Sawant was a contestant on the first season of the reality television seriesBigg Boss 1 (2006) and a challenger and finalist inBigg Boss 14 (2020). Sawant has established herself as asex symbol and has gained attention in the media for her controversial statements and lifestyle.[3][4]
Early life and family
Rakhi Sawant, born as Neeru Bheda on 25 November 1978 to Jaya Bheda inMumbai.[5][6][7][8] After Jaya married Anand Sawant, a police constable atWorli Police Station,[9] Rakhi adopted the surname of her step-father, Anand Sawant.[10] Her brother is named Rakesh Sawant, and she also has a sister named Usha Sawant.[11][12]
In 2003, she auditioned for anitem number in the Bollywood filmChura Liyaa Hai Tumne. She auditioned about four times before being selected for her breakthrough item number, "Mohabbat Hai Mirchi", composed byHimesh Reshammiya.[14] Sawant acted in small roles in films includingMasti andMain Hoon Na.
In 2004, she appeared in the music video "Pardesiya", from the albumD.J. Hot Remix - Vol 3.[15]
In June 2006,Mika Singh attempted to kiss her at his birthday party, which caused a media controversy.[16] A few months later, she appeared in the first season of the reality showBigg Boss. She got evicted in week 4 but later made a re-entry. She was among the top four finalists but got evicted days before the grand finale (24 January 2007, Day 84).[17]In 2007, Rakhi made her singing debut in the albumSuper Girl launched byVenus Records & Tapes Pvt. Ltd. She later participated in the dance reality showNach Baliye withAbhishek Avasthi and emerged as the first runner up.[18] In 2008, Sawant appeared in the filmKrazzy 4 for the item song 'Dekhta Hai Tu Kya'. In 2009, Sawant launched the reality showRakhi Ka Swayamwar in which she planned to select her future husband by the ancient ritual ofSwayamvar. On 2 August 2009 she chose her life partner, a contestant from Toronto, Canada, Elesh Parujanwala. However, several months later, Sawant announced that the couple had separated due to irreconcilable differences.[19] After separation she said on interview that she got engaged to Elesh Parujanwala for money.[20][21][22]
In 2010, Rakhi hosted a talk showRakhi Ka Insaaf which aired onImagine TV. The show saw a controversy after the death of a participant after Rakhi had called him impotent.[23] In 2011, she participated in Sony TV'sMaa Exchange along with mother Jaya Sawant.
Sawant later played the leading role in thriller filmEk Kahani Julie Ki, and was seen in a cameo appearance in comedy fiction television seriesBhaag Bakool Bhaag.[24]
From 2020 to 2021, Sawant appeared as a challenger inBigg Boss 14. She emerged as a finalist but decided to walk out, opting for the cash prize of 14 lakhs.[25]
Rakhi also participated inBigg Boss Marathi season 4 as a wild card contestant and became first ever wild-card to reach finals of Bigg boss marathi, and decided to walk-out with 10 lakhs becoming4th Runner-Up of the show.
Political venture
On 26 March 2014, she announced her plans to contest2014 Lok Sabha elections fromMumbai North-West as an Independent Candidate.[26] On 28 March, she founded the Rashtriya Aam Party (RAP).[27][28] The party has no symbol assigned by theelection commission. However, Sawant said that she's expecting[when?] it to be a "green chilli", which she feels resembles her personality.[29] The party's office bearers and fundraisers are local businessmen fromOshiwara.[29]
She received only 15 votes from the Mumbai North-West Constituency and lost herdeposit.[30]
Sawant resigned from the Rashtriya Aam Party and joined theRPI (Athawale) party in June 2014 and expressed her desire to work fordalits.[31][32] Rakhi serves as party's state vice-president and president of the woman wing.[33][34]
Personal life
In 2019, Sawant married anNRI man named Ritesh,[35][36] which ended in divorce in early 2022. In May 2022, she married Adil Khan Durrani.[37]
In November 2018, duringThe Great Khali's Continental Wrestling Entertainment promotion, American female wrestlerRebel got involved in a dance battle against Sawant, during which Rebel grabbed her in a bear hug and threw her on her back. It injured Sawant's back and she fell unconscious. She was taken to a nearby hospital.[38][39]
On 4 April 2017, she appeared in the Ludhiana court wearing a burqa for making objectionable remarks against Sage Valmiki, at which time she was accompanied by Indian National Congress, National co-ordinator Rahul Jogi (born on 21 August 1990), due to which she was severely criticized.[40][41][42]
Criticism began against Sawant began over her conversion to Islam[43][44] after marrying her boyfriend Adil Durrani, with people even saying that she changed her name to Rakhi Sawant Fatima.[43] However, Adil denied[45] the marriage at first, but soon, after some weeks, he accepted his marriage with Rakhi.[46][47][48] She performed her firstUmrah atMecca in 2023.[49][50]
^McDonald, Hamish (1999).The Polyester Prince: The Rise of Dhirubhai Ambani. Allen & Unwin.ISBN978-1-86448-468-7.Dhirubhai and Kokilaben Ambani invited us to the wedding of their son Anil to Tina Munim in Bombay in January 1991...
^"Rakhi Sawant wants to join RPI". Election Commission of India, General Election to Lok Sabha Trends & Result 2014. 21 June 2014.Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved28 June 2014.
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