‘Stay at Bigg Boss was hell’ -Ragini

I joined the show because I thought it would be exciting and adventurous. But I didn't have a clue about what I was getting into," says Abhijatha Umesh, more popularly recognised as Ragini Shetty of Bigg Boss fame. After being evicted from the show, the Chennai girl says she's glad she got out. "Basically I went to Mumbai to find work, my aim was to get into filmmaking. But then I thought I'd take up modelling for the extra money, so I circulated some of my photographs.

A friend of mine asked me to get in touch with someone who works in a production house. They were coming out with the reality show, Bigg Boss, and I auditioned for the same," she explains. But the aspiring filmmaker was disappointed when she learnt that the channel had rejected her. However, a few days later Abhijatha received a call from Arjun Menon of Endemol, the production house, saying that she was in the show, but she was to play the role of Ragini Shetty, a south Indian actress.

Abhijatha says it took her a while even to respond to the name Ragini. The channel had given her a brief to follow, but this became a little difficult for her, so she decided to just be herself. She says, "After a while it got to me that I was lying so much. The others would ask me about the films I'd done and I would have to lie about it, this was bad because they've been in the field for so long and they obviously knew a bit about south Indian movies. So when it was out that I was Abhijatha and not Ragini I was relieved that I didn't have to lie."

However, Abhijatha also feels that being a non-celebrity was an advantage. "When I got into the house, I didn't know anybody else — I didn't know that Ravi Kishen was a famous Bhojpuri star or how big Rakhi Sawant actually is — so it was easier for me to get along with them," she remarks. 'Ragini' also says the first few days in the house was, "like hell." This is because the other girls thought that she was a nobody who was being given undue importance. "This is why I decided I would be myself and try to win them over in my own way, like for example if I knew that someone likes their coffee in a certain way I'd make it for them. I know I had to work a little hard at this but in the end I feel it was worth it," she says.

Abhijatha was also very pleased to note that usually when someone is evicted, only the person who is close to them starts crying, but in her case almost all the residents broke down. While elaborating on life inside the house, Abhijatha admits that it was very tough to survive. "It's okay during the first few days because it's a new thing and you're all excited. But after that to live without any connection to the outside world is the most difficult thing. Sometimes I'd start hallucinating and missing my people back home so much that I'd break down. Even now you see people on the show sitting so silent because after a while it just gets to you and you become so numb that you can't even think," she explains.

The young lady also says that since her housemates were celebs, they were very conscious of the cameras being on them, so they would be very choosy about what they would speak. But is what is shown on TV a reflection of the incidents in the house? "No," exclaims Abhijatha , "What you see on TV are the incidents that are shown keeping in mind the TRPs of the show. They are nowhere close to what actually happens inside there, the show just depicts a minute portion of what happens."

So what are Abhijatha's plans right now? "Right now I'm taking a break, to tell you the truth being voted out now feels like I have just finished with a bad break-up. You know, you really didn't want it to happen but you're glad it's all over," she explains while sighing with relief. Abhijatha has lived most of her life in Chennai and did her schooling from Adarsh Vidyalaya and then a degree in visual communication from the SRM College of Arts and Science.

Abhijatha on her housemates .............................

She was born and brought up in Mumbai, so obviously she is very filmi. But yes, I do find the way she acts and talks a bit funny.

I had great fun with Baba while I was undertaking the khufiya mission. He is the kind of person who makes you feel very comfortable.

If there is one person who stands a chance to win, it's Carol. She is very honest and she can do a man's job and puts the men to shame.

The most sensible and mature person in the house, he would know what each one was going through. I could easily connect with him.

There's more to her than what is shown. She doesn't cry so much and is quite nice. But her interfering nature got to me.

Amit was very encouraging and sweet, but I didn't think he was being genuine and I got the feeling that this was just an act.

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