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Faculty and friends root for ACFA alumni and Bigg Boss contestant Karan Kundra

During his years at college before he became a heart-throb, the popular actor was a humble, fun-loving student with a penchant for connecting with people

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Bigg Boss is a life-parallel. Therefore, it is no surprise that the show is well-liked by people from across age groups. And what could be more delightful than to watch your favourite celebrities at a reality show that brings out aspects of their real life personalities.  

A show about evictions, confessions and weekly tasks, it sure tests the mental strength of the ‘housemates’ who are secluded from the outside world to live together in the Bigg Boss house. In its ongoing Season 15, top celebrities and fans are rooting for actor Karan Kundra, as they consider him a ‘winning contender at the show.’ To know more about Kundra and his life before he became a renowned figure, we connected with his teachers and friends from Apeejay College of Fine Arts (ACFA) in Jalandhar where he completed his graduation. Here’s what the faculty says about him, as they share memories from his college years.

Dr. Vandana Gautam, Assistant Professor at the Commerce Department of ACFA recalls, “Karan has always been a soft-spoken person. Given his motivation to achieve great things in life, along with his studies, he was working on an entrepreneurial idea, along with his family while still in college. With that, he was also an active student-participant at inter-college competitions. The most striking quality about him has been his ability to connect with people, which is helping him at the Bigg Boss show as well. He has a winning charm and I feel proud to see him on-screen.”

“At the show, the situations given to contestants may be created but the reactions to these situations are human. One incident that I vividly remember which touched my heart was when Karan had a live chat with his parents during the show and they were staying at his Mumbai residence in his absence. His mother remarked that she has come to Mumbai for him but she can’t cook and feed anything to him. To this, Karan politely replied, “No problem mumma, you call one of my closest friends who lives nearby and feed him till that time.” I immediately reminisced how he was the same person even in college, one who always shared a deep bond with people. In my eyes, he is definitely winning at the show,” says Gautam.   

While ACFA has been a foundational ground for several promising artists and professionals in India, Dr. Monika Mogla, Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Commerce and Management at the college, says “Karan was a vibrant student. He always added fun to the classrooms. His family and friends were important to him, and he loved organising get-togethers for them. He was at the forefront of theatre-related activities and unsurprisingly, was everyone’s favourite. The most admirable quality about him? He was respectful and humble about his talents.”

“He is definitely winning at the show”  

Dr. Vandana Gautam, Assistant Professor, ACFA

Wishing for Karan’s success at the Bigg Boss show, Dr. Manisha Sharma, an Assistant Professor at the Post-graduation department of Commerce and Management, says “Karan was an active member of the dramatics society at the college. He was a good orator and later on in life he polished his skills. In 2018, he came to our college to be part of a fashion show – Lavanya. He has a remarkable screen presence, confidence and communication skills, and this is winning him so many young fans each day.” 

Speaking about Kundra’s real-life persona, his childhood friend Kunal Sabharwal says, “Nupur and I have spent the best days of our lives with him and they have been incredible. Watching Karan become a star in Bollywood is remarkable but what really makes us proud is his aura and personality. He is carrying and displaying the same in his Bigg Boss debut; he is honest, humble, kind and fair at the game.”

Dr. Aarti Verma, Assistant Professor at the Department of Commerce and Management, who taught accounts and management to Kundra at college, says, “I have met Karan many times during his visits to Jalandhar, and he is a gem of a person. He always believed in himself and showed courage to pursue his acting dream. After he won the coveted Mr. Jalandhar honour, he turned his career around by consistently moving forward in life. At the Bigg Boss show, he is tactfully and effectively communicating with everyone in the house. At one of the instances, even Salman Khan referred to his opinion as ‘correct’, which is big. He has all the qualities to become a winner.”

“Karan is the pride of Apeejay College of Fine Arts. I wish him grand success and extend my best wishes on behalf of the Apeejay family.

-Dr. Neerja Dhingra, Principal, Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar 

To vote for Karan Kundra at Bigg Boss Season 15, check the video below:

Mrini Devnani is a Principal Correspondent and Marketing Coordinator at Newsroom. She covers student achievements, conducts interviews, and contributes content to the website. Previously, she served as a Correspondent specialising in Edu-tech for the India Today Group. Her skill areas extend to Social Media and Digital Marketing. For any inquiries or correspondence, you can reach out to her at [email protected].

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