Bigg Boss Tamil 8 Launch Live Updates: Pavithra Janani, Muthukumaran, Gana Jeffry, Sachana Namidass enter Vijay Sethupathi’s show

And it is time for the final entrant of the day... It is Vijay TV's very own Jacqueline. 

From anchoring in shows, starring in television shows, delivering an excellent performance in Kolamaavu Kokila, and running a successful YouTube channel, Jacqueline suddenly took a 3-year break from television. 

And now, it is time for her to enter Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8.

Jacqueline asked a cute question to Vijay Sethupathi channeling Nayanthara from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. She says, "Enna oru periya rowdy kitta kootittu poga mudiyuma." And pat came the reply from Sethupathi, in his inimitable and nonchalant way, "Ulla 17 rowdy irukaanga, neenga 18." 

And with that, all 18 contestants have entered the Bigg Boss Tamil house. 

And let the games begin!

The next entrant is the talented Muthukumaran. 

There is no doubt that he knows how to speak, and how to narrate a tale. Will Muthukumaran keep us engaged for 100-odd days inside the Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8 house and prove that there is more to him than just being an excellent orator? 

"My Tamil skills became my identity. I wanted the tag of entertainer to be added to my identity, and that is what brought me to Bigg Boss," says Muthukumaran.

Vijay Sethupathi making Muthukumaran's mother talk about how she inculcated her reading habits, and how she influenced her son is such a beautiful moment in today's show. Making his mother give the Bigg Boss duplicate trophy is the crowning moment of today's show.

Next contestant to enter the Bigg Boss Tamil house is actor Arnav, another entrant from the world of television serials.

It is interesting how Arnav says he is very straight forward and sensitive, and it makes you wonder what he is doing inside the Bigg Boss house. But we always love those outliers, right? 

Anyway, Arnav opens up about the biggest downfall of his life that shattered his support system. The downfall that made him self-reflect and find out the happy Arnav that was once lost. It is this journey to find the old and happy Arnav that has brought him to Bigg Boss. 

Reminiscing about his past, Vijay Sethupathi says that insults and brickbats are par for the course in any journey. "It happens among friends and families too, so it is natural for it to happen in a professional space.  So, there is no point dwelling on it," says the host. 

And Sethupathi opens up about the most important advice he received about hosting. "They said Bigg Boss will be a good experience for me. The people I meet, the experiences they share, the opinions of the audience... all these will give me an understanding of myself and the audience."

It is the cheerful Kerala-born Anshida, popularly known for playing the titular role in Chellamma, who enters the Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8 house next. 

A beautiful AV tells a very wholesome tale of this actor, who puts up a simple request from the Bigg Boss show: "I just need a lot of love and affection. I have always craved for it."

Anshida speaks about how negativity is celebrated and how easily it engulfs a person, and makes even Sethupathi feel enamoured by her answer about searching for love in this world of hate.

It is time for VJ Vishal to enter the Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8 house. 

The AV traces Vishal's journey as an emcee, reality show contestant in various shows, actor in the popular serial Bakiyalakshmi, and now... Bigg Boss house. 

Yet another actor who is looking to explore a long-standing journey in cinema through the Bigg Boss opportunity. 

Vijay Sethupathi asks why Vishal chose to quit a lucrative serial to try cinema, and he explains the need to learn and explore his passion, and allow everyone to see a new facet of him. 

Vishal asks if Sethupathi would get angry. "Anger is natural, right? Sometimes I would think if my anger is required in front of certain kind of people. I don't know how I am. But yeah, I am an introvert," says the host. 

Points to Vishal for asking Vijay Sethupathi an important question that made him open up, and smile widely. 
 
Also, the famed Sethupathi kiss is what Vishal will take inside the house.

The next housemate is Tharshika, and it is interesting how they have only been two dance performances so far. But anyway, that's how we are introduced to Tharshika in this edition of Bigg Boss Tamil. 

A wonderfully narrated AV culminates in Tharshika saying that she is tired of being the "second choice" or the "option" and now, "I have to be the first choice. People should recognise me." And it makes sense that she has chosen Bigg Boss as that platform. 

Vijay Sethupathi says art is something that we get better at with practice. 

And Tharshika reiterates that Bigg Boss is the platform that would elevate her closer to her dreams.

The next contestant is actor Arun Prasath. 

The actor talks about how his cinema career never took off, and he is seeing Bigg Boss as a huge platform.

"More than money, it was opportunity that I need," says Arun. Vijay Sethupathi quickly interjects, "I came to acting for money" 

The host asks Arun Prasath to not think of any boundaries or limits to his personal self or his career, and hopes he moves ahead without any limitations, be it self-imposed or otherwise. 

It is interesting how Vijay Sethupathi doesn't shy away from letting people know where their opinions need a slight change. And it is never enforced but just nudged. Could be an interesting facet of his hosting career.

The next entrant into the Bigg Boss Tamil house is Soundariya Nanjundan.

Soundariya opens up about the bullying she faced for her voice. The journey from the fashion world to cinema, and hopes Bigg Boss would give her the platform to chase her dreams. 

"I want to use the voice that everyone mocked to say my thoughts and win the show," says Soundariya Nanjundan. 

Vijay Sethupathi says she has a sweet voice, and reiterates that "Kural mukkiyam illa, gunam dhaan mukkiyam. (It is not the voice, it is character that is important)."

Soundariya says the media gave her the confidence to use her own voice.

Next up, we have Pavithra Janani, who makes host Vijay Sethupathi blush with her rendition of the song "Thangame Thangame".

Pavithra traces how she was once one among the crowd, and now stands out of it thanks to her popularity as a television actor. The AV is actually a cute one that is high on humour. But it doesn't tell much about her except the usual trope of "I want to show people the real me".

Actually, Vijay Sethupathi's style of questioning grows on you because it unsettles the contestant enough to make them lose their facade, and open up.

Next up, we have actor-filmmaker Ranjith entering the Bigg Boss house. And, the AV uses the present sensation "Pottu Vacha" song to introduce Ranjith.

Host Vijay Sethupathi talks about Ranjith's directorial... not Kavundampalayam but Bheeshmar.

WOW! Sethupathi talks about Ranjith's change of persona in Kavundampalayam, and asks him the tough questions. 

"I am the anbaana Ranjith. I have learnt my lesson from Kavundampalayam. I felt bad about what I did," says Ranjith. 

Vijay Sethupathi opens up about how Ranjith is actually a different person. 

Will this be an avenue to whitewash Ranjith? Will this be an avenue to know the real Ranjith? Will this be an avenue to become a true person or a better person? 

Ranjith hopes the truth in him will prevail.

Not anymore! The colourful, spacious, pink, left side of the house goes to the women.

But, the men have a condition. A small condition: "One week... you shouldn't nominate any men. And that one week will be the week of our choosing."

Smart. Very smart. Very Very Smart. 

This is a brilliant trump card in the hands of the men. But it all comes down to the simple question of when they would deal with that card.

After the six come up a cropper, Bigg Boss gives Sunita Gogoi and Gana Jeffry the opportunity to choose the side of their choice.

Will Sunita and Jeffry conform with the choice of their fellow women and men, respectively? Or would they turn the tide completely? Would they choose right? Would they choose at all?

Gana Jeffry is the chamathu for Sunita Gogoi and Co, but he might not be that for his fellow men. But then, Jeffry twists it at the right moment, and the chamathuness is reduced.

Women want dressing table, iron box, and the pink colour. Men opt for the "My house, my rules" stance.

Basically, the status quo continues...

The next contestant is Gana Jeffry, the self-made musician, whose first guru is his mummy. 

"I am entering Bigg Boss house because our living standards would be elevated. My mummy would be happy too," says Jeffry. 

Gana Jeffry shares that everyone around him should be happy, and he will make everyone laugh. "Bigg Boss la suthi kannu, pannalaam namma fun-u"

It is beautiful how the first song Jeffry sings on the show is "Kadavul Ullame". Such a warm moment. Such a genuine moment. It is this warmth and genuineness that we hope Jeffry would spread inside the house.  

Gana Jeffry's words about his mother, leaves everyone in tears, including Vijay Sethupathi who chokes up. 

The song he conjures up immediately is a testament to his talent. Big shout out to team Bigg Boss for unearthing such a talent. 

Give it up for Jeffry!

Well well well... Vijay TV's very own Sunita Gogoi is the next entrant in Bigg Boss house. 

The fan favourite, who has won the hearts of many Tamil people thanks to her dance, Tamil skills, poetry, and singing, puts a smile on the faces of the studio audience. 

"Cow kudukkum paalu, neenga dhaan en aalu," says Sunita.

As Kamal Haasan said in Guna, "Kavidha Kavidha... padi padi" 

In her video, Sunita Gogoi spoke about her 13-year journey from dancing to Cooku with Comali to now... Bigg Boss.

Vijay Sethupathi puts a smile on Sunita's face by telling her that she is excellent in thinking on her feet, and her brilliant perspective on life. And her conversation makes Sethupathi blush immediately. 

"I believe you would be an important addition to this show," says the host.

The doors of the house that remained closed so far has finally opened, and Vijay Sethupathi goes "agam tv vazhiye agathukkul" to the Bigg Boss house. 

Vijay Sethupathi announces the theme of this year's show: Men vs Women.

The first six contestants get the power to decide the 'side' of their choosing. Between two buzzers, the men and women have to choose which side would they prefer inside the house. 

Deepak immediately sets the tone that he could be the 'leader'.

Both have chosen the same side... And it is upto these six to talk and decide the comfort for the rest of the housemates. 

The women are holding their fort. The men aren't letting their guard down either. 

Will they choose wisely? 

No, they didn't. Bigg Boss gets angry, and sends them out of the house, and asks them to not talk with each other.

Meendum pallikku pogalaam vibes!

Up next, we have the articulate Ananthi, who is all smiles as she hears Vijay Sethupathi say that he has seen her book recommendation videos, film review videos, and her cinema acting too. 

The extremely articulate and candid RJ Ananthi talks about how her family is her support system. And, without missing a beat, Ananthi says that she will talk a lot in the Bigg Boss show. 

It is also interesting how every contestant so far talks about how they are all quite angry at heart, and will have to dial it down in the show.  

Sethupathi also shares how he handles negativity. "I can't prove my goodness to everyone, right? I have other things to do. Our job is not to prove anything to anyone. Just be good, and move ahead in life."

It is so nice to see the OG anchor of television Deepak enter Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8. And Vijay Sethupathi is kind enough to say, "I am his big fan..."

Deepak, who was spearheading the race in anchoring on television, found it the hard way that his career as an actor wasn't as smooth as his turns as a model and an anchor. He is candid enough to accept that his acting career took a major hit, and the extended break pushed him to understand that it isn't easy to get back on the saddle. 

Now, Deepak is entering the Bigg Boss house with the hope of setting things right, and vrooming to the front. 

Vijay Sethupathi asks the tough question: How is it to compete with younger lot? 

Deepak says, "It is all about today. But I also believe it is important to sustain, and that is where I have put in the required efforts and hard work."

Ravindar Chandrasekaran and Sathya seem to share a nice history. And it is nice to see Dharsha Gupta asking questions to both of them, and setting the tone for future interactions. If nothing else, one thing is guaranteed, Dharsha wouldn't be a pushover by any means. Also, we have seen in earlier seasons how important it is to create boundaries, and set agenda right from Day 1. Despite the long-ish nature of the show, the first impression is everything, and Dharsha seems to be eager to establish her presence among the four housemates so far.

Up next, we have actor Sathya, who is the husband of former BB contestant and acclaimed singer Ramya NSK.

Sathya, an avid fitness enthusiast, talks about the love from his family, and the affection from his grandmother. Let's tick that cuteness box right away! 

Sathya, who wants to elevate his career to the next level, hopes Bigg Boss would be the door to that journey. 

I genuinely appreciate Sathya's candidness that Bigg Boss would be the visiting card for him to approach many filmmakers for opportunities. 

What did former contestant Ramya tell new contestant Sathya? "Don't become a contestant like me, and not provide any content. Reduce your temper." 

AND FINALLY!! Vijay Sethupathi cracks the joke of the day, so far, and talks about the unnecessarily fake agenda of every contestant. "Go with the flow cannot be everyone's theme, right? Should I start an ashram to house all you calm people?"

The first contestant to enter the show with a performance that is high on pyrotechnics and dancing techniques is here. 

Let's welcome Dharsha Gupta to Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8. A favourite right from her days in Cooku with Comali, Dharsha has been knocking on the doors of that big opportunity for a while now, and well... she is now entering the Bigg Boss Tamil house. 

Hold the press!!! This Coimbatore-based actor is a teacher by profession, who tried her luck in media after coming to Chennai to buy stylish clothes for her work back home.  

I mean!!! What a journey. The stuff of tailored dreams, indeed 

Also, Vijay Sethupathi is getting better with cracking timing jokes.

Wasn't the fame of Maharaja enough? Why do you need Bigg Boss? are the next two questions asked by Vijay Sethupathi. 

"Maharaja was for my mother. This is for me," says Sachana Namidass.

Her family comes on stage to usher her into the Bigg Boss house. Vijay Sethupathi talks about the biggest plus of Sachana Namidass. He says, "She is a very smart person, who knows how to understand the feelings of everyone around."

The waterworks begin already. We understand the sentiment, but it can wait... Bigg Boss house will give enough opportunities for the same. 

Also, Vijay Sethupathi is frank enough to tell Sachana Namidass that he would be strict with her as the host of Bigg Boss, but will always be the 'appa' of Maharaja.

Vijay Sethupathi is all smiles as he welcomes the next contestant...  

And the first thing he asks her is, "Who asked you to come here?" 

You might think why he is so blunt with her?

Because she is Sachana Namidass, the actor who played Vijay Sethupathi's daughter in his recent blockbuster, Maharaja. 

The video for the young actor starts with her revealing she is 21. Wait! Didn't she just play a school kid in Maharaja? 

Anyway, Sachana believes her biggest strength is her mother. And how her journey into media and cinema is to fulfill her mother's dream. 

Many times parents live their past in their children's futures, right?

Vijay Sethupathi asks Ravindar Chandrasekaran to lose the facade and the punch dialogues, and just say what his aim is before entering Bigg Boss.

Ravindar says, 'People saw me as an aggressive person, who is just interested in making hay while the controversy shines. My search is to show the mass audience that I am more than just the person they see on social media.'

Sethupathi hands a replica of the Bigg Boss trophy... and finally, asks the reviewer to review his hosting.

'You are the best person to assess characters, considering how good you choose characters in your films. Just remember that audience's applause is a fickle thing,' says Ravindar.

The first contestant of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8 is producer-YouTuber Ravindar Chandrasekaran. The filmmaker has also been reviewing the previous seven seasons of Bigg Boss Tamil.

Now, the reviewer of Bigg Boss Tamil is entering the house as a contestant. "A nice critic needs to also accept criticism, right. Criticism is just opinion...," says Ravindar.

Well, Vijay Sethupathi also talks about how the applause at the wrong times can influence the wrong kind of people. He is right... But could it have been told in a much better way... YES! It will take some time getting used to Sethupathi's approach.

But it is not about Sethu, this time. It is all about Ravindar Chandrasekharan, and he is the first person to enter Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8.

He says, "My strategy is simple... Go with the flow. Free mind, no preparation, complete atrocity, that will become publicity, and that is my simplicity."

A line separates the house. The kitchen is separated as two sections. All the beds are twin-sharing. Bathroom has the usual advertisements, but this time it is spacious. 

Then there are two more bathrooms that are even more spacious. I mean, then there is another bedroom that has separate beds. And wait! Doesn't the house look really really huge? Also, the confession room is as tacky as we remember it. 

Hmmmmm... Well, Bigg Boss Tamil has clear plans, and Sethu is as clueless as us, and that is exactly why he might be the perfect fit. 

Everything is new. Everyone is new.

"There is no point trying to live up to the hype. Lets figure out everything together." 

And Vijay Sethupathi walks into the Bigg Boss house, with the music of Vikram Vedha playing in the background. 

Our beloved Vedha enters a new realm. A new realm that might just prove to be his biggest litmus test, ever. 

Does Sethupathi seem comfortable? It is early days, for sure. But it is odd to not see namma 'Ulaganayagan' walk in and introduce us to the surroundings. 

But nevertheless, when Vijay Sethupathi said, "Hi Bigg Boss", Bigg Boss responded, "I am happy to welcome you, Vijay Gurunatha Sethupathi." 

Well, Vedha.. I mean, Sethu has taken over.

Well, it is finally time for the start of the eighth edition of Bigg Boss Tamil. Aalum Pudhusu, Aattamum Pudhusu. And that's exactly how the show started. Namma sondha rapper Arivu kickstarted Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8 with his special rap that is catchy, thought-provoking, insightful, and basically... all things Arivu. 

The song sets the right tone for Vijay Sethupathi to take over the hosting duties from the Bigg Boss of them all, Kamal Haasan. 

Can't wait for the makers to release the fun song featuring therukoothu artists, freestyle dancers, and a golden Arivu. 

Basically... 

Let the games begin...

In a runup to Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8, Vijay TV conducted a special programme featuring past participants of Bigg Boss, including Harathi, Vanitha Vijayakumar, Thamarai, Cool Suresh, Suresh Chakravarthy, Sanam Shetty, and Vishnu Vijay. They interacted with fans of the show who asked them incisive questions about why they downvote straightforward and genuine people, the positives of being fake, the power of cameras always keeping an eye on them, and of course, the big question of them all... Is the show scripted? These answers might have been all over the place, but it is clear that viewers are asking the right questions, and this would clearly reflect in the voting pattern in this edition of Bigg Boss Tamil.

Bigg Boss Season 7 was also the first time in Bigg Boss Tamil history that a wild card entrant took home the big prize. It was Archana Ravichandran's hand that Kamal Haasan lifted triumphantly in the Season 7 finale. Such was the impact of her success that came out of nowhere that there are fandoms heralding her success in the run-up to the new season. Many wild card entrants came close to the top prize, including Harish Kalyan and Bindu Madhavi in Season 1, Vijayalakshmi in Season 2, Amir in Season 5, and Dinesh in Season 7, who managed to make it to the final week of the reality show. We cannot be sure as to what would happen 100-odd days from now. But one thing is sure, wild cards change dynamics of the house, and in a completely new setup, just imagine the power these cards could wield when the right time comes.

Bigg Boss Tamil Season 7 was special for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the show finally lived up to the toxicity that it was threatening to unleash. And this toxicity wasn't relegated to the confines of the house, but also to the social media fandoms. The season sowed the seeds of the now-widespread belief that PR agencies are employed by some of the housemates to ensure public perception is altered to suit agendas. Is any of it true? We wouldn't know. Just like we don't know if Bigg Boss is scripted. But is it fun to believe it? Well, to each their own, I guess.

The makers of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8 promised one thing. Everything would be new, they said. And this theme is prevalent right from Day 0 as the contestants are set to be separated into two houses right from the word go. We had something similar in the previous season too where there was Bigg Boss and Small Boss, which created a lot of confusion, controversy, chaos, and of course, content. Now, the makers have gone one step further to ensure that the 4C's are in place as the contestants are separated as Boys vs Girls. Well, you know what would happen when it is the battle of the sexes, right? No? Well, you will know now.

Arav Nafeez was crowned the grand champion of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 1, followed by Riythvika, Mugen Rao, Aari Arujunan, Raju Jeyamohan, Mohammed Azeem and Archana Ravichandran as winners in the subsequent seasons. Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan hosted all the seasons to date, with the houses consistently located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

While we still have three hours to wait for the final and official contestant lineup for Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8, The Indian Express has been closely monitoring developments to keep our viewers updated on the show and its potential participants. For the past few days, there has been growing speculation among fans and netizens that actor Aishwariyaa Bhaskaran is set to join the show as a contestant.

The daughter of veteran South Indian actor Lakshmi, Aishwariyaa has appeared in films across Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi. She has also appeared in various Malayalam and Tamil television serials.

A quick look at the comment sections of posts about Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8 on the social media pages of Disney+ Hotstar and Vijay TV shows that fans are thrilled about Vijay Sethupathi stepping in as the host. Renowned for his acting skills and sharp dialogue delivery, along with his talent for delivering monologues in a compelling manner, Sethupathi's presence is expected to boost the show's viewership significantly.

The latest edition of Bigg Boss Tamil premieres nearly 10 months after the grand finale of the seventh season. Launched on October 1, 2023, Season 7 concluded on January 14, 2024, with actor and television personality Archana Ravichandran being crowned the grand champion. While Manichandra took the title of first runner-up, Maya, Dinesh and Vishnu claimed the following top spots. The house was located in EVP Film City in Chennai and the edition featured a total of 106 episodes.

With every episode of Bigg Boss Tamil so far packed with heat and drama, excitement is already building for the launch of the eighth season. As the show is infamous for being a hotbed of controversies and its strategy hinges on featuring unfiltered contestants to maximize entertainment value, one name doing the rounds on social media as a potential participant has already attracted considerable attention.

Known for playing lead, supporting and villain roles in various movies across Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu languages, actor Ranjith had sparked controversy two months ago with his comments suggesting that caste-based murders — where Dalits or lowered-caste people are killed for marrying someone from elite castes — are driven by emotions. He controversially compared these acts to people's reactions when their possessions, like bikes, are stolen. However, he later issued a “clarification,” stating that he does not support caste-based murders. According to online buzz, Ranjith is likely to enter Bigg Boss Tamil 8 as a contestant, setting the stage for significant drama.

The stage is set for the launch of a new season of Bigg Boss Tamil and like many of you, we too are eager to see what unfolds and who the contestants will be. A key factor fuelling fan excitement is the arrival of “Makkal Selvan” Vijay Sethupathi as the host, as Kamal Haasan, who has been with Bigg Boss Tamil since its inception in 2017, had to step down this time due to his film commitments. While speculation about the potential participants has been doing the rounds for a while, the official lineup will be revealed only during the launch event, scheduled to begin at 6 PM on Sunday.