‘My fans always supported me and whenever I was left behind, they pulled me by holding my hand, so I am very grateful.’

Photograph: Kind courtesy Munawar Faruqui/Instagram

After winning Bigg Boss 17, stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui went to Dongri in south Mumbai, where he received a grand welcome from a sea of fans.

People surrounded his car, as Munawar lifted high his Bigg Boss trophy and dedicated it to his fans.

Earlier, Munawar had said that he was confident about his win.

“My fans always supported me and whenever I was left behind, they pulled me by holding my hand, so I am very grateful,” he had said.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Talking about his stint on the show, Munawar says, “There are situations when you become nil. It is normal to feel that way in such circumstances. Then your brain says that perhaps you will not be able to concentrate on the game right now and this happened. But by facing it, I got a lot of courage from Salman (Khan) bhai, Karan (Johar) sir and my fans.”

Munawar had became close friends with fellow contestants Abhishek Kumar, Ankita Lokhande and Mannara Chopra, who he said had motivated him and stood by his side during his time of difficulty.

“People who were around me, my friends Abhishek, Ankita and Mannara motivated me. My sisters love me a lot and God is always there to support me,” he said.

Photograph: ANI Photo

One of the most important things he picked up after spending more than 100 days in the house was how to cook.

“I always missed food. I am fond of food. I did not know how to make food, and learned it inside the Bigg Boss house,” he said.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Munawar Faruqui/Instagram

Faruqui underwent a significant transformation in his journey inside the Bigg Boss house. From the ‘mastermind’, he became the ‘most boring’ contestant on the show.

Things changed dramatically with the entry of Ayesha Khan, a wild card contestant, who blamed him for cheating on her. Munawar often broke down and even expressed his wish to leave the show.

“Everything was an experience and I will not regret anything,” he says. “I am happy that I had to experience that too. Be it bad or good things, I have experienced everything and there is something to learn from them.”

Munawar gave the credit for his big win to his fans: “It is the love of Munawar’s fans.”