Shagun Sharma alleges Gaurav Khanna 'bullied' her on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 ahead of premiere: 'He picked on me the most'

Even before the first stunt has officially aired, Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 15 has found itself in the middle of an unexpected controversy. The latest season of Rohit Shetty's adrenaline-fuelled reality show premiered on August 1, but conversations around it had already shifted from dangerous challenges to behind-the-scenes dynamics. Actress Shagun Sharma, one of the fresh faces on the show, has opened up about her experience during the Cape Town shoot, making serious allegations against fellow contestant Gaurav Khanna. Speaking candidly after filming wrapped up, Shagun claimed she felt singled out and "bullied" by the television actor throughout the competition. Her remarks have now become one of the biggest talking points surrounding the new season.

During an interview with Filmygyan, Shagun Sharma did not hold back while recalling her experience on the stunt-based reality show. She admitted there was one contestant she would prefer not to meet again, naming Gaurav Khanna.

Explaining why, Shagun alleged that Gaurav frequently targeted her whenever contestants failed to complete a task.

She said, "I think Gaurav Khanna is one person I would not want to meet."

Sharing an example, she added, "If five people performed a task and four of them aborted it, out of those four, he would pick on me the most. He would say, 'Ye to chor deti hai', 'She is weak', and 'Don't do this'. Unhone mujhe bahot bully kiya hai."

Her comments have quickly sparked discussions among fans even before audiences have had a chance to watch the contestants interact on screen.

Did Shagun Sharma believe that was Gaurav Khanna's real personality?

Interestingly, Shagun stopped short of claiming that Gaurav behaves the same way outside the reality show environment.

She acknowledged that competitive reality shows often bring out a completely different side of participants. "I think in reality space, you do become a different version of yourself. So, I wouldn't say ki shayad wo real mein ekdum hi waise hain jaise unhone waha behave kara ha," she said.

Her statement suggested that while she was deeply affected by his behaviour during filming, she was not drawing conclusions about his personality beyond the show.

Apart from the controversy, Season 15 is arriving with a major format change. For the first time in the history of Khatron Ke Khiladi, former contestants are returning to compete alongside celebrities making their debut on the show. The twist promises to pit experienced players against newcomers, making the competition more unpredictable than ever.

Did you know? Khatron Ke Khiladi is inspired by the internationally acclaimed reality format Fear Factor, but over the years it has evolved into one of Indian television's biggest celebrity stunt shows with Rohit Shetty becoming synonymous with the franchise.

Who are the contestants this season?

Season 15 features a mix of familiar television faces, digital personalities and returning fan favourites.

The contestants making their debut include Gaurav Khanna, Farrhana Bhatt, Avinash Gujral, Orry, Ruhanika Dhawan and Shagun Sharma.

Returning contestants stepping back into the competition are Karan Wahi, Rubina Dilaik, Rithvik Dhanjani, Vishal Aditya Singh, Jasmin Bhasin and Avika Gor.

The combination of experienced players and first-time contestants is expected to create fresh rivalries and unexpected alliances throughout the season.

When and where can you watch the show?

Hosted by filmmaker Rohit Shetty, Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 15 premiered on August 1 on Colours TV. Viewers can also stream the latest episodes digitally on JioHotstar.

With the season only just beginning and contestants already making explosive claims about what happened behind the cameras, audiences will now be watching closely to see whether the on-screen episodes reflect the tensions described by Shagun Sharma.