Mumbai: 'Bigg Boss 8- Halla Bol' winner Gautam Gulati did get close to supermodel and fellow contestant Diandra Soares on the show but the actor says he is not keen to take their relationship to the next level and would just like to be friends with her. Gautam and Diandra hogged the limelight for getting intimate on the reality show, which came to an end last night after 132 days.
The 27-year-old actor, however, said he does not see any possibility of a relationship with Diandra. "We will remain friends but I will not get into any relationship with her. I don't think that is possible and even she knows that. She is a smart girl and a good friend. We never spoke about dating on the show. I think I was into an Emraan Hashmi zone and later realised that our kiss was not taken well outside. But my friendship with Diandra will continue," Gautam told PTI post his win.
The 'Diya Aur Baati Hum' actor was also in the news for his friendship with another contestant Sonali Raut, who proposed to him on the show. Gautam said though he admires her, he never felt anything more than friendship for the 'The Xpose' actress. "Sonali is a very nice girl. I like her attitude. She is very daring and I like this quality in a girl. But I can only think of her as a friend and I made that clear to her as well," he said.
Read: I cannot believe that I have won, quips Bigg Boss winner Gautam Gulati
Gautam beat his arch-rival Karishma Tanna and friend-turned-foe Pritam Singh in the finale to become the winner. He was rewarded Rs 25 lakh cash prize and a car. He said he is overwhelmed with the love and support he has received from his fans and finds the craze around him unbelievable. "Things were stressful inside. In fact it was torture. But people outside supported me and that is why I am here today. My win is their win. I can't believe people love me this much. I am surprised and grateful to them. All those, who were against me on the show, apologised while congratulating me. I feel that is my victory," he said.
Gautam first grabbed headlines by abusing Karishma on the show during a task. This turned her and all other house-mates hostile towards him. The actress did not relent even after Gautam's repeated apologies, which ended up earning him the tag of a hero among the viewers as he put up a brave front against all, who cornered him. Since then, the two have shared a love-hate relationship and have been called each others' biggest nemesis. When asked if there is still bitterness between them, Gautam said, "Today we all are friends but had Karishma not done what she did during that task, I would not have ended the show like this. She started the task and I completed it today."
On the show Gautam grew close to a gang of boys, famously called 'P3G', which included Puneet Issar, Praneet Bhat and Pritam. Gautam shared a volatile relationship with Pritam but the actor said he truly considers the RJ a close friend and wanted him to win the show. "As a friend, I wanted Pritam to win. I said this on the finale too. I always wanted to protect members of 'P3G', so I felt that if not me then Pritam should win the show," he said.
The TV star was announced as the highest vote-getter on the finale of 'Bigg Boss 8', which was extended by a month in the form of a special series 'Bigg Boss- Halla Bol' and also saw an entry of five contestants from previous seasons as challengers. Gautam, however, did not feel pressurised by the entry of new people and said his focus was intact. "I was determined after I met my brother and mother during the finale. I decided to give my 100 per cent. I did not feel any pressure during the 'Halla Bol' segment," he said.
When asked if he would keep in touch with contestant Ali Quli Mirza, who made some nasty comments on the actor in a task, Gautam said, "Of course, I will. His family has apologised to me. He was also genuinely sorry about it so I thought to let it go."
