Bigg Boss 9, officially titled “Bigg Boss: Double Trouble,” ran from October 2015 to January 2016, built around a distinctive pairs-based entry format and a house designed to replicate different places around the world and through history. It ended with reality TV veteran Prince Narula completing a rare hat-trick of competition wins. Here’s the complete breakdown.
Season 9 at a Glance
The season premiered October 11, 2015, on Colors TV, and concluded January 23, 2016, running 104 days with 20 housemates. Salman Khan hosted for the sixth time. True to its “Double Trouble” branding, the season’s core twist had housemates entering the house in pairs rather than as individuals, with the house itself divided into sections styled after different historical and global locations.
Who Won Bigg Boss 9?
Prince Narula, a reality TV specialist from Chandigarh who had already won MTV Roadies X2 and MTV Splitsvilla 8, was crowned the winner — completing what media coverage at the time called a “hat-trick” of reality show victories. He took home the trophy and a cash prize reported at ₹35 lakh (with one source citing ₹3.5 million, an equivalent figure expressed differently), of which he donated ₹5 lakh to Salman Khan’s Being Human charity. Narula was a fan favorite from the show’s earliest episodes, consistently drawing the fewest nominations of any contestant across the season.
Runner-Up and Top Finishers
TV actor Rishabh Sinha, who entered mid-season as a wildcard entrant, finished as first runner-up. Iranian film actress Mandana Karimi placed as second runner-up, and model Rochelle Rao — who had also competed on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6 — rounded out the finale in fourth place.
Notable Contestants
Season 9’s cast included a genuine mix of TV actors, models, and reality show regulars:
- Prince Narula — Reality TV personality (Roadies, Splitsvilla) — Winner
- Rishabh Sinha — TV actor (Qubool Hai), wildcard entry — Runner-up
- Mandana Karimi — Iranian film actress — Second runner-up
- Rochelle Rao — Model, Miss India 2012 — Fourth place
- Keith Sequeira — Actor, formed a widely followed on-screen romance with Rochelle Rao
- Priya Malik — Wildcard entrant who reportedly shook up the season’s dynamic
- Rimi Sen — Actress
- Suyyash Rai — Actor
- Gizele Thakral — Contestant
- Aman Verma — Actor
- Roopal Tyagi — Contestant
- Ankit Gera — TV actor (Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya)
- Arvind Vegda — Singer
The season also saw Narula’s much-publicized on-screen connection with contestant Yuvika Chaudhary, whom he later married in real life — as well as a rebound friendship with wildcard entrant Nora Fatehi following Chaudhary’s early exit from the house.
Hosting and Grand Finale
Salman Khan hosted his sixth season, with Bollywood star Katrina Kaif appearing at the finale to promote her film Fitoor alongside co-star Aditya Roy Kapur — a booking that drew considerable attention given Kaif’s rumored past relationship with Khan. All four finalists received personalized makeovers from celebrity stylist Hakim Alim ahead of their closing performances.
Final Thoughts
Bigg Boss 9’s pairs-based format and its wildcard-heavy back half gave the season a slightly different rhythm from other years, but Prince Narula’s win was arguably the most predictable outcome the franchise has seen — a reality-show specialist entering with two prior competition wins under his belt, then simply outlasting the field a third time. His later real-life marriage to co-contestant Yuvika Chaudhary added a lasting postscript to a season that was, by most contemporary accounts, one of the franchise’s comparatively lower-drama years.