Exclusive - Sumbul Touqeer’s dad on her bond with Shalin Bhanot: She grew up with me without her mom's presence; woh gender nahi dekhti dosti mein

Bigg Boss 16 contestant Sumbul Touqeer, who made headlines due to her bond with Shalin Bhanot, got a piece of advice from her father Touqeer Khan when he appeared on Weekend Ka Vaar recently. However, the actress chose to forgive Shalin Bhanot and Tina Datta and continued to be friends with them. This has irked many on social media. Sumbul’s father Touqeer Khan joined ETimes TV and poured his heart out. He shared how Sumbal’s affection towards Shalin was misunderstood by many as she doesn't believe in gender when she's friends with someone. He feels that Shalin Bhanot and Tina Datta used his daughter to sell a masaledaar story as they had feelings for each other. (Photo: Instagram)

This is the first time when I have let Sumbul to be a part of a project or show of this nature. She has never ever been in a situation like this. I have never let her be alone like this. She is confused because it is human nature, when you go to a place it takes time to open up and adjust as everything is new. She is very young also so she wants someone’s support. But I am happy she has slowly started to shine. (Photo: Instagram)

I feel people misunderstood Sumbul’s closeness with Shalin and jiss tarike se dikhaya aur execute bhi kiya gaya, that led to a false narrative. I know my daughter very well. Woh bachpan se mere saath rahi hai, uski maa nahi hai, humesha mere goad mein lete rehna. She would hold my hand always and roam around. She’s gender neutral. She sees her mother, father and friend in me. She doesn’t understand the difference between a girl and a boy when she’s connected or is friends with someone. Whether it is Gashmeer (Mahajani) or Fahmaan (Khan), she shared the same bond with them. She shared a very close bond with everyone on her sets of Imlie and in fact every where until now wherever she has worked. Woh bindaas rehti hai and shared the same bond with her costars that she has with me. (Photo: Instagram)

Bigg Boss house is a toxic place and people look for stories, angles which can create controversies, Tina and Shalin felt that this is nice angle and they used it for their benefit. When Sumbul entered the house, Shalin told her he is from Jabalpur and we are also also from Jabalpur and Katni, she felt connected. They started to bond but Shalin used everything to his benefit. Whatever was shown on the show and the discussion everywhere made me worried and I decided to go on the show and reveal the truth. (Photo: Instagram)

I feel Tina and Shalin had something else in mind and that’s why they kept selling this false narrative. Sumbul was friends with both Tina and Shalin and would spent time with them. My only complaint is why didn’t Shalin speak directly to Sumbul. After the weekend ka vaar episode, he’s suddenly saying he has a son and he treats Sumbul the similar way. Had he mentioned the same things earlier and had spoken to her one on one, this confusion would have not raised. (Photo: Instagram)

When Tina questioned Shalin, he started giving twisted answers because he was trying to impress her. He wanted to know if Tina was interested in him. Amidst all this my daughter became a scapegoat. “Woh Dono ne apni baat set karne ke chakkar mein ye nahi Dekha ki ek Choti se bacchi pees gayi”. They created an entire false narrative. She took care of Shalin the way she does things for me. Getting food, taking care of him, when he was unwell, she looked after him. He could have easily spoken to her. The made a story out of this entire thing and tried to sell it as a masaledaar story. In the Bigg Boss house people love to see this. (Photo: Instagram)

I don’t think Sumbul has any love feelings for Shalin. As far as I know my daughter that she gets connected to people very easily and is very expressive. But it shouldn’t be taken as another narrative. “Usko kuch alag samjhe aap Woh galat hai”. I can say this with confidence because I have seen her on sets and how she behaves with people. She has been working since last 9 years. I’ve never got to hear anything like this before about her. People have always praised her. This is the first time when I had to go and defend her. (Photo: Instagram)

Sumbul, me and my younger daughter Saniya, we have a triangle. Kabhi main mummy, papa, friend, guide, teacher ban jaata hoon. She writes a letter to me on every teacher’s day she considers me as her guru. I have been her teacher because I have taught her dance. Had I only been a father to her, she had not behaved this way with everyone or got this connected. “Maine apne Dono betiyon ko apne barabar rakh ke paala hai.” I think that’s my fault that I raised her like that. (Photo: Instagram)

I think I failed in that department. I always tried that they shouldn’t feel that they lack anything in their life. They shouldn’t feel that they don’t have their mother around them. Baccha humesha apni maa se connected hota hai, baap se bhi hota hai but there is a parda between them. We didn’t have any boundaries. When I became her mother, I understood her every problem be it mental, physical or emotional. I have been her friend also and whenever she faced any problem in her school she shared that with me. (Photo: Instagram)

My only motive to send Sumbul to the Bigg Boss house was to make her strong. She’s a very pure hearted child. She is a very simple girl. She has always met very positive people in life, I felt she needs to see the harsh reality of the world. “Mujhe laga agar Woh Aise he chalti rahi zindagi mein Aur Kisi galat insaan ke saath jud gayi aur usse tab joh chot lagegi woh sambhal nahi payegi”. (Photo: Instagram)

I don't feel let down at all because I know how I have raised my daughter and have full confidence on my upbringing. She’s very forgiving. If she wanted she could have played the victim card that day, she could have threw things, cried, yelled but she didn’t do that. She was not aware what Shalin and Tina had done to her. She felt if I behave rudely to them, the entire house will boycott them. She fused the entire situation. She handled entire situation maturely. I put up a post for her and I am not at all disappointed. (Photo: Instagram)