Bigg Boss 20 contestant Rhiti Tiwari’s comments about her financial struggles have now sparked a controversy outside the house. Punjabi singer Ekam Bawa, who says he is Rhiti’s former stepfather, has questioned her claim that she receives a monthly allowance of ₹20,000- ₹25,000. In a video circulating on social media, Ekam has alleged that Rhiti’s lifestyle is very different from what she described on the show, citing luxury cars, expensive handbags, properties, and a sports business. These claims have not been independently verified.
Ekam Bawa questions Rhiti’s ₹25,000 allowance claim
Rhiti recently spoke about her finances on Bigg Boss 20, telling the other contestants that her father, actor-politician Manoj Tiwari, gives her a monthly allowance of around ₹20,000- ₹25,000. She said she has had to be careful with money, recalling times when she would eat two ₹10 vada pavs a day and put in just ₹500 worth of diesel in her car when needed.
Ekamhas now questioned the accuracy of her account of her financial situation. In an Instagram video, he claimed that he was married to Rhiti’s mother, Rani, but it seems from his conversation that they might not be together. He spoke about what he claims are Rhiti’s expensive possessions and luxury cars.
In the video, he stated, “Jiske paas ₹4-5 lakh ke handbags ho… Uske baad aapke paas badi badi gadiya hai. Range Rovers ka toh ₹2.5-3 lakh ka kharcha hai khali. Aap ₹25,000 keh rahe ho? (You own handbags worth ₹4–5 lakhs… and then there are the big cars you have. Just maintaining a Range Rover costs ₹2.5–3 lakhs. And you’re talking about ₹25,000?).”
Ekam Bawa on a sports company and Mumbai properties
Ekam also claimed that she owns a sports company with a sizeable turnover and said the company has links with well-known cricketers. He also raised questions about properties in Mumbai, asking how Rhiti and her family could afford expensive flats if she was relying on a relatively modest monthly allowance.
“Sports company hai aapki, jiska itna bada turnover hai ki collectors ka naam bhi juda hai uske sath. Kitne saal se chal rahi hai? Woh bhi toh paisa aapke paas aata hai. Kahan jaata hai? Bombay me bhi toh bade bade flats hai; woh kaha se aaya?,” he said, questioning where her income comes from (You own a sports company with such a massive turnover that even collectors are associated with it. How many years has it been running? That money comes to you, too. Where does it go? You have huge apartments in Bombay as well; where did the money for those come from?)” he claimed in his video.
Ekam Bawa says he lived with Rhiti and her mother
Ekam also spoke about his relationship with Rhiti’s mother, Rani Tiwari. He claimed that he lived with Rani and Rhiti in the same flat from 2020 to 2025 and said Rhiti was aware of his relationship with her mother. He said he and Rani were in a live-in relationship from 2020 to 2022 before getting married on February 18, 2022. While recounting their history, he also shared photographs of himself with Rani and Rhiti.
He is also unhappy with Rhiti’s behaviour
Ekam also spoke about Rhiti’s recent clash with Qazi Touqeer on Bigg Boss 20. The two got into a heated argument after Qazi staged a fake medical emergency, which he later admitted was a prank. Rhiti was upset by the incident and accused Qazi of making light of mental health concerns. Their argument soon escalated, with Rhiti calling him a “fraudster,” “dhongi baba”, and “disgusting”. The fight also saw abusive remarks being exchanged about Qazi’s family.
Ekam said he was angry with the way Rhiti spoke to Qazi and felt she should have handled the situation differently. “You go and abuse a man? You are hurling abuses at Qazi, using swear words involving his mother and sister,” he said, visibly agitated. “Of course, I will get angry. I am human too, and naturally, I will get angry.”
He also asked Rhiti to be mindful of her behaviour, especially while she is on a show watched by a national audience. “Logon ko paagal banana band kariye aap. Bigg Boss mein jake aap logon ko gaali de rahe hai… bachchey, nahi karte aisa. Yeh shobha nahi deti baatein (Stop fooling people. You go on Bigg Boss and abuse people. You are a child; you shouldn’t behave like this. Such things don’t suit you),” he added.
Bawa opens up about his own experience with the family
While discussing Rhiti, he also made serious allegations about her mother and spoke about his own experience with the family. “I have no words for these people,” he said. “I hope no one ever has to go through what I have been through. I am a very emotional person. I never create controversies. But I don’t like lies,” he explained.
What Rhiti has said about her childhood
Rhiti has shared a different account of her childhood on Bigg Boss. She spoke about her parents’ divorce and said she did not have a close relationship with her father while growing up.
According to Rhiti, she would see Manoj Tiwari only around once a year and largely grew up without his presence. “My father was out of my life after my parents got divorced. He very clearly told me that he would not help me in my career,” Rhiti stated.