Salman Khan-hosted reality show Bigg Boss 20 premiered on 6 September, introducing the contestants competing for the season’s trophy.
According to Hindustan Times, while the lineup has drawn criticism from some viewers for lacking enough familiar faces, contestant Arishfa Khan has a larger Instagram following than several established Bollywood and South Indian film stars.
Born in 2003, Arishfa Khan began her acting career as a child artist in 2012. She made her television debut with Chhal – Sheh Aur Maat and later gained recognition for her performance in Veer Ki Ardaas…Veera.
Arishfa developed an interest in acting while accompanying her mother, who worked as a stuntwoman, to film sets.
She subsequently appeared in shows such as Jeannie Aur Juju, Uttaran, Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Gangaa and Meri Durga. In 2018, she landed her first lead role in Papa By Chance, which aired on Star Bharat.
Recalling the moment she was cast in her first leading role, Arishfa told Humans of Bombay in a 2020 interview, “In 2018, when I got my first lead show, Mom hugged me and cried. People would say, ‘A stuntwoman’s daughter has become a heroine,’ and it made mom swell with pride.”
She also spoke about playing a married woman at the age of 14.
“There was no stopping after that– at 14, I even played a married woman. It was really hard for me to emote, but I’d observe all the aunties and copy their style to make my character more believable!” she said.
After establishing herself on television, Arishfa shifted her focus towards digital content. She gained significant popularity during the TikTok boom in India and later expanded her presence across other social media platforms.
She has appeared in several music videos and regularly posts GRWM videos, travel vlogs, lifestyle content and trend-based clips.
Arishfa currently has around 29.1 million Instagram followers, placing her ahead of several prominent Indian film stars.
Kareena Kapoor has approximately 13.9 million followers, while Janhvi Kapoor has around 26.7 million. Among South Indian stars, Allu Arjun has about 27.9 million followers and Prabhas has approximately 13.9 million.
Arishfa’s following is particularly notable because she is only 23 and has not yet appeared in major theatrical films. Her popularity has largely been built through television and digital content.
Among the 16 contestants on Bigg Boss 20, Arishfa has the highest Instagram following. YouTuber and esports player Tanmay Singh, also known as Kanika Mann, follows her with around 7.3 million followers.
Other contestants have considerably smaller audiences on the platform. ScoutOP has approximately 4.4 million followers, while Mary Kom has around 2 million and Mahhi Vij has about 2.2 million.
Kushal Tanwar, popularly known as Gullu, has nearly 1.4 million followers, while Isha Rikhi has around 1.1 million.
Hosted by Salman Khan, Bigg Boss 20 premiered on 6 September. This season follows the theme ‘extra jeevan daan’, with contestants being told that they have two lives and an additional opportunity to avoid elimination.
The house has been designed around the world of Alice in Wonderland. Early episodes have already begun highlighting disagreements among the contestants, with Mahhi Vij appearing in a promo for an upcoming episode.
Although some viewers have questioned the popularity of this season’s lineup, the competition is still in its early stages. The contestants now have the chance to establish their identities and generate greater interest as the show progresses.
