Bigg Boss 20 has added another familiar face from the digital world to its contestant lineup. Arishfa Khan, who began facing the camera as a child actor before building an enormous following on social media, has entered Salman Khan’s reality show. Her journey, however, started on television long before Instagram reels and online content made her a digital celebrity.
Born on April 3, 2003, Arishfa is 23 and hails from Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Over the years, she has worked in television serials, music videos and commercials while simultaneously establishing herself as a content creator.
Who Is Arishfa Khan?
Arishfa entered showbiz when she was still a child. Her acting career began in 2012 with the television serial Chhal – Sheh Aur Maat. She subsequently
became widely recognised for playing the younger Gunjan in the Star Plus show Ek Veer Ki Ardaas… Veera.
She continued acting on television through her childhood and teenage years, appearing in shows including Jeannie Aur Juju, Uttaran, Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Gangaa and Meri Durga. In 2018, she appeared in Papa By Chance. She has also featured in episodes of Crime Patrol and worked in television commercials.
Arishfa’s mother previously worked as a stuntwoman in the film industry, according to an interview cited by Times Now Navbharat. Arishfa would accompany her mother to shoots, which eventually sparked her own interest in acting. Her father, Rashid Khan, is a businessman, and she also has a sister.
How Arishfa Khan Became A Social Media Star
Television introduced Arishfa to audiences, but social media dramatically widened her reach. She became particularly popular during the TikTok boom in India, posting short-form videos that attracted a large following.
After establishing herself online, Arishfa continued creating content across Instagram and YouTube. Her posts span fashion, beauty, travel and entertainment. As of September 2026, reports put her Instagram following at more than 29 million, making her one of the most-followed digital personalities entering the new Bigg Boss season.
She has also appeared in several music videos. Her credits include Yaara 2 and Teri Baatein Mulaqatein, among other projects.
Arishfa Khan’s Controversy After Danish Zehen’s Death
Arishfa also went through a difficult period following the death of social media personality Danish Zehen in 2018.
After Danish’s death, Arishfa shared an emotional video mourning him. Speculation subsequently emerged online about the nature of their relationship, with some social media users referring to her as his girlfriend. Arishfa denied the claims and maintained that Danish was like a brother to her and that the two were friends.
The matter later escalated into a public dispute involving Danish’s brother, Gufran. Arishfa accused him of harassing her and her family. She also alleged that comments made during a live session had insinuated that she could somehow have been involved in Danish’s death, an allegation she strongly rejected.
Arishfa said at the time that the episode severely affected her and her family.
Was Arishfa Khan Previously Approached For Bigg Boss?
Interestingly, Bigg Boss 20 is not the first season for which Arishfa’s name has surfaced. In 2025, reports claimed that she had been approached for Bigg Boss 19, although she ultimately did not appear on that season.
Her name returned to the mix ahead of Bigg Boss 20. In the run-up to the September 6 premiere, Arishfa featured on reported contestant lists alongside names such as Kushal Tanwar, Qazi Touqeer, Anjali Arora, Aryan Kelvin, Mary Kom, Khushi Dubey, Yukti Kapoor and Amrapali Dubey.
Arishfa Khan Enters Bigg Boss 20
Arishfa’s entry into Bigg Boss 20 comes more than a decade after she first appeared on Indian television as a child artist.
Her career since then has moved through two very different phases. Shows such as Veera, Uttaran and Papa By Chance established her as an actor, while TikTok, Instagram and YouTube introduced her to a considerably larger digital audience.
Now, Bigg Boss 20 brings Arishfa back to television in a format far removed from the fictional characters she played as a child. The Salman Khan-hosted season premieres on September 6, with Arishfa entering the house as both a former television actor and one of the season’s biggest social media names.
/images/ppid_59c68470-image-178852752743992529.webp)
