Pratik Sehajpal to Shehnaaz Gill, Bigg Boss contestants who did not win the show but hearts

You may not be a regular viewer of the controversial reality show Bigg Boss, but there's no denying the fact that it is one the most popular shows on Indian television. It has had a successful run for 15 seasons. The reality show houses contestants from all walks of life and locks them for months. With high voltage drama, the show has always managed to find someone interesting every season. The show, currently hosted by superstar Salman Khan, can have only one winner every season, but there are always housemates in each season who leave a mark in the viewers' minds even if they don't take the trophy home. For instance, in the most recently concluded season, Bigg Boss 15, it was Pratik Sehajpal. 

Here're some Bigg Boss contestants that may have not won their season, but they did manage to rule the hearts of fans.

Pratik Sehajpal (Season 15)

Season 15 winner was Tejasswi Prakash, however, social media trends called Pratik Sehajpal the true winner of the season.  He has been receiving immense love from the audience. He held his ground and fearlessly played the game. He claimed the ladder and finished as the runner-up of the show, despite popular faces like Karan Kundrra, Rashami Desai, Jay Bhanushali and Shamita Shetty.

Shehnaaz Gill (Season 13)

Shehnaaz Gill is probably the only contestant who has managed to stay in news even after two Bigg Boss seasons. Her antics, behaviour and talk left everyone impressed. Her relationship with Sidharth Shukla was an instant hit among the social media users, so much so that the hashtag #Sidnaaz occasionally trends even today. Even though she did not win the show, she definitely won hearts inside and outside the Bigg Boss house.

Asim Riaz (Season 13)

If someone could compete against the massive popularity of Sidharth Shukla was Asim Riaz. He played the game with complete dedication and he never dittered from his goal. Showing his true emotions, he neither shied away from supporting his friends nor sided with them when he felt they were wrong. Also, when he fell in love with Himanshi Khurrana, he didn't blink an eye to proposing marriage to her. 

Sunny Leone (Season 5)

One of the most graceful contestants of Bigg Boss is Sunny Leone. Given her background, people both inside and outside the house had too much to say about her, but that didn't deter her zeal to put forth her best. Confident, team player and adorable are what Sunny describes Sunny's stint in the show.

Nora Fatehi (Season 9)

Who'd know that a girl who comes from a Moroccan family, born and raised in Canada will be ruling the hearts of Indian fans? The actor-dancer appeared in Bigg Boss in 2015 and there has been no turning back for her since then. She's been a part of blockbuster films and an obvious choice for music videos given her impeccable skills at belly dancing. 

Keith Sequeira (Season 9)

He was a total gentleman. His chivalrous attitude and chocolate-boy looks helped him find a way into the hearts of millions. He was in the show with his partner Rochelle Rao, and were among the best couples the reality show had. Even though he was evicted due to minimum votes, he gained a huge fan base after his stint in the show.

Manoj Tiwari (Season 4)

Politician Manoj Tiwari was seen as a contestant in the fourth season of the reality show. He played with level-headed confidence. He knew how to get things done but maintained a light disposition. One of the highlights of Manoj's stint on the show was his fight with co-contestant Dolly Bindra over eggs. He kept his cool even after Dolly unleashed a rant.

Puneet Issar (Season 8)

His closest friend and housemate Gautam Gulati eventually won Bigg Boss 8, but Puneet gave serious competition to Gautam. Be it anger, enthusiasm, politics or friendship, Puneet revelled in a gamut of emotions with equal ease. His bond with Gautam became a highlight of the season for the audience.

Pooja Bedi (Season 5)

Sophisticated and smart, actress Pooja Bedi was wholly deserving for the winner's trophy. She knew how to play the game -- from plotting to having a love angle with Akashdeep Sehgal to being vocal when need be. Pooja made the show a bit more interesting from the viewers.

Vikas Gupta (Season 11)

He was a smooth player and one of the smartest ever. You could love him or hate him but you could never miss him. He knew how to play the game and also create a game within a game. Social media users couldn't stop talking about Vikas, who became the second runner's up of the show. His stint made the 11th season even more interesting by plotting mind games.

-- with agency inputs