The upcoming season of Bigg Boss, hosted by Salman Khan, is set to return on television and OTT platforms. While the makers are yet to unveil the contestants, a man named Dr. Abhineet Gupta has claimed a scam involving the show. He alleged that Priyanka Banerjee had defrauded him under the pretense of getting him on Bigg Boss.
In an exclusive interview with TV9 Hindi, Priyanka Banerjee addressed the accusations, dismissing them as baseless. She labeled the claims as a publicity stunt. In response to questions from TV9 Hindi, Banerjee shared her perspective on the controversy.
When asked about her relationship with Dr. Abhineet Gupta, Banerjee explained that they met in Bhopal. She had initiated a beauty pageant called ‘Persona Mrs. India’. Gupta, who was looking to gain fame, was invited as a jury member for her company. She mentioned providing him with publicity and covering his expenses in exchange for him taking some auditions. She clarified that she and her team did not take any money from him.
Responding to Gupta’s claim that she arranged a meeting with Endemol and that he gave her 10 lakh rupees, and was later asked for 1 crore rupees to get into Bigg Boss, Banerjee clarified that they were discussing the pageant’s sponsorship with Endemol. She stated that Gupta, who was obsessed with Bigg Boss, was included in the meeting out of friendship. The meeting, she clarified, was solely about their brand and did not involve Bigg Boss. Neither money was taken from him, nor was any money demanded.
When questioned if she believed Gupta’s actions were a publicity stunt, she replied in the affirmative. She believes it was a deliberate attempt at publicity, particularly since casting for Bigg Boss began. She also stated that the public considers it a publicity stunt, and people are commenting on his videos that he is doing this to get on Bigg Boss.
Regarding the impact of these allegations on her personal life, she mentioned the difficulties of being a single mother. Her 14-year-old son is in school, and she is concerned about the impact of such accusations on his image. She fears the potential loss of custody of her child. Banerjee shared the distress she has experienced in the past five days.
Regarding legal action, she confirmed that she has filed a complaint and will pursue legal recourse. She views it as an attempt to damage her reputation. She emphasized that her honor is of utmost importance, particularly as a divorced single mother in Indian society. She added that if she doesn’t speak up now, it could encourage similar behavior in the future. She believes in fighting for herself.
When asked if she had attempted to contact Dr. Gupta, she said that she has not spoken to him since he began posting on social media. She doesn’t feel she can forgive him for his actions, considering it a deliberate act of disrespect.