Isha Rikhi has opened up about some of the most talked-about moments from her Bigg Boss 20 journey, including the controversy involving Reeti, Qazi and Uditi, as well as her friendship with Kanika. Addressing the allegation that she supported Reeti after she swore at Kaaji, Isha Rikhi clarified that she never believed Reeti’s behaviour was justified. She explained that the situation inside the house was chaotic and difficult to follow, but she also felt that Uditi’s response crossed a line. “First of all, I didn't support Reeti against Qazi —meaning, I didn't condone the abuse directed at Qazi. What she did was definitely wrong,” Isha said, making it clear that her intention was never to defend abusive behaviour.
Explaining her position further, Isha Rikhi said she was trying to understand the entire sequence of events rather than blindly taking one person’s side. “However, based on my understanding of the situation—which was chaotic because there were so many people in the room, making it hard to tell who started it or who reacted to whom first—I felt that when someone says something to you and you respond in kind... Of course, Reeti was wrong; she started it incorrectly. But when Uditi said things like "You're a drug addict" and "Sort out your brain"—whatever else she said—I felt that was wrong too,” she explained. Isha added that she had made her position clear during the episode itself and would have directly told Reeti that she was wrong if Uditi had not responded.
However, Isha Rikhi also admitted that she had one regret about the entire incident — she did not speak up for Uditi when she felt she should have. “But that doesn't mean what Riti said was justified. I had stated very clearly in that episode that if Uditi hadn't responded, I would have definitely told Reeti she was completely wrong and explained it to her as well. I did say this during the episode, if you paid attention. So, it wasn't as if I was solely supporting Riti. However, yes, I didn't speak up for Uditi. I was disappointed with myself regarding that specific instance, and I own the fact that I should have spoken up—which I didn't at the time—because I felt that Uditi's response and the comments she made weren't right either,” she said. Her explanation suggests that Isha now looks back at the incident with a degree of self-reflection rather than simply trying to defend her actions.
The conversation then moved to Isha Rikhi’s friendship with Kanika, particularly because Kanika’s decision to nominate her eventually played a role in her eviction from the show. Asked whether becoming friends with Kanika was a bad decision in hindsight, Isha strongly disagreed. “Not at all; Kanika became a very good friend of mine. While she was indeed the reason for my exit, it wasn't as if she did it maliciously; she hadn't made any false promises or commitments to save me should such a situation arise,” she said. According to Isha, their friendship was still relatively new, and she understood why Kanika might not have been ready to put that relationship ahead of the game.
Isha Rikhi further explained that friendships inside the Bigg Boss house develop differently for everyone and that she respected Kanika’s decision. “Relationships and friendships grow over time, and I feel she hadn't reached the point where she could have done that—which is perfectly fine. It was a friendship of only a few days; some people need more time, and I respect that time and her thought process,” she said. Rather than viewing Kanika’s nomination as a betrayal, Isha appeared to see it as part of the reality-show environment. She also acknowledged that Kanika had been watching her game closely and had noticed a change in the way she was participating in the house.
Addressing whether Kanika could have saved her had she chosen to do so, Isha Rikhi once again refused to assign malicious intent to her former friend. “My take on that is simply that she was viewing the game as a game. I don't know what was going through her mind at the time, but I’m certain she didn't act with malice. Our one-on-one conversations were about the game perspective—she noticed I was improving and becoming more involved, whereas earlier I hadn't been as engaged, and she appreciated that, which is why she saved me.” For Isha, her Bigg Boss Twenty journey may have ended with an eviction, but her comments show that she is choosing to look back at the relationships and controversies inside the house with nuance, taking responsibility for moments she feels she could have handled differently while also standing by her understanding of what happened.