Gaurav Khanna’s entry into Bigg Boss 19 began with a question that set the tone for how many viewers first looked at him. “Kabhi aaj tak TV pe dekha nahi hai. Ho kaun aap?” A line that ignored what had already been a 21-year run in television.
A Childhood With No Plan for Acting
Khanna grew up in Kanpur in a business family. He didn’t plan to act. In school, he copied his teachers for fun, but his path was set toward an MBA and a future abroad. That plan took him to Mumbai. He joined a college and continued studying toward the degree he had aimed for.
The Unexpected Turn
One afternoon, he went to drop a friend at an audition. It started raining. He stepped inside the studio to wait. Someone asked him to audition too. He did. He got selected. He was paid Rs. 20,000. In a 2025 interview, he said: “I was so happy, I thought I made enough to fill petrol in my Bullet for two months and cover my gym fees.” With this, acting became a way to earn while staying in Mumbai.
A Job Quit. A Three-Day Track. A Moment of Panic.
After finishing his MBA, Khanna took up a marketing manager role in a multinational company. At the same time, he was asked to audition for Bhabhi. He resigned from his job to take the opportunity. Three days later, his track ended. He recalled: “Worst decision of my life… I couldn’t go back to the old job, my boss would yell at me.” He had not told his family. He stayed home, unsure of what to do next.
The Work That Followed
His role in Bhabhi was brief, but someone noticed him. He was offered a part in Kumkum – Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan. From there, Khanna moved through years of television work. He acted in Meri Doli Tere Angana, Yeh Pyar Na Hoga Kam, Love Ne Mila Di Jodi, and CID. During an audition, he met Akanksha Chamola. He introduced himself as a newcomer. They married in 2016.
Anupamaa and a Role That Stayed
In 2021, Khanna joined Anupamaa as Anuj Kapadia. The part was written as a three-month cameo. The audience response shifted the plan. Viewers called the character a “green flag,” and Khanna’s track became central to the show. He left Anupamaa in 2024. Rumours suggested issues with co-star Rupali Ganguly. Khanna denied this.
MasterChef: Challenge, Pressure, and a Win
In 2025, he entered Celebrity MasterChef. Judge Farah Khan spat out one of his dishes and called it inedible. Khanna had to cook non-vegetarian food though he is vegetarian. He had to identify ingredients while being colour-blind. He continued. He won the season. Later, there were claims that his winning dish resembled a preparation by a Swiss chef. His response: “People will talk. It’s how you produce and make it your own.”
Back to Reality TV
Later in 2025, he entered Bigg Boss 19. Inside the house, he was called passive. Salman Khan told him not to “lie like furniture.” Khanna said he wanted to be remembered as someone his family could be proud of.
A Career That Began Because It Rained
Gaurav Khanna’s path did not start with a plan. It started because he stepped inside a studio to escape the rain, auditioned for something he hadn’t come for, and walked out with his first role.
