Who are the Kannada contestants?

Season 9 of Bigg Boss Telugu has opened with high drama and a star-studded lineup. Among the 15 contestants, three Kannada stars, Sanjana Galrani, Thanuja Gowda and Flora Saini, have grabbed the spotlight.

The much-awaited Bigg Boss Telugu Season 9 began yesterday with a grand premiere hosted by superstar King Nagarjuna, who continues to be the face of the show. As tradition goes, the house welcomed 15 contestants in total, nine celebrities and six commoners. The premiere night was filled with glitz, introductions, and the first look at this year’s dramatic house theme.

This season promises high-voltage entertainment with a perfect blend of actors, comedians, influencers, folk performers, and everyday individuals. The unique twist is the “Agnipariksha” round, through which six commoners were selected to join the show, making them instant fan favourites.

Kannada stars in the Telugu Bigg Boss house

For Karnataka audiences, this season feels extra special as three familiar Kannada faces made their way into the Telugu house:

•    Sanjana Galrani – Actress known for her Kannada films and her stint in Bigg Boss Kannada 1. Now a mother of two, Sanjana returns to the reality stage with renewed determination.

•    Thanuja Gowda (Thanuja Puttaswamy) – First seen in Kannada cinema with 6-5=2, Tanuja later made her mark in Telugu and Tamil serials. Her multilingual presence gives her a wide fan base.

•    Flora Saini – An actress with strong Kannada roots (Kodandarama, CID Eesha), Flora has acted in multiple languages and brings glamour and experience to the house.

Agnipariksha commoners: Six new faces

Breaking tradition, six commoners entered the house after winning the intense Agnipariksha challenge:

•    Kalyan Padal (Soldier Kalyan) – ex-army man turned influencer.
•    Harith Harish (Mask Man Harish) – comedian and YouTuber.
•    Demon Pavan – fitness creator.
•    Sreeja Dammu – lifestyle and dance vlogger.
•    Dr Priya – doctor.
•    Maryada Manish – influencer.

Also Read:Bigg Boss Kannada 12: Promo drops clues on contestants ahead of Sept 28 launch

Other celebrity contestants:

The celebrity lineup includes:

•    Bharani Shankar – actor.
•    Jabardast Emmanuel – comedian.
•    Suman Shetty – comic actor.
•    Ramu Rathod – folk artist.
•    Shrashti Varma – choreographer.
•    Ritu Chowdhary – actress.