Bigg Boss 15 launch highlights: Salman Khan locking main living area to Umar Riaz’ verbal spat with Pratik Sehajpal on the first day

Bigg Boss 15 premiered on Saturday (October 2) and it was a grand event with ---contestants making their way in to the house err jungle and camp. Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, entered the jungle-themed house doing a jig to the song 'Jungle Hai Aadhi Raat Hai'.

Jay Bhanushali was the first contestant to enter. Soon after entering the ‘jungle theme’ house, he says ‘pehla aaya hu and last me jaunga’ (I am the first one to enter and will be the last one to leave) with the trophy. Salman Khan also entered the house. Jay was taken on a guided tour by Salman around the home for the coming weeks.

Salman Khan for the first time goes inside the house to introduce a contestant and locks the house. He also told Jay to not book a bed in the living house as they won’t get direct entry into the house and will have to live in jungle set-up.

The Bigg Boss 15 launch stretched for two days. While on the first day 13 new contestants entered the house, after facing challenges to win survival kits, the second day saw the entry of the 3 Bigg Boss OTT contestants – Pratik Sehajpal, Shamita Shetty and Nishant Bhatt.

The premiere saw Asim Riaz’ brother Umar getting into a fight with model and actor Ieshaan Sehgaal in the 'Sultaani Akhaada' for the survival kit from Donal Bisht. During the fight, Umar caught Ieshaan unaware and hit his face twice. Ieshaan warned him and Umar kept apologising. While Salman declared Umar as the winner for getting more points, it was left for Donal to select. Umar and Ieshaan kept their points and Donal felt the latter deserved a chance as he was caught unaware. Sehgaal, who described himself as an "opinionated" person, livened up the proceedings with his stinging rebuke: "Umar Riaz, aapki kismat achhi hai jo aapne Bigg Boss ke ghar mein mujhe munh par maara. Yehi agar bahar maara hota toh, doctor aap hain, lekin aapka ilaaj main kar raha hota (Umar Riaz, it is your good luck you hit me in the Bigg Boss house. If you had done it outside, you may be a doctor, but I would be the one giving you the treatment)."

For the first time in Bigg Boss, instead of entering the house, Donal and Ieshaan were blindfolded and taken for a ride. They were dropped off at an original camp site, with limited resources. They spent quite sometime outdoor before actually entering the jungle set.

The high point of the premiere was the arrival of Bollywood star Ranveer Singh. Salman greeted his guest in his inimitable style with the words: "Inki pata nahi kya aadat hai, har jagah ghus jaate hain (I can't understand his bad habit. He gets in everywhere)." Ranveer will soon be hosting his own movie-based reality show, 'The Big Picture'. Salman also mentioned here that his friend Sanjay Dutt and he have got maximum lifelines in this life, hinting at their controversies.

Mouni Roy entered as Jungle ki apsara. Her scintillating performance was one of the main highlights in the reality show. He entrance also helped the contestants open up after she asked each of them to name three people, they haven’t gelled with yet.

Bigg Boss OTT contestants – Pratik Sehajpal, Shamita Shetty and Nishant Bhatt created quite a stir with their entrance. While they received a warm welcome from Mouni Roy through the main house, Bigg Boss announced their special powers. They won’t get nominated, captain will be selected in between the three, they have special powers and also they would be a threat to all the jungle inhabitants.

The launch days saw some candid revelations made by the contestants. Afsana Khan saying she postponed her wedding for the show, Vidhi Pandey recalls her hazy selfie moment with Salman Khan long back and clicking a new one, Vishal Kotian sharing how he would sell Salman’s film tickets in black to pay his school fees, to Karan Kundrra opening about looking for a relationship that would be for keeps, it saw some honest moments.

Two new things were introduced this season. An awesome mirror, that would tell contestants their nature and an animal they resemble, and Vishwasuntree, a female talking tree set in the house. Vishwasuntree speaks to selected contestants through a headphone and converses from time to time.

It’s not even a few minutes of Bigg Boss OTT finalist Pratik Sehajpal entering the house and the fights have already begun. Pratik’s first fight begins with Umar Riaz, Bigg Boss 13 first runner-up Asim’s brother. As Pratik step in the jungle from the main house, Umar in one corner talks about Pratik’s attitude. Pratik, who was walking away, hears his name and picks a fight saying, ‘Say whatever you want to say on my face.’ Soon this conversation turns into a verbal fight. While Umar says that he doesn’t know him, Pratik hits back saying, “Tu mere hate comments like karta tha” (You would like my hate comments.” Umar says, “Tu hai kaun.” All the other housemates gather around to watch them fight.