Bigg Boss Malayalam 5's Vishnu Joshi: I was never a good son, but now I see pride in my parents' eyes

The 'Khalnayak' of Bigg Boss Malayalam 5, Vishnu Joshi, became a sensation among Malayali audiences. Though he was expected to go till the grand finale, the model got evicted from the house recently. However, he is happy to have completed 84 days in his dream house. In an exclusive chat with ETimes TV, Vishnu spoke about his Bigg Boss journey, being a game changer and the big controversy...

Vishnu Joshi was not a familiar name to the Malayali audience when he made his entry into the BB house. The contestant shared that he had entered the house without a 'celebrity tag'.

"Yes, I entered the show on merit. I didn't have any celebrity status or a huge social media following. I am a simple guy, who entered the show with immense admiration for the platform, many dreams, and some scars. Entering 'Bigg Boss' was one of my biggest dreams, I'm a fan of the show. Now the next dream is movies. Hopefully, I will be there too," he said.

Calling himself one of the 'commoners' who entered the show, Vishnu said that he wanted to let people know that even they can reach heights.

"I am the son of a headload worker. I don't have a financial backup. I was never a good son, I didn't have a job, and I was doubtful whether I will be able to take care of my family ever in life. I just lived the way I wanted. But, now, I have fulfilled one of my biggest dreams and my parents are proud of me. People might call me overconfident, but even I faced a lot of pain and struggles to reach this far. No one came to me and offered me anything. I had to tirelessly go behind my wishes and conquer them. Where I stand now, is a shoutout to everyone who dares to dream," the gamechanger shared.

Social media was flooded with comments stating that Vishnu's eviction was unfair. Though he says that the eviction was unexpected, he has taken it sportively.

"I thought I would make it to the finale, I was hopeful and sure that I had performed well too. But, yes, since it is a reality game show, the judges are the audience. I always said, 'Vote for me only if you like me'. If I had stayed 84 days in the house, it was purely because of the viewers," he shared.

From his much-talked-about flipping of the frame in the 'Karakku Company' task to stopping Sruthi in the 'Pava Task', Vishnu has been celebrated as the game changer in the show. Ask him the reason for the same and he has got a clear-cut answer.

"I am a big fan of the show and have seen almost all the seasons like a hawk. So, in my mind, there is a way this game should be played. So, I played it my way. People mocked me saying that I entered the show after watching it. Yes, that is how you should too. But, that doesn't mean you can plan something and just omit it there. You can never rehearse anything and replicate it there. You act according to the person opposite to you, that is the game. I didn't enter the show to complete 100 days. I wanted to create a benchmark on how it should be played. The future contestants should say, 'There was a gamer named Vishnu Joshi'," he stated.

Soon after the eviction, Vishnu received a warm welcome from the viewers. He was received by a large group of fans at the airport and it was indeed a moment of celebration.

"It is true that I wished to create an impact among viewers. I wished to be celebrated too. But, frankly, I never thought I would be able to do it. Seeing that crowd in front of the airport was just surreal. I am speechless by the love I am receiving from viewers. Some of the housemates said that I will never be loved by the family audience. Surprisingly, viewers have now accepted me as one among their family and it is pure bliss," Vishnu said.

Ask him the best moment in the house and his answer is the Vishu celebration with host Mohanlal. Vishnu shared that he will always cherish the moments of cheering for the actor and getting a peck from him.

Well, there is one more best moment for the 'Khalnayak'.

"After the Karakkum Company task, Bigg Boss called me 'Khalnayak'. I don't think BB has ever given any such titles to anyone in the show before. If I can freeze one more moment from Bigg Boss, it is surely that," he said.

Along with the brilliant game, Vishnu landed in a huge controversy with one of his statements about inmates Rinosh and Sruthi Lakshmi. However, Vishnu clears that he didn't intend to hurt their sentiments.

"My words were misinterpreted by the housemates. My only intention was to bring out the fake game or double standard of Rinosh. I never questioned what he said to Sruthi. But, later, my words got twisted and they blamed me for shaming their families. I sincerely apologize if my words had hurt their families, but I don't regret calling out the fake game plan," he said.

The bond between Akhil and Vishnu was one of the much-loved ones in the show. Vishnu says that he could instantly connect with Akhil on many levels.

"Yes, he is like my 'Annan'. Though we have distinct ideologies and we come from two different generations, we could connect on some levels. I think our common interest, movies helped us gel well. Both Shiju and Akhil are like my gurus who shared their stories with me to alert me about the do's in the industry," he added.

Bigg Boss Malayalam 5 is inching toward its grand finale and Vishnu is also excited to know who will lift the trophy.

"The one who deserved the cup is here giving this interview (laughs). I know every one of you has got your favorite, keep supporting them. If there is a person who glued your eyes to the show and managed to entertain you, please vote for him/her. Do not just say you like them, vote for them. Only your vote can make them reach the position they deserve. Blaming the team for not giving someone a position without voting is stupid," Vishnu concluded.