referring to Gaurav as ‘a guy’ rather than ‘a man,’ Nikki recalled a specific clash between them during Celebrity MasterChef. She mentioned how Gaurav was trying to be dominating, adding that there were many things that happened behind the camera that contributed to her perspective. At the end, she admitted that she can’t be “fake.”
Over the years, Nikki Tamboli has been a prominent figure in reality shows, having participated in Bigg Boss 14, Khatron Ke Khiladi 11 and Bigg Boss Marathi 5, among others.
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