Bigg Boss Malayalam 5's Cerena Ann: The show either gives you fame or defames you, there is no midground

Model Cerena Ann entered Bigg Boss Malayalam 5 full of dreams and she came out with flying colours. Despite being relatively unknown to the viewers, Cerena managed to win the hearts of the Malayali audience with her grace and humility. In an exclusive interview with ETimes TV, she discusses her time in the Bigg Boss house, her eviction, the 'Dubai Chocolate' controversy, and her bond with fellow contestant Sagar.

Cerena Ann, a model hailing from the UAE, faced the challenge of making her mark in the BB house and among the Malayali audience. She acknowledges that entering the show as an unknown contestant without celebrity status was a daunting task.

"Bigg Boss was a rollercoaster ride in my life. Those 99 days I can never relive in my life. I was one of the contestants who entered the show without a celebrity tag. None of them knew me, but I knew all of them. Everyone asked me what I would do after being the odd one on the list of known faces. Well, more than me, my mom was confident as she even packed 50,60 clothes for me when I went in. I was also the first contestant from UAE, the one who gets the gaze 'Oh an NRI?'. So, it was my responsibility to establish myself among the Kerala crowd. Yes, like everyone, I entered the show for financial benefit, fame, and opportunities," she said.

Cerena is happy that the audience has accepted her, especially the elderly, whom she never expected to like a modern girl like her.
(Photo: Instagram)

Yes, Cerena had the luck of being the first evicted contestant who had a magical exit from the house. A day before the grand finale, it was the superstar host Mohanlal who walked into the house to conduct the eviction himself.

"Surreal! No words can explain that moment. The team had put a briefcase inside the house that day and we had a hunch that it might be a surprise eviction. But, when Lalettan walked in, we all went numb. When they played the journey video, I could see myself more in them and I had an intuition that it might be me. When Lalettan said my name, I was not upset, indeed I felt proud of myself. I became the only evicted contestant in the history of the show who could walk out holding Lalettan's hand," she gushed.
(Photo: Instagram)

In the season, Cerena was the only person who entered the secret room too. On the 77th day, the contestant entered the room post her eviction and made a smashing comeback to the house after a day. However, she was trolled that her dad had 'bought' the secret room worth Rs 50 lakh for her. She firmly refutes these claims, stating that she had no financial backing from her family and had to work hard like any other contestant.

"If I had that much money, why would I struggle in the Bigg Boss house? I still have scars from doing the tasks and household chores. Every day I tried my best to perform well. I think the team wanted a strong female contestant and I was saved by the Bigg Boss. I had no godfathers in the team nor my family had bribed anyone. I found the memes funny. I am happy that I was lucky enough to play the ticket to the finale. On the 77th day when the red light was set on me, I felt so bad that I had to leave without paying the ticket to the finale. God's grace I could play it well and grab the second spot," the model said.
(Photo: Instagram)

While Cerena is deeply touched by the affection and backing she's garnered from the Malayali audience, she remains disheartened by the prevalent stereotypes associated with NRIs and models.

"Upon seeing me, people have a preconceived notion that I am rich and stubborn. Well, that's not always the case. NRI doesn't mean you are born with a silver spoon. I was working hard from my 17th year to help my family. If I wear good clothes that doesn't mean I have a luxurious life. Being a model, I prefer to present myself stylishly, that doesn't make me Ambani's kid. It's high time such stereotyping comes to an end. It was truly disheartening when people judged my presence as something 'purchased,' despite my diligent efforts. I even achieved the second position in the ticket to the final task, but it went largely unrecognized. Despite struggling with severe gastric issues, I persevered through the endurance task, but sadly, it went unnoticed by most," she stated.
(Photo: Instagram)

Just like every season, the last season also tagged two contestants as the love birds, and it was Cerena and Sagar. Fans eagerly await confirmation on whether they are in a romantic relationship and are even more hopeful to spot them together in Dubai.


"Ha ha, nothing is cooking for the time being. Inside the house, you are isolated, you don't know the day or time, you can't even see the sky so you get connected to the people there quickly. The one thing that brought me and Sagar close was our love for our mothers. I am a mamma's girl who still sleeps in her arms. He is the one man who surprised me with his unconditional love for his mother. So, we could easily get connected. We do share a close bond and it had gone deeper after the show. But, that doesn't mean love or marriage. I guess it's high time people change their perspective. It is 2023, and a guy and girl sitting together cannot be tagged 'love', wish the change comes soon," Serena added.
(Photo: Instagram)

The next big controversy Cerena landed in during Bigg Boss was her issues with Reneesha. The comment 'Dubai Chocolate' from the runner-up's brother irked a huge uproar both inside and outside the BB house.

"I was eagerly waiting to see Reneesha's brother. We always talk about our families and I badly wished for a hug from him. But, when he came in, he hugged everyone except me. I felt so bad. Initially, Reneesha told me that the 'Dubai Chocolate' reference was to someone else but when I learned it was about me, I got so upset. That was the only moment I felt like running away from the house. I don't think I have done anything to deserve it. Maybe, the footage that went out gave them such a perspective and they saw me as a gamer. Anyway, the game is over and we are over it too," she said.
(Photo: Instagram)

Sadly, even though the show concluded months ago, Cerena continues to experience cyberattacks. The model expresses that at times, these attacks escalate to an extreme level, exceeding all reasonable limits.

"Yes, I entered Bigg Boss after knowing that I would have to face cyberbullying. It is either fame or defame, there is no in-between in Bigg Boss. But, I don't think any of us deserve it. Even days before I faced cyber bullying for Reneesha being missing from my vlogs. People started commenting that we were avoiding her etc. Well, the truth is she got busy with her brother when she came to Dubai and she couldn't spend much time with her. How is that my issue? People blindly attacking me without even knowing the truth is truly unacceptable," she said.
(Photo: Instagram)

However, Cerena finds solace in the fact that her life has taken a turn for the better following her participation in the show. She is actively engaged in her endeavors, including beauty pageants, modeling, and even delving into vlogging.

"I entered the show with a bag full of hopes and I left the show with a bag full of opportunities. Touchwood, there is a lot on my plate now. Days back I participated in the Miss South India pageant and got the third runner-up title. More competitions are lined up. I am getting some movie offers too, but I am trying to be a bit picky because I want my first to be the best too," she concluded.