Kushal Tandon, who was part of the reality show Alliance, found himself at the centre of attention over his equation with Zaid Darbar, the husband of his former partner Gauahar Khan. However, Kushal says any awkwardness that viewers may have expected quickly gave way to friendship, as he maintained that his past with Gauahar belongs in the past.
Speaking about his bond with Zaid during an interview with the Hindustan Times, Kushal Tandon said he never entered the show viewing him as Gauahar’s husband. “I didn’t see him as somebody’s husband. I saw him as a contestant,” he said, adding that the two eventually “gelled up like boarding school guys” and became good friends.
Kushal also pointed out that his relationship with Gauahar dates back around 15 years. “That’s 15 years back. We all grew up and we are all mature people. And we meet outside also. There’s no bad blood,” he said.
Kushal Addresses His Viral Statement
His remarks – “Tujhe saari meri cheezein pasand aati hai” – had also made headlines. The playful exchange was interpreted differently outside the house. Kushal recalled that Zaid would often ask for things he was using, including his cigarette, coffee and protein shake.
“When we smoke, he wants my cigarette. When I make coffee, he wants my coffee. When I make protein shakes, he wants my protein shake. I told him that ‘You like only my stuff.’ And it was not to any other context,” Kushal said, clarifying that the comment was part of their banter.
Kushal Tandon added that there was no malice behind the exchange and said both he and Zaid understood it as a joke. “When people don’t get our fights, they should get some spice. But we took that as a joke,” he said.
Zaid had previously said that Kushal apologised to him and his family for the comment, although the apology was not aired on the show.
Kushal Says He Was Misunderstood
The situation escalated after Vanshaj Singh returned to the show and told Zaid about the reaction outside the house to Kushal’s remark about him liking his “things”. The actor believes Vanshaj’s strategy was to turn the house against him.
“His game plan was that he would tell everyone bad things about me. He just went and did that. And then the whole house was against me,” Kushal Tandon said.
He further claimed that Vanshaj later acknowledged that he had lied about him not apologising to Zaid because he wanted Zaid to break his alliance with Kushal and join his group. Despite the pressure, Kushal said he remained committed to the people he had promised to support.
“So, I did what I said. I did what I said. And the whole group gathered to make me fall. But no one was able to make me fall,” he said.
Why Did Kushal Tandon Join Alliance?
Kushal Tandon revealed that he had initially decided against returning to reality television after appearing on Bigg Boss around 15 years ago. However, producer and mentor Ektaa Kapoor convinced him to take up Alliance.
According to Kushal, Ektaa, with whom he has worked on his last four shows, invited him to her home and asked him to give her a year. While she had two web shows lined up with him for a major platform, she first wanted him to experience reality television again.
“I just did this show because of Ekta Kapoor. Otherwise, I would have not done this show,” Kushal Tandon said.
For Kushal, the decision eventually became a transformative experience. He believes Alliance allowed viewers to see aspects of his personality that may not have been visible through his scripted work.
“The world has seen what kind of a person I am,” he said, adding that audiences were able to see different sides of him instead of simply judging him as arrogant.
