Mumbai, Jan 8 (IANS): Three months of patience and fair play paid rich dividends to TV actress Juhi Parmar, who Saturday won the fifth season of the controversial reality show "Bigg Boss" and the prize money of Rs.1 crore.
The "Kumkum" fame actress, who was among the first 13 contestants to enter the house Oct 2, 2011, pipped actress Mahek Chahal and Siddharth Bhardwaj to win the show, which was described as high on fights and low on entertainment quotient by season three participant, actor-filmmaker Kamaal R. Khan.
She is the second female contestant to win the show, as Shweta Tiwari had taken away the trophy in the last season.
Juhi, 31, had earlier participated in other reality shows - "Pati Patni Aur Woh" and "Maa Exchange" and was seen indulging in lots of arguments, but in "Bigg Boss", she played the game more patiently.
Many inmates and viewers were not so happy with Juhi's friendship with her inmate Akashdeep Saigal aka Sky, who got embroiled in the ugliest fights on the show, but it didn't stop her from winning the show.
Others in the top five included Amar Upadhyay and Sky.
Juhi too had her share of arguments with contestants like Shraddha Sharma, Amar, Siddharth and Mahek, but at the same time she enjoyed a good friendship with Raageshwari Loomba, Pooja Bedi, Indo-Canadian porn star Sunny Leone as well as Sky.
What made her stand out was her patience and quality of lending everybody a patient ear in the "Bigg Boss 5", which was co-hosted by Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan.
The finale was graced by actor Imran Khan and filmmaker Karan Johar, who came to promote their forthcoming film "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu".
Johar had expressed that he wanted Juhi to win the show, and that his mother, Hiroo Johar, a fan of the show, feels that she was the most promising contender for the winner's trophy.
The prediction came true.
Juhi was ecstatic to see her husband, TV actor Sachin Shroff, her parents and her mother-in-law upon her exit from the secluded house, where she spent 98 days without being connected with anything or anyone outside the four parapets of the house.
The finale saw several performances, including those by Sunny, Malaika Arora, Pooja Missra, Rakhi Sawant, transgender activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi and Shonali. Even Shakti Kapoor danced with all the girls who entered "Bigg Boss 5" - bringing the show to a full circle.
Malaika added spice to the finale by dancing on numbers like "Chhaiya chhaiya", "Chhammak chhallo" and "Honth raseele" while Rakhi grooved to "Chikni chameli".
Salman and Sanjay too shook a leg together, making it a treat for the audience.
"Bigg Boss 5" began with an eclectic mix of celebrities - controversial models, actresses, a wrestler, as well as a proud transgender.
The season saw former Miss Afghanistan Vida Samadzai, who was banned in the country for wearing a bikini; Nihita Biswas, wife of "Bikini Killer" Charles Sobhraj, VJ Pooja Missra, actress Pooja Bedi, model-actress Shonali, popular host Mandeep Bevli, and Rajasthani folk dancer Gulabo Sapera.
Woman wrestler Sonika Kaliraman was also seen on the show, but she left within a week of her entry as she was pregnant.
Laxmi also added drama to the season, while guest appearances were made by social activist Swami Agnivesh, Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds and sumo wrestler Yamamotoyama.