Bigg Boss Telugu Season 4 aired during a genuinely unusual year — filmed under COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 — and went on to become Star Maa’s biggest show of the year, setting record ratings before crowning actor Abhijeet Duddala as its winner. Here’s the complete breakdown.
Season 4 at a Glance
The season premiered September 6, 2020, on Star Maa and Disney+ Hotstar, and concluded December 20, 2020, running 106 days with 19 total contestants (16 at launch, with later entries). Nagarjuna Akkineni hosted for the second time, with actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu — his daughter-in-law at the time — stepping in as guest host for the Dussehra special episode in Week 7, after Nagarjuna had to travel for a film shoot. The season was originally scheduled for a late June 2020 launch but was delayed due to the pandemic.
The season went on to record the highest TRP (18.5) of any regional version of Bigg Boss up to that point, with the finale itself pulling in a remarkable 21.7 TVR and 12.3 million impressions across the twin Telugu states.
Who Won Bigg Boss Telugu Season 4?
Abhijeet Duddala, an actor known for his debut Telugu film Life Is Beautiful (directed by Shekar Kammula), was crowned the winner, taking home the trophy, ₹25 lakh in prize money, and a bike. He had been nominated for eviction several times over the course of the season but consistently pulled through on the strength of fan support, ultimately winning with the backing of a dedicated following. Tollywood superstar Chiranjeevi was the guest of honour at the finale and personally announced the result.
Runner-Up and Finale Controversy
Actor and model Akhil Sarthak, known for Telugu serials including Kalyani and Muthyala Muggu, finished as first runner-up. In a notable finale twist, fellow finalist Syed Sohel Ryan opted to walk away with ₹25 lakh in prize money rather than continue in the competition, a move reportedly made to put to rest allegations that he’d been involved in some form of scam — a storyline that added an unusual layer of real-world controversy to finale night.
Notable Contestants
Season 4’s cast included actors, YouTubers, television personalities, and one especially notable viral internet star:
- Abhijeet Duddala — Actor (Life Is Beautiful) — Winner
- Akhil Sarthak — Actor, model, TV personality — Runner-up
- Syed Sohel Ryan — TV actor (Krishnaveni, Eureka) — Walked with ₹25 lakh
- Alekhya Harika — YouTube celebrity — Finalist
- Ariyana Glory — Gemini TV anchor — Finalist
- Monal Gajjar — Actress
- Lasya Manjunath — Contestant
- Gangavva — YouTube star, gained fame in her sixties through her “My Village Show” channel
- Noel Sean — Contestant
- Karate Kalyani — Contestant
Hosting and Grand Finale
Nagarjuna Akkineni hosted the bulk of the season for his second consecutive year, with the finale featuring performances by Raai Laxmi, Pranitha Subhash, and Mehreen Pirzada, alongside music composer S. Thaman and his team. Director Anil Ravipudi, known for F2, appeared as a special guest and shared that he watched the show daily with his family.
Final Thoughts
Bigg Boss Telugu Season 4’s record-breaking ratings — the highest of any Indian-language Bigg Boss edition at the time — made it a genuine cultural moment for Telugu television, helped along by Abhijeet Duddala’s fan-driven comeback story and a finale-night controversy involving Syed Sohel Ryan that added real unpredictability to the closing stretch. Coming together during a uniquely disrupted production year, the season stands as one of the more remarkable success stories in the franchise’s Telugu-language run.