Post 'Bigg Boss', Sameer Soni plans wedding, direction

New Delhi, Oct 8 (IANS) Model-turned-actor Sameer Soni has major plans after his stint on reality show 'Bigg Boss 4' - he will tie the knot with former actress and now jewellery designer Neelam Kothari and direct a movie.

'People have been speculating that I'll be marrying Neelam in December. But that's not true. Technically if I am able to stay in 'Bigg Boss' till the end, there's no question of a wedding within this year. But after 'Bigg Boss', I do look forward to it,' Sameer told IANS before entering the fourth season of the reality show, which kickstarted Sunday.

What was Neelam's reaction when he gave a nod to 'Bigg Boss 4'?

'Oh well, she was very supportive but kept giving me the jitters by making me feel as though I am going for the Kargil War! She was making it tougher for me...but I was cool and I'll just think I'm on a vacation,' he quipped.

Lately, Sameer has been making frequent appearances in Bollywood movies - he featured as a gay fashion designer in Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Fashion' and was applauded for his portrayal of a director in Karan Johar's 'I Hate Luv Storys'.

Now, he says he is ready to take his 'I Hate Luv Storys' role seriously in real life.

'I had been working on a script since a long time. The script is ready, done and final. I have to approach the actors I have in mind. But now all that will happen after 'Bigg Boss'. And yes, I will be directing the project as well. At least that's the plan,' said the 42-year-old, who was an investment banker in New York, before making a foray into showbiz.

The smart and suave Sameer is a pleasant surprise on a show like 'Bigg Boss', which is usually a pot full of controversial names. But he reveals that he has been declining the show the past three years.

'This is my first reality show. I had been offered various dance shows, etc in the past and was even asked to do 'Bigg Boss' in all past seasons. But honestly, I wasn't ready to be judged so openly by the public.

'The fear of being judged was holding me back, but now here I am to fight the fear of being judged. Over the years, I have come out of it. Now I want the audience to see my personal side. I want to share what I am,' he added.

For Sameer, the biggest challenge of being in a show like 'Bigg Boss' is its very concept - living with 13 other strangers in a locked up house with no communication with the outside world.

'I have been living alone for the past 15 years. I have had all the space to myself. So how I get along with the people and share my space will be a big challenge.'

Unlike many others, who boldly claim that the show is a platform to get an image makeover or to boost their dull careers, Sameer says his entry on the show has nothing to do with his profession.

'Professionally, I'm on quite a roll. My two recent films have been successful and I am very satisfied. This show is for my personal growth,' he said.

'Bigg Boss 4', hosted by superstar Salman Khan, airs on Colors and besides Sameer S.G. Abbas Kazmi, Ashmit Patel, Rahul Bhatt, Seema Parihar, Shweta Tiwari, Sara Khan, Sakshi Pradhan, Aanchal Kumar, Manoj Tiwari, Hrishant Goswami and Pakistani actress Veena Malik, and cross-dressing diva Begum Nawazish Ali from across the border are locked inside the house.