'Ashu has become a very close friend'

After two months of ups and downs in the Bigg Boss 2 house it was exit time for Diana Hayden. We caught up with the former Miss World just minutes after she stepped out of the house and talked to her about her experiences in the house, her take on Rahul and her much talked about friendship with Ashutosh. Diana whose knowledge of the Hindi language had become a subject a ridicule on the show was very confident even when she faced the Hindi news channels, comfortably answering all the questions thrown at her. So we also decided to give her a small Hindi test at the end of the interview. Read on...

Diana, once again a woman has been evicted from the house… Is the house sexist?

Haha, I don't think it's the house…it's the viewers. But honestly when I found out I was pitted against Ashu I wasn't going to say anything. I myself looked into camera and asked people to save him. Because the prize money is going to make a huge difference to his life. To me, it's just a crore - I'll earn it. As far as the fame goes, people already know who I am. So it was the other way round. But let me also clarify that Ashu and I are just good friends. There is nothing going on between us, He has just become a very close friend.

But Ashu and you are poles apart. What quality has attracted you to him?

Attracted only as a friend. Let me specify that! But, Ashutosh is an honest person. I like his honesty, he is funny and I think that's why we became friends.

But in the course of your friendship do you think you ended up alienating everyone else and became a Rahul-Monica part II, if I may say so?

Oh my god, no! On the contrary we did not alienate ourselves. It is a misconception. When Raja and Ashu had that fight, every single person snubbed Ashu. But I am sorry my values don't permit me to cut off from a friend and hang around with everybody else…I could have easily done that as I got along with everyone. So obviously I started spending more time with Ashu. But with that one crore in sight, there was just too much politics. The last two weeks were so distasteful, it was ugly. Otherwise I had a blast for two months.

You started your stay as quite a diplomat but in the last two weeks would you say even you changed and became a part of the politics?

Was there any time where it seemed I was a part of politics? In fact I faced the repercussions of politics. And I knew that would happen, as I had an idea of the game. But my values have taught me to ignore something like that. Be aware but don't react. In the last two weeks a change perhaps came about because I was amidst a volcano of negativity. The atmosphere in the house changed and become ugly. So if you found a change in me it was only due to the things happening around me.

You entered the house after a few weeks of the show going on air... It was said you were called in to add to the glam factor on the show. How did this offer come to you?

I probably was brought in as the glam factor. It's television and obviously I will add to the glamour on the show. But they contacted my manager and the dates just worked out. So I decided to give it a shot.

But a section of your fans felt doing a Bigg Boss 2 didn’t gel with your persona of a up market, sophisticated, international model. Any defense?

No defense! For me it was a house where people would see the real you. And they did see me living in jeans. Your persona at the end of the day is what you are and what you show. But I had nothing to hide.

A lot of people argue that everything on the show is scripted and stage-managed…

It is so not scripted. Because during my entry they gave me a bell and I asked 'what do I do?' They said do whatever you want once you cross the line, but if you break the rules…Like I forgot my microphone a couple of times while doing the dishes or in the kitchen and I was penalized for it. The punishment of not speaking for one whole day killed me. I repeat nothing is scripted though I don't know how is the 24-hour footage edited.

What luxury did you miss the most and how do you plan to unwind now?

My mobile, because I live on my phone chatting for almost six-seven hours a day. But I learnt how to cook, how to sing without being embarrassed, I washed 18 bedsheets in one go and most importantly I learnt how to live with a lot of people. What I realised is there is nothing you can't do without…Things might be important but there is nothing you can't live without.

Who do you think deserves to win and who would you say is the smartest player of the game?

Call me biased but I feel Ashu deserves to win. He is honest and the money will make a huge difference to him. He has a sister to marry. I think the smartest player is Rahul. He may not be playing it clean but a lot of housemates aren't. He is smart because he exactly knows what the camera wants and everything he does is manipulative. You must have seen he loves to set up fights and watch the fun. What I was most disappointed with is that a person so educated and well traveled stooped to such low levels, when he snatched Ashu's breakfast. He had five other options but he knew Ashu had no option. Rahul is selfish and is playing it dirty.

Finally, Bigg Boss 2 has been like a crash course in Hindi for you. Why don't you give a message to those who in the house...In Hindi?

Bahut mushkil hai (Laughs) Main yehi kehna chaahongi ki aapka values jo hai, usse banake rakhiye kyunki jo abhi ghar mein ho raha hai who bahut negative hai. Ek karod itna khaas nahi hai kisi ke liye. (It is difficult let me try. I only want to tell the housemates not to compromise on their values. The atmosphere in the house has become very negative and I think it's not worth it even if the prize money is a crore).