'Bigg Boss' is a crash course in real life: Dubai-based actor Sara Arfeen Khan
"It has strengthened my bond with my husband though several people tried to pull us apart in the show. Quite like what happens in real life," she laughs. Her husband, life coach Arfeen Khan was an inmate as well. The couple and their six year old twins, live between Dubai and Mumbai. Recommended For You
Sarah was last seen in the Rohit Shetty starrer Singham Again , and has been part of films such as Total Siyappa , and noted television serials. " Bigg Boss was a crazy ride. I went in with the intention of having fun. When I walked in with Arfeen, we were targeted first. All of them wanted to break us and tried to pit us against each other because they felt that we symbolised double power. Honestly, people like to see warring couples on TV. People enjoy drama and Bigg Boss is all about drama in real life."
That's why she suggests that people who are looking for long-term relationships should enter the Bigg Boss house as a couple. 'It's really a crash course in real life. If you sustain, then you are sorted for life.'
In Bigg Boss , nomination is a process where housemates vote to put fellow contestants up for potential eviction from the show. Each week, contestants nominate one or more housemates they want to see leave the house. The contestants with the most nominations are then put up for a public vote, and the contestant with the fewest public votes is eliminated.
'When I started nominating people, it felt weird at first but then I realised how important it is to be non diplomatic and say it the way it is. It is tremendously liberating.'
It's a practice she has adopted in her real life. "Often, we tend to walk out of sticky situations, to avoid confrontation, but in the Bigg Boss house, I didn't have that space and raw emotions emerged.'
So, how much of the show is about acting and how much is real? "There is a lot of acting in Bigg Boss because people can fake it. But I cannot and my reactions were natural. People trigger you and you cannot act unbothered all the time." Sara explains no one is handed a script though the makers have a script in place.
So, what next for the actor, wife and mother of two? "I have shot a couple of music videos.' Her life has largely been unplanned — right from the time she was approached for a Star One show in London at 21, while she was at a restaurant and on the next table sat a producer. She then went on to do powerful roles on TV. "I hated the 'kitchen politics,' type of soaps and debuted in a powerful role based on the story of Priyanka Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. It was called Dhoond Legi Manzil Hamein , directed by Sanjay Surkar. She was then approached for a travel show for the Epic channel, where she covered religious places of India.
Inspired by her husband life coach Arfeen Khan who has an impressive list of celebs as clients, she decided to work with women. "I have studied early child development and I always feel that once a child is born, the focus is always on the child and less on the mother. So I teach women the importance of self love. Women need to show up for themselves apart from being nurturers, caregivers and being just professionals.'
After Bigg Boss , she admits that she is a bit lost because there is a dearth of star managers in Mumbai.
"I have so many friends from the Bollywood film industry and have introduced many newcomers to them. Those people end up getting roles, I don't (laughs). I have realised that in Bollywood, it's not just enough to know people personally. You have to carve out your own journey and if it is written for you, it will happen."
A word of advice from Sara to aspiring actors. "You need to be thick skinned, ready to be judged, trolled and booed. A career in cinema is not merely about opportunities, glamour, talent and good looks. You have to have the skin of a pachyderm (laughs)." She also dissuades newcomers to trust someone completely and keep to their boundaries.
'Don't go all out till you are sure. We can end up trusting the wrong people but we can always draw boundaries and keep ourselves out of trouble. Draw that boundary and draw it fiercely,' she says.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UAE Moments
6 minutes ago
- UAE Moments
Five Movies to Watch of Triptii Dimri If You Love Her in 'Dhadak 2'
If you were captivated by Triptii Dimri's performance in Dhadak 2, you're not alone. The rising Bollywood star has been turning heads with her powerful screen presence, emotive acting, and distinctive choice of roles. While Dhadak 2 introduces her to a wider audience, Triptii has already built a solid filmography of impressive performances. From haunting period pieces to romantic dramas, here are three Triptii Dimri movies you absolutely need to watch next. 1. Laila Majnu (2018) Triptii Dimri made her debut as a lead actress in this modern retelling of the legendary love story Laila Majnu. Set in Kashmir and directed by Sajid Ali, the film sees Triptii in the role of Laila, a bold and free-spirited woman caught in a stormy romance. Her portrayal of Laila is raw, emotional, and poetic, showing her potential to carry a film on her shoulders. If you loved the emotional depth of Dhadak 2, Laila Majnu is the perfect watch. 2. Bulbbul (2020) Produced by Anushka Sharma's Clean Slate Filmz, Bulbbul is a feminist gothic horror drama where Triptii plays the titular role. Set in 19th-century Bengal, the film explores themes of patriarchy, trauma, and empowerment. Dimri's haunting performance as Bulbbul—who evolves from a naïve child bride into a mysterious, ethereal woman—is spellbinding. Her ability to balance innocence with intensity makes this one of her most acclaimed roles to date. 3. Qala (2022) Triptii Dimri once again teamed up with director Anvita Dutt for Qala, a Netflix original. Set in the 1940s, this psychological drama follows a young playback singer's complex relationship with her mother. Triptii plays Qala, a woman haunted by guilt, ambition, and a desperate need for validation. The film is visually rich and emotionally stirring, and Triptii's performance is both heartbreaking and deeply human. If you admire her emotional range in Dhadak 2, Qala will only deepen your appreciation. Dhadak 2 made you a fan, these three movies will show you just how diverse and compelling her body of work truly is. Add them to your watchlist—you won't regret it. This article was previously published on omanmoments. To see the original article, click here
The National
37 minutes ago
- The National
Weekly UAE museum and gallery guide: Harry Potter celebration and works by four Emirati artists
An eclectic selection of local and international art and a celebration of pop culture makes up our list this week. Highlights include a solo exhibition large-scale drawings and textile art; multidisciplinary Emirati artists whose works span embroidery, weaving, painting, photography and film; and a Harry Potter exhibition arriving in the Middle East for the first time. Here are three exhibitions to check out this week. Garden of Murmurs: Malik Thomas Jalil Kydd at Carbon 12 Iraqi-British artist Malik Thomas Jalil Kydd 's debut solo exhibition, Garden of Murmurs, is on view at Carbon 12. It showcases several years' worth of work as the collection brings together large-scale pieces that merge painting, drawing and textile practices, all woven around themes of introspection and the varied meanings of love. Silk serves as the foundation for much of the work as Kydd stitches together panels of raw silk, dyed with natural materials like sage, to form his canvas. On to this surface, he layers gestural abstractions using oil, pastel, charcoal and organic dyes, creating richly textured compositions. At the heart of the exhibition are representations of the male figure, rendered slightly larger than life – a scale the artist describes as 'angel scale.' These figures become a vessel through which Kydd explores materiality, identity and culture, while simultaneously conjuring moments of calm amid echoes of destruction and loss. Until August 23; Monday to Saturday, 11.30am to 7pm; Carbon 12, Dubai Harry Potter: The Exhibition at Manarat Al Saadiyat Harry Potter: The Exhibition has arrived in the UAE for the first time, opening in Abu Dhabi's Manarat Al Saadiyat. Part of a global tour that began in Philadelphia in 2022, the immersive experience has stopped in cities such as New York, Paris and Melbourne, drawing 3.7 million visitors worldwide. The exhibition is a celebration of the franchise and its fans, as it rewards those most passionate about the books and films with displays of costumes and memorabilia. It features 25 unique rooms, each with an homage to a specific locale or scene from the stories. Until September 21; Open daily, except Tuesday; various timings; Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi Emirati Art At Me, Medad – Edition 1 at ME Dubai Hotel ME by Melia Dubai has launched Emirati Art At Me, the first instalment of its new Medad exhibition series curated by Emirati creative Abdulla Khalid Al Shamsi. It showcases works by four multidisciplinary Emirati artists: Maitha Abdullah Al Remeithi, Faris Al Hammadi, Elham Khairalla, and Dana Hisham Aljneibi. The exhibition features embroidery, weaving, painting, photography and film, exploring heritage through a contemporary lens. Named after the Arabic word for 'ink,' Medad celebrates storytelling, culture and artistic expression within a design-focused hotel setting.
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai is seeing a vinyl revival. Here's where you can get your records
In a world dominated by digital playlists, vinyl records seem like an unlikely comeback story. Yet walk into The Flip Side — a beloved independent record store tucked away in Dubai's art district — and you'll quickly understand why the format endures. The warm crackle, the weight of the disc, the joy of searching through the crates. Vinyl isn't just about music. It's about experience, ownership, and a more human connection to sound. Shadi Megallaa, founder of The Flip Side, says he has seen a steady increase in people buying vinyl. 'What I find tricky is figuring out what's causing this,' he adds. Unlike other global cities, Dubai's constantly shifting population — fuelled by expats, tourists, and transplants — means the store's customer base is as eclectic as its stock. 'We have regulars who've been with us since day one, but also lots of newcomers and tourists.' What unites them? 'They're all music lovers. That's what they have in common,' Megallaa says. 'Personally, I don't see or hear genres. In the end, it's music. You either like it or you don't. I do wish that people would focus less on genres and keep a more open mind when it comes to music.' That fluidity of taste is mirrored in the challenges of stocking the store. 'The toughest thing for us is figuring out which genre section to put certain records in. Over time, artists have taken inspiration from so many genres and created something entirely new.' For Megallaa, vinyl's appeal lies in its physicality and permanence. 'Nothing comes close to the sound quality vinyl provides. Digital music sounds sterile and cold to me — it lacks depth and emotion.' But, perhaps, most importantly, he says: 'It's the act of collecting. It is ownership. You can be subscribed to all the digital outlets today, but you still don't own the music. If the Internet disappeared overnight, I'd still have my records and memories of collecting these records.' The digger's high For 10-year vinyl enthusiast Almohannad Albastaki, who DJs and collects records across genres, vinyl represents something deeply personal. 'It's the act of digging, first and foremost,' he says. 'Going to a physical store, pulling records from crates, listening to them — I find such peace and joy in it. I could do this three hours straight without stopping.' His current collection sits at over 300 records, though that number has likely grown. 'I've been collecting more aggressively ever since I started getting gigs playing vinyl,' he says. Most of Albastaki's collection comes from his travels — what he calls 'vinyl tourism'. On his last trip to London, he came back with 60 records, and has bought from stores in Japan, Australia, the UK, Thailand, and the Netherlands to name a few. 'If I were to point at something, I feel there is an aspect of ownership that comes into play. Music streaming took that away from us. So, to truly own a piece of music (something that someone created) and have it physically present is highly intimate. It's like owning a work of art. One can appreciate its beauty in person rather than through a screen.' Albastaki describes the thrill of discovering music that exists solely on wax. 'Sometimes, I find music that can't be found anywhere else — lost to the music ether, so to speak. It's special. Often, I can't even tell you the artist or song name. It's a white label with no info, and Shazam [app] can't identify it. That exclusivity makes it even more valuable to me.' His advice for the uninitiated? 'Go to a record shop, take out a random record from a genre you've never heard of before. Take out a record from the used section. Take out something that just looks fun and exciting to you. Listen to those records. Don't even think about looking for music you already know. Chat to the dude behind the counter. Listen some more.' A global hunt For brothers and art collectors Kwame and Kobi Mintah, vinyl has long been an extension of their global worldview. As co-founders of Dubai's contemporary Efie Gallery, they began collecting with a 2014 reissue from Ghanaian legend Ebo Taylor. What started as a casual hobby evolved into a mission: to curate a discerning collection of original pressings from around the world. 'An interesting part of vinyl collecting,' Kwame says, 'is that often the record you paid the most for isn't necessarily the most expensive one you own.' He recalls winning a blind auction for a record he believed was designed by artist Antony Gormley. 'It was only after I won I learned that the designer had just taken an image of one of Gormley's works. Ironically, the actual record designed by Antony Gormley sold later in the auction for 1/50th of the price I paid.' An interesting part of vinyl collecting is that often the record you paid the most for isn't necessarily the most expensive one you own" Kwame Mintah The brothers' collection spans over 2,000 vinyl and shellac records, dating from the 1940s to the present day. 'We buy records everywhere we travel,' Kwame says. 'Accra, Riyadh, Sharjah, Venice, London, Basel, Dubai, Hong Kong.' What draws them to the format? 'The tactility of the medium. There's a sense of ownership that comes with collecting records that doesn't translate to digital platforms. The feeling of adding a record to your collection versus adding a song to your playlist is night and day.' He believes this desire for depth and meaning is fuelling the vinyl revival. 'The act of selecting a record, removing it from its sleeve, lowering the stylus — these are gestures of reverence, inviting a slower and more profound form of listening that people seek in today's busy world.' The DJ's domain What Dubai-based DJ eLo values most is the immersive quality of the format. 'The quality of sound, the ability to get physical with music while DJing, the ethereal nature of it and how you can get lost in your own world of exploration,' he says. eLo, whose real name is Adil Elaouad, exclusively shops at The Flip Side and Vinyl Underground in the UK, drawn to curators who take pride in their selections. 'There's an art to curation. Shadi does that brilliantly. Every record in his store feels handpicked with love.' For eLo, who as DJ residencies at HoneyComb HiFi and LuLu & the Beanstalk, vinyl is all about quality over quantity. 'With the rise of audiophile sound systems, what you feed into them matters more than ever. Vinyl gets the best out of your systems and more importantly, the dance.' The future spins on While the numbers tell a compelling story — vinyl sales have outpaced CDs globally in recent years — the heart of the format's revival lies in emotion, memory, and ownership. Each collector, DJ, and enthusiast in Dubai's tight-knit vinyl scene describes a deeply personal connection to their records. Whether it's the thrill of discovering a forgotten gem in a used bin or the comfort of a familiar album, vinyl provides something that Spotify never could: a relationship. So the next time you walk past a dusty-looking record store, step in. Flip through the crates. Pull out something unexpected. Lower the needle. You might just become addicted too.
