One of the Bigg Boss contestant boasts of massive social media fan following, more than several A-list Indian film stars. 

Salman Khan’s reality show Bigg Boss 20 premiered on September 6, with the host introducing the new batch of contestants who will compete for the trophy. While the show has attracted attention, some viewers have criticised the lineup for not having enough popular names. However, one contestant has a larger social media following than several established Bollywood and South Indian film stars. She is Arishfa Khan.

Arishfa Khan is an actor and content creator who has now entered Bigg Boss 20 as one of the youngest contestants on the show. Born in 2003, she began her acting career as a child artist in 2012. She made her television debut with Chhal – Sheh Aur Maat and later gained recognition for her role in Veer Ki Ardaas...Veera. Arishfa's mother was a stuntwoman, and while accompanying her on set, she developed a passion for acting.

Arishfa went on to appear in several popular television shows, including Jeannie Aur Juju, Uttaran, Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Gangaa and Meri Durga. Arishfa got her first leading role in 2018, in the show Papa By Chance, which aired on Star Bharat. “In 2018, when I got my first lead show, Mom hugged me and cried. People would say, ‘A stuntwoman’s daughter has become a heroine,’ and it made mom swell with pride. There was no stopping after that– at 14, I even played a married woman. It was really hard for me to emote, but I’d observe all the aunties and copy their style to make my character more believable!" she told Humans of Bombay in a 2020 interview.

After establishing herself as a child actor, she gradually moved towards digital content and built a large following on social media. She became particularly popular during the TikTok boom in India. She began creating short-form videos and later expanded her content across social media platforms. She has since appeared in several music videos and continues to create content online.

Her social media content includes GRWM videos, travel vlogs, trend-based videos and other lifestyle content. She currently has around 29.1 million followers on Instagram, putting her ahead of several major Indian film stars. Kareena Kapoor has around 13.9 million followers, while Janhvi Kapoor has 26.7 million. Among South Indian stars, Allu Arjun has around 27.9 million followers and Prabhas has 13.9 million. Arishfa’s following is notable considering she is 23 and has not appeared in major theatrical films. Her popularity has largely come from television and digital content, where she has built an audience over the years.

Among the 16 contestants in the Bigg Boss 20 house, Arishfa has the largest Instagram following. The second-highest following belongs to YouTuber and esports player Tanmay Singh, better known as Kanika Mann, who has around 7.3 million followers. Other contestants have considerably smaller Instagram followings. ScoutOP has around 4.4 million followers, while Mary Kom has 2 million and Mahhi Vij has around 2.2 million. Kushal Tanwar, also known as Gullu, has around 1.4 million followers, while Isha Rikhi has around 1.1 million.