Aanchal Khurana

After five gruelling months of fighting it out tooth and nail, 20-year-old college girl Aanchal Khurana became only the second woman in the history of Roadies to win the MTV reality show...

How does it feel being the winner of Roadies 8?

I feel on top of the world. A girl has won Roadies after five years (Parul Shahi won Season 3). That’s a very big thing for me and for the show.

What was the winning moment like?

Mohit (Saggar) and I were in the top 2. There was no task in the end and the winner had to be decided on the basis of votes from the other contestants. I got nine votes and Mohit got only one. Believe me, I was very scared because everyone knew that Mohit was always very lucky. Whenever there was a task or a vote-out, his luck would save him. I really wasn’t expecting to win, but somehow at the back of my mind, I thought that maybe I could do it. When I got 90 per cent of the votes, I was shocked!

Why did you enter Roadies in the first place?

I watched Roadies Seasons 5 and 6 and was hooked. I have been a true Roadies fan and I always thought that I had it in me to be on the show. The main reason why I entered Roadies was to prove to my family and friends that what a boy can do, a girl can do too. Sometimes, even better. And I am happy that I have done that time and again on the show.

You weren’t popular initially. What do you think worked in your favour in the final?

I got voted out early and came back on a wild card. I think my win is even sweeter because very few people manage to win a show after getting eliminated in the initial stage. It was very difficult for me to come back and forge a bond with the same contestants who had voted me out in the first place. But it worked because the same people who voted me out earlier are the ones who voted in my favour in the finals. They realised that I am not as bad a person as they thought I was! (Laughs.)

What was the most memorable moment on the show?

The Samba dance I did on the streets of Rio (de Janeiro) in front of thousands of people. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Has the Roadies experience changed you in any way?

Yes! Now I have loads of patience (laughs). It takes a lot to fluster me now. After Roadies, I can take any kind of shit.

Apart from yourself, who deserved to win Roadies?

Suchit (Vikram Singh). He is a very straightforward person. He doesn’t get into any kind of politics and just plays the game upfront. In my book, he is a true Roadie.

And the least deserving contestant?

Avtar (Nischal) without a doubt. He was the most irritating contestant in the history of the show.

What after Roadies?

I have joined an acting school in Mumbai. Movies are the next step for me.