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Actor and singer Shehnaaz Gill, who became a household name after Bigg Boss 13, recently opened up about how the untimely demise of Sidharth Shukla changed her perspective on life. Their emotional bond, which blossomed inside the reality show, became one of television’s most celebrated connections — one that fans still fondly remember as “SidNaaz.”

Shehnaaz Gill on life after Sidharth Shukla's death

In a candid conversation on Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast, Shehnaaz spoke with rare vulnerability about how deeply Sidharth’s passing in September 2021 affected her. The actor’s sudden death at the age of 40 due to cardiac arrest left millions in disbelief — but none felt the loss more personally than Shehnaaz, who shared an extraordinary bond with him.

Reflecting on the emotional transformation that followed, she said, “Sidharth ne mujhe bohot maturity deke gaye hai. Jab woh sab kuch hua, uske baad mein mature ho gayi hoon. Nahi toh mein wahi Bigg Boss wali hoti — kisi duniya ki parwah nahi, kuch nahi (Sidharth left me with a lot of maturity. After everything that happened, I grew up and became more sensible. Otherwise, I would’ve still been that same Bigg Boss girl — carefree and unaware of the world.)”

Shehnaaz admitted that the version of herself viewers saw inside the Bigg Boss house was still innocent, impulsive, and untouched by loss. “I was carefree, impulsive, and happy-go-lucky — that innocence changed after he left,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion.

“That girl was different, I’ve changed a lot since then”

Looking back, Shehnaaz confessed that she often stumbles upon old Bigg Boss clips online and feels a sense of disbelief at her own transformation. “Sometimes I see those reels and think, ‘Main kya thi? Main aise thi?’ Life has changed me. That girl was different — spontaneous and cheerful. Zindagi apne aap badal gayi, aur mere bhai ne bhi mujhe badal diya.”

She also recalled how Sidharth’s guidance after the show played a crucial role in shaping her future. “Main toh Chandigarh jaane wali thi wapas, lekin usne kaha ‘Nahi jaana hai.’ He made all the arrangements for me here. I knew nothing about the city then — I worked on myself, groomed myself, and built my career from scratch,” Shehnaaz shared, recalling his influence on her growth and resilience.

Finding strength through grief

Over the past few years, Shehnaaz has channelled her pain into purpose. From being a bubbly reality-show contestant to becoming one of India’s most loved entertainers, her evolution has been remarkable. She’s ventured into music, released several successful singles, made her Bollywood debut in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, and most recently starred in the Punjabi film Ikk Kudi, where she plays a dual role opposite Nirmal Rishi and Udaybir Sandhu.