Kanwal Farooq is a rising star who recently gained fame through the popular reality show Tamasha, which has now become one of Pakistan’s most successful reality shows, originally inspired by Big Brother. The show, airing on ARY Digital for four consecutive years since its debut in 2022, featured Kanwal as one of its strongest and most engaging contestants. She spent an impressive 61 days in the house, during which her vibrant personality and close friendship with Saif Ali Khan made her a fan favorite.
Kanwal also enjoys a massive social media following, with 1.2 million followers on TikTok and around 184,000 followers on Instagram, solidifying her status as one of the most talked-about reality TV personalities in recent times. She will soon be seen on television in upcoming drama projects.
Recently, Kanwal Farooq appeared on Sunday Yaps, a podcast by Sunday Times hosted by Bushra, where she opened up about her bond with Saif Ali Khan.
Kanwal shared, “Saif Ali Khan and I first met at the airport. We connected instantly because we were both heading to Tamasha. We checked in together, took the same lift, and were later assigned rooms close to each other. That’s where our introduction happened. I asked his name, and he said, ‘I’m Saif Ali Khan.’ I replied, ‘I’m Kanwal,’ and when he asked for my full name, I said, ‘Just Kanwal.’ We connected over positivity, staying focused on our goals, not interfering in others’ matters, and avoiding backbiting.”
Replying to shipping rumors, she added, “If people ship us after watching us on screen, I don’t mind. It’s fine. People see girls and boys on TV and form perceptions about them, it’s their way of perceiving but we were simply living as contestants and as friends. Two people of opposite genders can definitely be friends.”
Talking about their fight, Kanwal said, “We had an argument after which I received a lot of hate. I even apologized to my fans, but it wasn’t just one person’s fault — both of us were responsible. I think the full situation wasn’t shown on camera.”
She further explained, “I believe my fight with Saif was my downfall, but it was part of the game. Although we weren’t playing strategically, everything was natural. Fights happen between friends, siblings, or even couples. I think it was more of an ego clash between two friends. I reacted out of ego, wondering why he said certain things to me. Some things do hurt, but after that fight, we actually became even stronger friends.”
