Bigg Boss 12, subtitled “Vichitra Jodis” (Strange Pairs), took a genuinely different approach to casting — bringing contestants into the house as duos rather than individuals — before crowning television actress Dipika Kakar as its winner in a Goa-launched, beach-themed season. Here’s the complete breakdown.
Season 12 at a Glance
The season premiered September 16, 2018, on Colors TV, and concluded December 30, 2018, running 105 days with 20 housemates. Salman Khan hosted for the ninth time, launching the season from Goa. The season’s central twist was its “Vichitra Jodis” theme — contestants entered in pairs of any kind (friends, co-workers, spouses, siblings, or even unconventional pairings like a lawyer and client, or a singer and a fan), reshaping the usual individual-strategy dynamic of the game. The house itself was designed around a beach-holiday aesthetic by art director Omung Kumar and his wife Vanita, and the season’s eye logo was split between red (fire) and blue (water).
Who Won Bigg Boss 12?
Dipika Kakar, a television actress best known for Sasural Simar Ka, was crowned the winner, taking home the trophy and a cash prize of ₹30 lakh. She entered the season as part of a “commoner vs. celebrity” pairing dynamic and built a strong, sibling-like bond with runner-up Sreesanth over the course of the show — a relationship that became one of the season’s most heartwarming storylines. Media polls and social media predictions had widely tipped her to win going into the finale.
Runner-Up and Top Finishers
Former Indian cricketer Sreesanth finished as first runner-up, with his emotional outbursts, anger-management struggles, and combative personality making him one of the most talked-about contestants of the season. In a notable finale twist, the top five finalists were given the choice to decide amongst themselves whether to take prize money or compete for the trophy. Deepak Thakur walked away with ₹20 lakh as second runner-up, followed by Romil Chaudhary in fourth and Karanvir Bohra in fifth.
Notable Contestants
Season 12’s cast mixed television actors, a cricketer, singers, and public figures under the “Vichitra Jodis” pairing format:
- Dipika Kakar — TV actress (Sasural Simar Ka) — Winner
- Sreesanth — Former Indian cricketer — Runner-up
- Deepak Thakur — Singer — Second runner-up, walked with ₹20 lakh
- Romil Chaudhary — Fourth place
- Karanvir Bohra — Actor — Fifth place
- Anup Jalota — Ghazal singer
- Srishty Rode — Actress
- Nehha Pendse — Actress
- Jasleen Matharu — Singer
- Megha Dhade — Actress, previously the Bigg Boss Marathi Season 1 winner
Hosting and Grand Finale
Salman Khan hosted his ninth season, with cricketer-turned-director Rohit Shetty appearing as a special finale guest, and comedian Bharti Singh providing much of the night’s comic relief.
Final Thoughts
Bigg Boss 12’s “Vichitra Jodis” format gave the season a genuinely different flavor from the show’s usual individual-contestant structure, and the finale’s prize-money-versus-trophy twist added a memorable last-minute wrinkle. But it’s Dipika Kakar’s warmth and her close, almost sibling-like bond with Sreesanth that most viewers remember the season for — a rare case of a Bigg Boss rivalry-turned-friendship becoming the emotional core of an entire season.