Alolika Bhattacharjee Guha entered the set of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) as a homemaker and left as a millionaire who not only won prize money but also hearts with her exuberant personality.
Alolika became a viral social media sensation after the quiz show's host, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, shared a clip of the former contestant on X, something she says made her feel like a "crorepati" (billionaire).
The 69th episode of the long-running show, which aired on Sony TV on November 16, turned into a laugh riot when Kolkata-based Alolika spoke about her first-time experience of travelling by air and staying at a luxury hotel in Mumbai to shoot for KBC.
"I received a message from KBC saying that Bachchan sir shared my video on X, I felt I became a 'crorepati' multiple times. I'm not on X or Facebook, I'm only on WhatsApp. It was like winning a lottery," Alolika told PTI in an interview.
The 39-year-old won the cash prize of Rs 12,50,000 (approximately 11.920,60) on KBC season 15 but left a stronger impression on the studio audience, crew and even Bachchan, who were in splits whenever she weighed in on the everyday struggles of a common Indian through her relatable anecdotes narrated endearingly.
Her 'joie de vivre' seems to have caught up with people on the internet with actors such as Adil Hussain and other famous personalities posting the clip and praising Alolika's cheerful nature.
On Friday, Bachchan shared a clip of Alolika on X and captioned it as Jai Ho, in a reference to a phrase she used on the show every time she gave the right answer on the 'hot seat', the coveted chair where 10 contenders aim to reach after clearing the famous 'Fastest Fingers First' round on KBC.
The former primary school teacher, who hails from Malbazar town in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, said she enjoyed her time on the game show.
"I laughed and made people laugh, including Bachchan sir. I was surprised to see that sir also laughs a lot. I had a lot of fun. I keep cracking such jokes when I'm around family and friends. I speak what I feel like saying in a fun, light-hearted manner," she said.
Asked what could be the reason behind her growing popularity, Alolika said she perhaps struck a chord with people because "I told the reality of a common Indian simply".
"As common people, we are not financially so strong to afford air travel or have enough opportunities to do so. It was a big deal for me to travel by plane when the team of KBC arranged the tickets.
"I was busy drawing comparisons between travelling by train and plane while I was en route to Mumbai. And that's what I said when Bachchan sir asked me about my experience," she added.
It wasn't about strategy or winning a big cash prize, said Alolika about her time on KBC. She has been trying to get to the 'hot seat' for the last 18 years to fulfil her mother's long-cherished dream of featuring on television.
"My mother is a big fan of Bachchan sir... She used to do theatre and wanted to appear on television. But she couldn't continue with theatre as she didn't get the support after she got married. She wanted to realise that dream through me. I entered the show without any strategy and with no expectations to win a big cash prize. I just wanted to see sir or maybe reach the hot seat... even that would have been enough for me," she said, adding her mother got teary-eyed when she watched the episode.
Bachchan may be a towering personality but Alolika said sharing the screen space with the 81-year-old star was a great experience as he makes "every contestant feel comfortable".
"I wasn't scared or intimidated by Bachchan sir. I would have been scared if I had gone in with any expectations, especially about money. I was either taking a lot of time in 'Fastest Fingers First' or giving wrong answers. I was convinced I wasn't going to reach the 'hot seat'," she said.
Alolika said she was unwell on the day of the shoot. The doctors on set tended to her. When she went in to try out for another round of Fastest Fingers First, the contestant said Bachchan enquired about her well-being.
"Sir asked me if I would be able to play and I said 'I'll try', and I had not even reached the hot seat by that time. I was so blown away that 'The Amitabh Bachchan' asked me if I was feeling well. Sir is such a big celebrity but he cared so much about a commoner like me. It was a big deal for me," she recalled.
Alolika was recently appointed as a supervisor in the Directorate of Integrated Child Development Services under the West Bengal government's Department of Women & Child Development & Social Welfare.
She is likely to assume charge early next year.
She plans to use the cash prize from the show for her four-year-old son's education and support her brother in taking out a home loan for their parents.
